The Star Online: Lifestyle: Bookshelf
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| Malaysian Batik: A tradition comes of age Posted: 23 Dec 2011 04:43 AM PST Can Malaysian batik acquire a 'national identity'? Rather than in any particular style or design, perhaps such an identity lies in its popularity as the fabric of choice in national attire, with Malaysians from all walks of life turning out in batik on informal and formal occasions, at home and abroad. THIS book offers a comprehensive narration of the growth of the Malaysian batik industry from its early beginnings as a scattered group of small personal holdings in the East Coast states of Malaya in the 1930s to the well-supported national hub that it is today. Under the auspices of Yayasan Budi Penyayang, the writer, Noor Azlina Yunus, has produced a well-illustrated account of the journey of Malaysian batik and the myriad phases and faces it represents – from its initial borrowings of the sober hues and repetitive patterns of the Indonesian batik Lasem, Pekalongan and Cirebon prototypes to the brilliant metamorphosis of colours and designs now crafted for high fashion. In every chapter the writer's batik story is accompanied by an impressive collection of photographs and sketches to illustrate each design, pattern, colour and technique described. The expert layout of the text and illustrations enhances the coffee table appeal of the book and facilitates the reading and comprehension of what are some rather complex descriptions of design and batik-making techniques. In Chapters 1 and 2, the writer points to an outstanding difference in the development of batik in Malaysia and Indonesia, where batik making is a centuries-old tradition. It was the customary use of the sarong in Javanese court wear and among men and women of the upper class that helped to preserve the identity of Indonesian batik. The skilled batik artisans consistently used the stiffer designs, schematic patterns and more staid colour schemes established in traditional Javanese batik. In Malaysia, batik sarongs were worn by the common folk, many of whom were farmers and fishermen. The self-taught batik makers of Kelantan and Terengganu were thus more free to develop bolder new designs and colour combinations reflecting the fauna and flora in the natural environment. The less restrictive cultural environment in Malaysia also allowed for innovations in the techniques and mechanics of batik production. Quite significantly, the transition from the use of the canting (a traditional hand-held tool) in Indonesia for the precise but slow release of the wax in batik tulis, to the use in Malaysia of metal-block wax stamping over broader areas of fabric to produce yardage batik cap, followed by the more versatile use of the canting technique to produce stylus batik has resulted in a more varied choice of batik fabrics and designs in Malaysia. In Chapter 3 Noor Azlina discusses in some depth the emergence of the Malaysian identity in stylus batik from the 1970s right through to the 1980s and 1990s, led by the younger graduates of art and design trained in foreign institutions as well as local ones such as the Mara Institute of Technology. The reader is led to conclude that what can be considered a pioneering venture in Malaysian batik is not so much the creation of a unique Malaysian design identity but rather, the innovations and experimentations in batik production. Interestingly, the tradition of designing individually styled yardage batik pieces for different designs in women's dress, scarves and stoles, men's shirts and even lifestyle products was born and nurtured during this phase of the batik story. The riot of patterns and colour combinations in traditional Malay women's dress, such as the baju kurung, baju kebaya and baju Kedah, and men' shirts typically reflected the Malay preference for stronger designs in their attire. The writer also identifies the individual batik designers and producers who were outstanding during this era and contributed their artistic skills as well as marketing talents to popularise Malaysian batik. Through their combined endeavours, the country saw a proliferation of batik silk produced by a combination of waxing and hand-drawn design using the canting and brushes. To this day, batik silk remains the most popular fabric choice for batik, taking over from the cottons and lawns of the early period and the voiles, rayons and viscose later. While individual designers in Kuala Lumpur were able to sustain their businesses, it was the organised efforts of government agencies like Rida (Rural Industrial Development Authority) and Mara (Majlis Amanah Rakyat) in the 1960s and 1970s that provided financial and technical assistance to the small-scale batik industry which started in the East Coast states of Kelantan and Terengganu and spread to the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The growth of local and international tourism, the government-encouraged use of batik for formal use, and individual initiatives developed a more stable market for Malaysian batik and the industry was to gain a stronger foothold in the nation's economy. However, as Noor Azlina rightly points out, while batik manufacturing was on its way to becoming a viable local industry in the 1990s, product development, if there was any, was less impressive. The new government agency Kraftangan needed to coordinate the batik industry players better and inspire them to develop newer and better designs to meet the demands of a more discerning twenty-first century consumer market. The highlights of Malaysian Batik: Reinventing A Tradition in terms of both its exposition and illustration are Chapters 4 and 5 where the writer describes in great detail the role played by the late Tun Endon Mahmood (wife of former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) and the organisation she spearheaded, the Yayasan Budi Penyayang (Penyayang), to inject new life into the Malaysian batik industry. From the inception of Penyayang in 2000, Endon was to consider it her personal mission to revitalise the industry with a new creativity, promotional scheme and business strategy to take it to loftier levels, locally and internationally. Under the untiring efforts of the foundation's CEO, Datuk Leela Mohd Ali, and its subsidiary Batik Guild Sdn Bhd, Penyayang embarked on the "Malaysia Batik – Crafted for the World" movement launched in 2003. Through the well-chronicled text and assortment of photographs in Chapter 4, the writer takes us through the colourful series of events – batik extravaganzas and fashion shows, street carnivals and fun walks, batik and craft exhibitions, batik demonstrations and workshops, seminars and conferences – organised by the movement that connected the Malaysian public with the best players in the batik industry. The batik industry players have been, in turn, given an organised platform and opportunity to showcase their talents and products and reach out to a much larger public. The concerted and sustained efforts to promote the Malaysian batik industry and encourage the creation of Malaysian batik with a clear national identity has brought together the batik makers, designers, production houses, fashion moguls, fashionistas, retailers and distributors, writers and media communicators and academicians, all poised to witness the modern rejuvenation and reinvention of Malaysian batik. The culmination of each year's activities lie in the Piala Seri Endon, a batik design competition held annually to showcase the best in batik design, highlighting the knowledge and experience of the designers but more importantly their "creativity, originality and professional execution of the batik in the designs as well as their commercial viability" (page 78). Admittedly, while the annual competition has injected new inspiration and artistic insight into the nation's many talented batik fashion designers, there has been no discernable design identity that Malaysian batik can boast of. Apart from highlighting the tropical flora and fauna and the many ethnic symbols and patterns, and translating them into the most outstanding or subtle hues, one cannot say that the designers have created a truly Malaysian identity in their batik designs. What we see in the wonderful display of contemporary Malaysian batik designs on the pages in Chapter 5 is a new confidence and boldness in combining the strokes of canting and brush through a heightened colour sense. The works of the most outstanding designers are represented in the collection of Galeri Seri Endon, set up in 2008 for the purpose of serving as an incubator to breed the best. As Noor Azlina subtly suggests, the national identity of Malaysian batik lies perhaps in its popularity as the fabric of choice in national attire. Malaysians from all walks of life and background gladly wear Malaysian batik on informal and formal occasions at home and abroad. As the final chapters in her story show, Malaysian batik has indeed come of age. Penyayang's efforts under the stewardship of its chairman, Nori Abdullah (Endon's daughter), will see Malaysian batik making further inroads and reaching greater heights to ensure Endon's dream of crafting Malaysian batik for the world will be perpetuated for posterity. Malaysian Batik: Reinventing A Tradition is available at major bookstores nationwide. Datin Halimah Mohd Said is a writer, citizen journalist, and long-serving educationist and academician specialising in English and linguistics; among the books she has written are Language And Empowerment (2003), Images Of The Jawi Peranakan Of Penang (2004) and the revised edition of Dr Mohamed Said: My Early Life (2011). She blogs at ninitalk.wordpress.com. Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
| Posted: 23 Dec 2011 01:04 AM PST Sticking to the traditional "alphabetical formation," let's recap the year's hummers and bummers in the world of comic books! A – Action Comics It was milestones galore for Action Comics! The beloved title became the first comic book to officially hit the 900th issue landmark, while the first issue (from June, 1938) breached the US$2mil mark in a record breaking online auction last month. The title was also relaunched, featuring the Man of Steel without his signature red trunks exposed. B – Bat expansion Bruce Wayne @ Batman was a very busy man in 2011. Firstly, Wayne launched his Dark Knight franchise (see Batman Incorporated) globally. This was followed by a David Finch-inspired new Dark Knight title. However, what made Batman a must-read was writer Scott Snyder, with his thought-provoking scripts in Detective Comics. That has seen him move up to scribing the flagship Batman title with Greg Capullo. C – Comic book movies The build up towards next year's Avengers movie dominated the hype, with Captain America: The First Avenger and Thor, starting the countdown. However, what made it a year to remember was X-Men: First Class ... and the sleeper hit in Cowboys vs Aliens. DC's sole-offering in Green Lantern reaffirmed the gulf between the Emerald Knight and the Dark Knight. D – DC 52 Relaunches are common in the comics industry. But what made this event extremely significant was the magnitude and scale involved. DC went with the Big Bang approach – unleashing 52 new titles. On the radar was the Jim Lee-inspired Justice League, while Animal Man, Swamp Thing, Aquaman and Suicide Squad made heads turn. E – Editorial changes Goodbye Joe Quesada. After a decade as Marvel's editor-in-chief, Quesada quit but stayed on at Marvel as its chief creative officer. His replacement, Axel Alonso, has a long track record at Marvel, having been involved in several high profile projects such as Marvel MAX and recruitment of new talents. F – Flashpoint The DC Universe sinks into an age of apocalypse courtesy of the Reverse Flash's fetish in destroying his arch nemesis Barry Allen @ The Flash. The Scarlet Speedster's team up with Thomas Wayne stole the show and paved the way for the launch of a new (52) universe. G – Green Lantern While the box-office takings and fan reviews were not strong enough to entice everyone to Go Green, there was still plenty of reasons to follow the Emerald Knight's exploits, especially with Sinestro at the helm in the 52 relaunch. H – Hundredth issue … and pages! DC-Vertigo's Fables # 100 gave you 100 reasons why it is the highest quality mainstream comic in town. Apart from concluding the Mister Dark saga, this fantastic 100-page issue came equipped with a puppet theatre, a board game and painted sequential stories. I – Inevitable Change is inevitable as both DC and Marvel (finally) revealed their statement of intent on the digital frontier. Out came the redemption codes in selected comics, enabling customers to have the option of digital downloads. J – Jim Lee The man still has the Midas touch as evident by Justice League # 1 (now going into fourth printing!). Now, if only Mr Lee draws on a more regular basis. K – Knight Of Vengeance Flashpoint's best offering tinkers with the idea of Thomas Wayne being the Dark Knight, resulting from his son's (Bruce) death. What's even more surprising is the Joker's identity and newfound ruthlessness. Despite this being Elseworld-ish in nature, it does generate an impact that rocks the Bat mythos. L – Lost the plot Legendary comic book writer and artist, Frank Miller, has clearly lost the plot after his rant on the Occupy movement. In a posting on his personal blog, Miller accused the movement of being an unruly mob of "louts, thieves and rapists" that can "do nothing but harm America." His recent tirade after a long list of outbursts has seen Miller alienated by other fellow comics creators (with Alan Moore's views the harshest, to date). M – Malaysia Boleh! Four notable local comic book events held this year was a big deal. In May, the National Library hosted "Bulan Komik," which was accompanied by the annual Anugerah Pekomik. Before the year ended, two independently organised events – Comics Fiesta and Comics Are Cool – generated positive response. N – New Blood/Ultimate Spidey When Miguel O'Hara was revealed as the new Spidey, it wasn't hard to accept him – since he was based in the 22nd century. However, Miles Morales faces a more challenging time as his sudden entry in the Ultimate Universe requires a lot more getting used to. All said, Ultimate Spider-Man has given us exciting tales as we learn about Miles. Credit to new artist Sara Pichelli for the stunning illustrations. O – One Man Show In the past, he was a mercenary, a cab driver, a millionaire and a Khonshu devotee. However, the post-effects of Shadowland have left Marc Spector @ Moon Knight with split personalities. Now he assumes that he's Spidey, Cap and Wolverine in addition to being the Moon Knight. Wait until you see how he crams all three costumes into his white suit. Crazy but unique! P – Part timers After a long hiatus from drawing comics, you would expect once fan-favourites like Joe Madureira and Marc Silvestri to possess a higher level of commitment and enthusiasm. Unfortunately, their homecoming is only three-issues long on the Avenging Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk titles respectively. Q – Quick fixes Complementing this year's comic-based movies were the animated wonders – All Star Superman, Emerald Knights, Batman Year One and Thor: Tales of Asgard. These animated "quick fixes" were a joy to watch. Batman Year One is my pick for 2011. R – RIP (Joe Simon, Eduardo Barreto and Dwayne Mc Duffie) There's always a resurrection possibility for Ultimate Peter Parker and Johnny Storm, but we sadly had to say good night to three creators. Joe Simon (98) was the co-creator of Captain America, Eduardo Barreto (57) contributed to the New Teen Titans and DC Comics Presents, while Dwayne McDuffie (49) stamped his mark on the Justice League Unlimited and Static Shock animated series. S – Schism The Cyclops-Wolverine "bromance" ended here as they went their separate ways – but with their own X-Men team in tow. Cyclops' Utopia-based team got the Uncanny X-Men slot, while Wolverine's team rebuilt Xavier's School in Wolverine and the X-Men. T – Thor-ture (Fear Itself finale) Despite having a successful movie outing, Thor's comic book adventures have been ruined – mainly by Fear Itself. The repackaging of his final battle with the Serpent lacked oomph. To rub salt into the wound was the "resurrection" barely a month later. U – Ultimate Fallout This five-parter laid out the foundation for life post-Peter Parker. Peter and the Goblin died during a duel to the death, and the House of Ideas "capitalised" on the event by showcasing the different characters' reactions to Peter's passing. V – Venom-ous You can't go wrong with a concept like Venom, as his symbiote makes every "Eddie, Mac Gargan or Flash" an instant villain ... or a hero. Former high school bully and war veteran, Flash Thompson, becomes the latest recipient of the symbiote and gets his shot at the limelight by becoming a government agent. W – What The Hell(boy) Hellboy's creator (Mike Mignola) pulls the plug (Hellboy The Fury # 3) on Dark Horse's poster boy. While the timing of this development contradicts Mignola's earlier announced plans, life goes on for BPRD and Abe Sapien. X – X-Men First Class If there's only one comic book movie you will ever watch, this one is it! For once, I am willing to make an exception on the "true to label" pre-requisite and even excuse James McAvoy's lame acting in Wanted. This "Episode 1" storyline of the Children of the Atom is simply marvellous and Wolverine's cameo is worth a second watch. Y – Yuckiest Fight Scene While most Punisher-Bullseye confrontations are great to watch, this year's encounter (PunisherMax # 11) offered a new gut-wrenching dimension. In a no-holds-barred showdown between the duo, Bullseye actually puked into Frank Castle's mouth! Yeech! Z – ZZZZZZZ Having (then) heard how bad the Spirit movie was, I decided to save some moolah by catching it on Astro instead. I could only "digest" 10 minutes of the movie before sleeping off. Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
| Posted: 23 Dec 2011 12:54 AM PST The Puppy That Came For Christmas MEGAN Rix (a pseudonym of children's book author Ruth Symes) wanted a baby. But despite fertility treatments, her dream remains a dream. Then she and husband Ian finds surprising fulfilment by becoming foster parents to puppies slated to become service dogs for people with disabilities. They open their hearts and lives to Emma, and then Freddy – but face heart break each time the fur balls "graduate" in six months to go to service dog training school. Then, one Christmas, little Traffy came ... and stayed. Every Day A Friday: How To Be Happier 7 Days A Week ACCORDING to recent research, happiness increases by 10% every Friday. But why not make every day a Friday? asks popular Christian preacher Joel Osteen. In this uplifting and encouraging book, Osteen helps readers see every day as a blessing and to live life with faith and positivity. He also encourages the reader to be a source of happiness and encouragement for others and to tune out negativity. God Is Red: The Secret Story Of How Christianity Survived And Flourished In Communist China LIAO Yiwu documents the trials of Chinese Christians in communist China. A journalist and writer whose work has been banned in China and who has also been jailed, Liao felt compelled to investigate this community of believers who hung on to their faith despite draconian laws and the chaos of the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). In this book, Liao documents the stories of some of these determined believers, such as the 100-year-old nun who fought to get back the church that was wrested from her order despite decades of famine and "re-education" through labour camps. Then there's the cultured, well-to-do woman who is defying China's tough laws by setting up churches around the country. Their tales will inspire you to live life with faith and courage. God Is Not A Christian And Other Provocations THE former South African Anglican bishop and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, Desmond Tutu has never been afraid of speaking up. Noted for his courageous opposition of South Africa's apartheid system, Bishop Tutu has always made a stand for his beliefs despite disapproval and violent opposition. This book is a collection of some of his most impactful and controversial speeches and essays. Some of the topics covered are apartheid in South Africa, his work on the Truth and Reconciliation Committee that was set up after the overthrow of apartheid, genocide in Rwanda, gays and lesbians in the church, and the plight of the Palestinians. Spontaneous Happiness ALTHOUGH Dr Andrew Weil, the guru of "alternative medicine", never had a major depressive episode, he knows what it is like to feel "blue". In this book, he draws from the East and West to offer advice on achieving good emotional health. He suggests that we take a fresh look at the notion of happiness and change mental habits that keep us stuck in negative thinking. Having taken antidepressants before and suffered their sometimes serious side effects, Weil also talks about the limitations of using biomedicals in treating depression and discusses how the transformation of the mind is vital in the elevation of depression. Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
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