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A GROUP of over 30 students and teachers from Pehin Dato Seri Maharaja Secondary School (SMPDSM) yesterday were treated with a demonstration into the fine art of batik making hosted by Batik entrepreneur Hj Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim.
Demonstrating traditional techniques of waxing and dyeing, incorporating contemporary design as well as unique fusion of cooperative pieces as opposed to conventional individual batik design, Hj Zainal together with his assistant Rozama enchanted the group of students and teachers with their masterful command of the art.
"There are many activities, including from the government, focusing on youth. This is one of the follow-ups in using the batik art form to help shape youngsters. Other than for recreation, students might find an interest later to pursue it either as a hobby or even a source of income," said Hj Zainal.
Each student and teacher had already prepared individual sketches of batik artwork on paper, ready to be traced onto cloth. However, Hj Zainal had the students split into two groups, asking them instead to combine their individual pieces to produce two large collaborative batik pieces.
"This will train them to work together as a team to make a single design. It encourages them to reduce segregation, be more disciplined. The impact is greater like this. Drawing, waxing, and combining colours are a few aspects... They will have to find a way to make their contributions complimentary, not clashing," he said, explaining the rationale.
The visit wasn't purely recreational, as the students' involvement with the batik visit is part of O -Level exam requirements in Art. Additionally, the school had earlier recorded an interview with Hj Zainal to be used as a listening test for an English test.
"A group of them interviewed Hj Zainal and also did report writing. It's a way of getting students interested. They're very keen as long as they don't have to pay. It's about building bridges and thinking together," said Rose Gibbons, English teacher at SMPDSM.
Teachers Zorinah Hj Taha and Sharifah Hanizah agreed that the batik visits (they made their first visit last year with the 2012 batch of Year 11 students) helped form students' education.
"It keeps them busy and away from negative activities," said Sharifah.
"With the normally quiet ones, you notice them putting in more effort, and then notice their hidden talents," said Zorinah.
Hj Zainal, who also manages the firm Batik Desamas, is well established as Brunei's batik pioneer, innovating various aspects of the Indonesian traditional art form. He is one of the feature guests representing Brunei today and tomorrow at the Batik Workshop with Natural Dyes event at the Indonesian Embassy, where he will give a formal talk and demonstration on extracting dyes from natural sources, a technique he believes to be unexplored in batik production.
The Brunei Times
Demonstrating traditional techniques of waxing and dyeing, incorporating contemporary design as well as unique fusion of cooperative pieces as opposed to conventional individual batik design, Hj Zainal together with his assistant Rozama enchanted the group of students and teachers with their masterful command of the art.
"There are many activities, including from the government, focusing on youth. This is one of the follow-ups in using the batik art form to help shape youngsters. Other than for recreation, students might find an interest later to pursue it either as a hobby or even a source of income," said Hj Zainal.
Each student and teacher had already prepared individual sketches of batik artwork on paper, ready to be traced onto cloth. However, Hj Zainal had the students split into two groups, asking them instead to combine their individual pieces to produce two large collaborative batik pieces.
"This will train them to work together as a team to make a single design. It encourages them to reduce segregation, be more disciplined. The impact is greater like this. Drawing, waxing, and combining colours are a few aspects... They will have to find a way to make their contributions complimentary, not clashing," he said, explaining the rationale.
The visit wasn't purely recreational, as the students' involvement with the batik visit is part of O -Level exam requirements in Art. Additionally, the school had earlier recorded an interview with Hj Zainal to be used as a listening test for an English test.
"A group of them interviewed Hj Zainal and also did report writing. It's a way of getting students interested. They're very keen as long as they don't have to pay. It's about building bridges and thinking together," said Rose Gibbons, English teacher at SMPDSM.
Teachers Zorinah Hj Taha and Sharifah Hanizah agreed that the batik visits (they made their first visit last year with the 2012 batch of Year 11 students) helped form students' education.
"It keeps them busy and away from negative activities," said Sharifah.
"With the normally quiet ones, you notice them putting in more effort, and then notice their hidden talents," said Zorinah.
Hj Zainal, who also manages the firm Batik Desamas, is well established as Brunei's batik pioneer, innovating various aspects of the Indonesian traditional art form. He is one of the feature guests representing Brunei today and tomorrow at the Batik Workshop with Natural Dyes event at the Indonesian Embassy, where he will give a formal talk and demonstration on extracting dyes from natural sources, a technique he believes to be unexplored in batik production.
The Brunei Times
