Batik of Obama’s Mother Dresses Up Exhibition

The Jakarta Globe

An exhibition in Jakarta featuring the batik collection of the US President Barack Obama’s mother was officially opened in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Speaking at the occasion, Maya Soetoro, Obama’s half-sister, said their mother, Ann Dunham, collected batik as part of her efforts to understand Indonesian culture. Dunham passed away from ovarian cancer in 1995.

Maya said their mother had told them that culture was a good way to build international relationships.

The exhibition features Dunham’s collection of batik from Yogyakarta, Solo and Pekalongan in Central Java; Indramayu and Cirebon in West Java; and Madura, East Java.

The exhibition will also display the collections of first lady Ani Yudhoyono and Go Tik Swan, a renowned batik designer from Central Java.

A fashion show of batik dresses designed by Agus Susastro, an Indonesian designer living in New York, was the highlight of the opening.

Ani, who officially opened “The Batik Essay, a Collection of Love Stories” at Grand Indonesia mall, said batik — recently proclaimed by Unesco as Indonesian cultural heritage — was a medium for understanding the nation.

“Through this expo, one can picture a story of someone who loved batik very much,” Ani said, referring to Dunham.

Ani also recalled that when she was a child, her mother, Sunarti Sri Hadiyah, the wife of the late Sarwo Edhie Wibowo, introduced her to various batik designs and taught her how to choose certain designs for certain occasions.

Ani said she was proud of her mother and her role in preserving the tradition found in batik.

Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu, said on Monday that the exhibition was to welcome Obama, who spent part of his childhood in Indonesia.

“This is a symbol of the US partnership with Indonesia as well as Mr. Obama’s appreciation of [our culture],” she said, as quoted by VIVAnews.

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