KLIB Convention 2009 Speakers

Learning from the Past/The Artistic Language of Batik

by Ray Pierotti
Artist
United States of America

“Learning from the Past”
(how to succeed in the Batik business)

Though Batik is universally recognized as one of the world’s most historic crafts it’s success in the the fashion, textile and artistic industries has remained obscure. Perhaps there are some lessons to be learned from other craft related small industries that could help it succeed in todays World economies.

America’s arts and crafts industries are the newest kids on the block and yet, like so many other American based industries, they are perhaps the most financially successful. Is that because they are the smartest, the most cunning, most inventive, or the most affordable? Or are there other factors which first led to their success in the USA and more recently throughout the World?

This presentation will focus on the essential qualities that took one-person studios from obscurity to a several-persons ateliers and financial solvency. It’s all in the voice!

Finding the voice.
(recognizing the source)
Giving the voice personality.
(making it your own)
Developing the voice.
(learning from the masters)
Promoting the voice.
(markets and supporting industries)
Maintaining the integrity of the voice.
(quality vs quantity)
Making the voice historic
(establishing a legacy)

hrough his many years of experience in developing and promoting the American Crafts movement, Pierotti brings a unique perspective to the role of the individual artist and craftperson’s growth and development, over time.

“The Artistic Language of Batik”

All made-by-hand artistic and cultural expressions have a distinctive language made up of symbolic structures, rhythmic syntax and over arching forms. From these basic elements meanings is derived and culturally-centric expressions are made visual.  Batik with its multi-layered process has been universally adopted by numerous groups and individuals who have adapted it’s realization to meet their specific expression.  The process, through inventive exploration, provides ever changing styles and yet maintains some universal norms making it recognizable regardless of the Batik’s cultural origin.

It is the application of the language of dye, resist, and finishing that keeps the process universally batik.  It is the manipulation of the language that makes batik personal.  Unlike several spoken languages whose meaning is untranslatable, the world of the visual and musical expression are universal and therefore do not need to be translated. For a full comprehension, specific details, when they are culturally based, sometimes require clarifying, sort of like certain cultural foods that are distinguished by their spices, but the basic building blocks are always present and understood.  After all, rice is rice no matter how it might be prepared.

We will explore the artistic building blocks of this universal language and explore how it has been adopted and adapted to meet specific artistic temperaments.

Tools: What they do and how they are used.

Symbols & Patterns: Historical—Contemporary

Stylistic syntax: Applications

Meaning: Universal—Personal

Through his many years of experience as an artist and composer, Pierotti brings a unique perspective to the use of developing a personal artistic language.