In commemoration of the 498th anniversary of DKI Jakarta, 2Madison Gallery Kemang held a batik workshop on June 21, 2025. This event featured Mrs. Siti Laela, a Betawi batik artist from Terogong, who has been known to actively preserve Betawi batik as an important part of Indonesia's cultural heritage.
SpaceJakarta Team Documentation During the Workshop
The workshop took place in an educational and inspiring atmosphere. Participants began by sketching the image using a pencil, then proceeded to the "mencanting" (canting) stage, where they drew on the fabric using hot wax according to the pattern. After the "mencanting" (canting) process was complete, participants colored the pattern. The final coloring process then continued at Siti Laela's warehouse.
SpaceJakarta Team Documentation During the Workshop
After the event, Mrs. Siti Laela expressed her appreciation for the organization of the event. "It is a pleasure and an honor for us to be invited," she said. She also added that "in terms of implementation, I think this workshop was excellent, in conjunction with Jakarta's 498th anniversary."
SpaceJakarta Documentation During Interview with Mrs. Siti Laela
Regarding the workshop, it ran smoothly, with the majority of participants being adults. However, there were minor incidents, as is common in the batik-making process. "There were a few unintentional accidents. It's usually the case that the wax, as it melts, sometimes explodes. Even though we tried to cover it up, it still happened," he explained.
The enthusiasm of the participants was also a positive highlight for Mrs. Siti. She stated that the participants were highly engaged and enthusiastic. "It's amazing, it looks like the participants are quite interested and eager to participate in this batik workshop. Their creativity is quite good. When given pictures, they add innovation to the existing images," she said.
SpaceJakarta Team Documentation During the Workshop
Furthermore, Mrs. Siti emphasized the importance of hands-on experiences like this in introducing batik to the public. "It's crucial because not all Indonesians understand the batik-making process, and not everyone cares about preserving it," she said. Through hands-on experience, participants can understand the long process and the cultural values inherent in each piece of batik.
SpaceJakarta Team Documentation During the Workshop
Closing the interview, Mrs. Siti expressed her hope that the participants would gain a greater appreciation for batik, perhaps even an interest in studying it further. "My hope as a batik artisan is that they won't just learn, but perhaps they'll eventually become interested in becoming batik makers, joining Batik Betawi Terogong, and at the very least, they'll develop a greater appreciation for batik," she said.
SpaceJakarta Team Documentation During the Workshop
This workshop represents a concrete step in combining cultural celebration with the preservation of tradition. Through a collaboration between 2Madison Gallery and Mrs. Siti Laela, Jakarta's anniversary celebration was transformed into a valuable experience that strengthened the community's connection to Betawi batik culture.
Resource person: Mrs. Siti Laela
Interviewer: Yuni
Written by: Noverdy R
