Before you look through the gallery of my works - I would like to make a brief excursus to the history and technique of Batik, well, you know, just in case you are interested! This will help not only to satisfy purely cognitive interest, but also will bring an opportunity to evaluate in a personal artistic way the works, created with the help of this complex technique, wherever you see them - in the metro on the shoulders of an interesting lady, or in museums, galleries, at exhibitions.
So what is Batik, anyways? In literal translation from Indonesian it means "draw with drops (wax)." The technique is complex, time-consuming, and deliberate, - involves applying hot wax and dyes to the fabric in consecutive stages, layer by layer, giving time for the paint to dry properly. Each next layer covers the light parts of the composition, giving the possibility to enhance the color and tone contrast only towards the end of the work. Such gradualness gives the artist time for contemplation and self-cultivation (which, I guess, is a luxury in the modern world).
As for me, the process itself is much like meditation, only occasionally interrupted by expressive emotional outbursts reflected in wax splashes or paint smears. After 5-6 layers, all the long work looks like a very shabby waxed cloth, then the artist, having his gloves on, has to remove the wax in a slightly finicky manner, and then it’s time to proceed to the sacred action - development of the picture with the help of a hot iron. And there it is ... either it will result in magic and delight, or deep disappointment. If it’s the first scenario, then the artist, as the first spectator, honestly and enthusiastically admires the enchanting gleaming reflections of the paint, spreading over the iridescent silk, the intricate craquelure, barely having time to evaluate the compositional and color merits of his work.