Variations of Malaysian Batik Sarong Design Motifs
This chapter discusses the variations and developments of motif designs in Malaysian batik sarongs and how these motifs reflect shifts in Malaysian national and cultural life. The study focuses on the characteristics of various motifs used in traditional
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Abstract This chapter discusses the variations and developments of motif designs in Malaysian batik sarongs and how these motifs reflect shifts in Malaysian national and cultural life. The study focuses on the characteristics of various motifs used in traditional batik sarong design. Samples of Malay batik sarongs were gathered from museums and private and personal collections. The samples were selected, traced, and classified according to their features, inspiration, and arrangement. This analysis found a shift in the style and design of motifs after 1957, the year of Malaysian independence. It was observed that there has been a gradual emergence of more Malay motifs while the decorative traditions originating in Indonesian patterning remain influential. The period from 1957 to 1971 saw the evolution of Malay aesthetics in the visual arts and crafts of Malaysia including the batik sarong industry. In 1971 the National Cultural Policy initiated more dramatic changes with the active promotion of motifs that were considered representative of Malaysian cultural identity. Influences from regional Malaysian and indigenous cultures, desirable traits, and strong Islamic design concepts were the three key factors outlined by the cultural policy makers. Government agencies were instrumental for the batik makers to develop a Malaysian style through financial support, training, and research, along with the active encouragement of the population to support the batik industry. The policy had a direct impact on the design of the Malaysian batik sarong. Keywords Malaysia
Motifs Design Traditional Batik sarong
R. Legino (&) N. Sajar N.M. Ba’ai M.F. Kamaruzaman Formgiving Design Research Group, Faculty of Art and Design, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia e-mail: [email protected] M.F. Kamaruzaman e-mail: [email protected] © Springer Science+Business Media Singapore 2016 S.Z. Abidin et al. (eds.), Proceedings of the 2nd International Colloquium of Art and Design Education Research (i-CADER 2015), DOI 10.1007/978-981-10-0237-3_11
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1 Introduction This study is part of on-going research into the development of motif designs on traditional batik sarongs in Malaysia. The study embarked with various reviews of the relevant literature on motifs design to enhance the types of classification motifs. Following this, the several batik sarong samples were photographed and analyzed and according to the sources of motifs of which the design was created. The variations of motifs were identified from the layout of the various samples examined from the museums, galleries, and personal collections. The beauty of a batik sarong comes from its structure and the arrangement of its motifs following the hidden structure. This is related to the relationship between a design and its function and also significantly linked with the period from 1957 to 1971 which saw the evolution of Malay aesthetics in the visual arts and crafts of Malaysia. The implementation of the Nationa
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