Bagyi Aung Soe, “Batik Painting”, Sanpepyu (February 1987), 59-60.
59 What is batik painting? (Batik paintings are not batiks printed on sarongs. They are paintings on cloth.) Batik painting is painted as designs with several colours on the cloth and used as tablecloths, stoles and bedsheets. In particular, it can be seen on the sarongs worn by women back then. Before that, in earlier times, they were worn as printed textiles. Those textiles were printed using wooden blocks with engraved designs applied in a repeat pattern. There were printed in either one or two colours. Then, Indonesian batiks with designs that are directly painted on the textiles appeared. In printed textiles, one engraved design can be printed repeatedly. That is called “Repeated Printing” [English]. It is the continuous and repeated impression of that one design. But for Indonesian batik, the design is drawn once all over the textile. It is “NON-REPEATING” [English]. It is also called “All-Over Pattern” [English]. For the colours, two, three or more are used. But the process is rather tedious. As each design serves only one sarong, the price increases. Local women cannot afford such expensive original batik sarong. It is a rather elitist product exclusive to well-off women. Nowadays, counterfeit batiks printed in Ayutthaya, Penang and Singapore come at prices that every woman can afford. The first batik painting I saw was an Indonesian batik. After the war, I saw batik paintings which were drawn by young painters [artists].1 But I guess it had only been a decade after the war. While their paintings imitated that old way of painting, they were modified by new “Method” [English]. That was also new tradition. Artists [painters] rarely painted like that in the past, and it was more likely to be “Folk Art” [English] created over the years by the common people and unchanged. They were not modified and classified as batik paintings as they are nowadays. As batik painting techniques came to be practised in almost every country, it became wellknown and “International” [English].
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Characteristic of usage in the modern period, the Burmese word meaning “painting” is often used to stand for “art”, and likewise “painter” for “artist”. In this article, the original meaning of “painting” and “painter” is favoured. When translated as “art” and “artist”, “[painting]” and “[painter]” in square brackets follows, except when the Burmese word meaning “art” is used. Bagyi Aung Soe, “Batik Painting”, Sanpepyu (February 1987), 59-60. Translated by Pann Hmone Wai; edited by Yin Ker.
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For me, I like batik painting. But being past my prime, I have poor eyesight and hearing and trembling hands, so I cannot paint although. I am really into it. But that painting technique and style of batik painting still influence my illustrations for poems and I just have to be contented with that. Poetry illustrations can only be seen clearly when painted with a thicker paintbrush. Despite my poor eyesight, they are clear before my eyes. They are nice to draw and paint. This is the reason why I paint the way I do. I cannot explain the history of batik painting clearly. Perhaps, it might be found in an encyclopaedia. I do not know for certain, but it can be said to have started when clothes were first worn. In the beginning, it might not have been known as batik and so on. Beginning with dyeing plain white cloth, they next modified and added patterns sequentially. For the colours, it was simple and monotonous. For example, blue would just be shades of blue and red just shades of red. That was “International” [English] [sic] adopted by people from all over the world. There are different countries, but the concept is the same. Various designs were printed and worn by different races and countries. There were cabalistic “Pattarn” [English] [sic] as well. Those batik “Pattern” [English] can be observed from the styles of garments depicted in ancient mural painting. Looking at those traditional batik designs, it can be assumed that batik painting began since ancient times. Sadly, it was only recognised as “Craft” [English], not “Art” [English] in the past. Back in those days, “Art” [English] and “Craft” [English] were framed in stark contrast. It was like drawing a red line between craft [Burmese: လက္မႈပညာ] and art [Burmese: အႏုပညာ]. Hence, there was no such thing as batik painting. 60 Since the late 20th century, that red line has been erased. Only then can we look at batik painting as we do now, thanks to the excellent new era. The modern painting [art; Burmese: ေမာ်ဒန်ပန္းခ်ီ] we create could not be exhibited in “Academic” [English] exhibitions of painting [art], so there was no room for batik painting. In particular, the exhibition organisers did not accept my modern works. They rejected them as rock-and-roll [aka “a-madman-shitting”] painting [Burmese: အရူးခ်ီးပန္း ပန္းခ်ီ]. Academic Bagyi Aung Soe, “Batik Painting”, Sanpepyu (February 1987), 59-60. Translated by Pann Hmone Wai; edited by Yin Ker.
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painter Sayagyi U Thein Han was the one who went against these perceptions amongst the principals and allowed us to exhibit them. (He was a teacher from the art school [school of painting].) He had a comprehensive understanding of art [painting]. Not only did he let us exhibit, he also accepted us in competitions. That was when I won the first gold medal in my youth. I was like Moat Thone. That is the debt of gratitude to painter Sir U Thein Han. The debt to masters like painter U Thein Han who had a thorough knowledge of art [painting] should be acknowledged. Because of them, batik painting is well-known as a tradition nowadays. To continue with batik painting back in those days, they could not paint the designs by dropping wax. The first pattern that caught my eye was that of a skirt worn by the pretty Hollywood actress Dorothy Lamour in “Road to Honolulu” [English]. Perhaps I liked the pattern of her skirt because the actress Dorothy Lamour was as pretty as a Burmese lady. Even as I turn 60 now, I can still remember that skirt “Pattern” [English]. Patterns back then were only in one colour: just simple monotones in reds or yellows, for example. After that, two to three colors were applied. Indonesian batik was the first batik “Pattern Design” [English] created using wax that I saw. What I liked about those designs is their technique of painting by hand in an uninterrupted way. Since it is painted by hand, the designs cannot be identical. The brushwork is too artistic, “Dynamic” [English] and lively. When I went to art [painting] college (Śāntiniketan), I managed to learn the batik painting technique. When I returned to Myanmar after my studies, I worked as a design instructor at the State School of Textile Printing in Yangon. I created several ancient batik designs at my department. It was mainly about the concept of batik pattern design. As mentioned, batik paintings which later became popular were not subjected to any red line opposing “Art” [English] and “Craft” [English]. “Craft” [English] is now connected with art [Burmese word: အႏုပညာ]. The new era became international this way. Hence, in this new era, it can be proclaimed: “Art As Design,
Bagyi Aung Soe, “Batik Painting”, Sanpepyu (February 1987), 59-60. Translated by Pann Hmone Wai; edited by Yin Ker.
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Design As Art.” [English] I joyfully welcome [the new era] while visiting the batik painting exhibition. Only the batik’s “Form” [English] and painting “Technic” [English] [sic] remain unchanged. As “Content” [English] is about that which is current, it can be denoted as “Modern Art” [English] (New Tradition). “Modern” [English] is the essence. It has been freed from the earlier boundaries oppressing art [Burmese: အႏုပညာ]. It can be considered a positive change. Batik paintings at exhibitions tell different stories through rich colours and hues. They are such creative and outstanding paintings. These artworks are also the fine creations of our new generation. If asked whether I still make batik paintings: No. Just because laziness is my habitual trait. Being lazy is also a task for me. I do favour laziness. I am never lazy just for the sake of being lazy. Aung Soe
Translated by Pann Hmone Wai Edited by Yin Ker
Bagyi Aung Soe, “Batik Painting”, Sanpepyu (February 1987), 59-60. Translated by Pann Hmone Wai; edited by Yin Ker.
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