Queen's batik Inderapura collection on display at National Craft Day exhibition

KUALA LUMPUR - A collection of over 30 pieces of batik made personally by Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah will be exhibited at the Kuala Lumpur Craft Complex on 2022 National Craft Day from Feb 23 to March 7.

This exhibition, Her Majesty's second, themed A Queen’s Touch: An Exploration and Experimentation of Batik Inderapura, would highlight cantingan tangan (hand-drawn) and block-printed batik using crepe, silk and linen fabrics.

At a preview session of the collection at the National Handicraft Institute (IKN) recently, IKN senior director Abdul Halim Ali said the uniqueness of the collection was in its design patterns and batik techniques which were produced experimentally and spontaneously by Her Majesty through the canting process.

He said the collection has various batik block, drawing and colouring techniques used by Tunku Hajah Azizah based on her experience, including several new techniques which could be adopted as the identity of Pahang batik.

"Among them is the technique of painting colours in layers with chequered and striped patterns as found on the Royal Pahang woven fabric, apart from the multi-layered colouring technique whereby various colours are painted vertically, horizontally and diagonally to produce different colour tone effects.

"With this experimental and spontaneous combination of different batik techniques, Tunku Hajah Azizah produced a batik identity which is unique to Pahang, or what is known as Batik Inderapura,” he said.

He said the exhibition would include 14 batik pairs produced for men's and women’s clothing, three for men’s shirts and seven pairs of fabric for women, as well as 10 scarf fabrics which were drawn by Her Majesty when she was in London, the United Kingdom.

He said a video of Tunku Hajah Azizah producing the batik would also be screened for visitors to the exhibition.

Meanwhile, batik entrepreneur Yus Faizal Rahim, who acted as Tunku Hajah Azizah’s assistant when she was producing the batik, said Her Majesty was very meticulous and diligent in producing the collection, spending the whole day at the IKN batik workshop to complete her works.

Yus Faizal, who is a graduate of IKN, said Her Majesty completed every segment of her works by herself without any assistance, including in selecting and mixing colours and designing the batik.

"Tunku (Hajah Azizah) prepared the batik continuously on every part of the fabric and layered the colours one by one until she was satisfied with the result. While waiting for the pieces of batik to dry, Her Majesty would work on other fabrics.

"Her Majesty also ensured that no colouring was wasted, making sure every bit was used,” he said.

The 2022 National Craft Day is open from 10 am to 10 pm daily and admission is free.

Besides the exhibition, there will be various other activities including a seminar and sale of products by dozens of handicraft makers and entrepreneurs. - BERNAMA