PRESS RELEASE

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and

the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, Washington, D.C.

Hosts the Exhibition :

“The Ann Dunham Collection of Batik

Indonesian Identity and Artistic Tradition”

Houston, July 1-5, 2009

Houston, Texas, July 1, 2009 – Batik is a wax-resist dyeing technique used on textile performed mainly in Java, Indonesia. The word batik originated from Javanese words amba ('to write') and titik ('dot' or 'point'). Melted wax is applied to cloth before being dipped in dye. In Java, distinctive motifs, patterns and colors were developed and designed to identify one’s family, social status and geographic origin. Other regions of Indonesia have their own unique patterns. Patterns similar to Javanese batik are also found in other regions of Indonesia and several countries of Asia and Africa, which displays the influence of the Indonesian batik internationally.

To further promote batik to Houston audiences from July 1 to 5, 2009 The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston together with the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Washington, D.C. host the exhibition : “The Ann Dunham Collection of Batik, Indonesian Identity and Artistic Tradition”. Ann Dunham is the late mother of His Excellency President Barrack Husein Obama. She spent much of her adult life in Indonesia, during which she collected many forms of Indonesian batik. This installation features 20 large fabrics and two scarves from her batik collection that did not focus on rare or expensive pieces, but rather on the kind that people were actually wearing every day on city and village streets.

The exhibition was officialy opened by the Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in Houston, Hon. Kria Fahmi Pasaribu and the Director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Dr. Peter C. Marzio in a ceremony that took place on July 1, 2009 in MFAH. The ceremony was attended by members of the Museum and friends of Indonesia from Houston and the surrounding areas.

In his remarks which was read by Mr. Kria Fahmi Pasaribu, the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to the United States, H.E. Sudjadnan Parnohadiningrat, stated ,” that this exhibition is made possible by the generous support of the Maya Soetoro-Ng’s family, the sister of His Excellency President Barack Obama”. He hope that through this exhibition the message of friendship that is represented by these textiles can be further disseminated in the US.

In Indonesian modern world, Batik has become a trend for the professionals and young generations. The pattern, color and the use of Batik have become more extensive, answering the demand of the modern culture. Indonesian batik is now exported to all continents.

The Houston presentation of the exhibition will also feature selected collection of batik from Ita McCutchen, an Indonesian batik collector resides in Houston. Her batik collections range from 50-100 years old.

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Press Contact : Calderon Dalimunthe (713)785-1691, calderon@inbox.com

“The Ann Dunham Collection of Batik, Indonesian Identity and Artistic Tradition”

July 1 -5, 2009-06-29 is taking place at the Museum of Fine Arts of Houston, Caroline Wiess Law Building, 1001 Bissonnet at Main Street

Hours : Daily, 9-5 p.m.

Open to public