Rare Indonesian Songket Exhibited at Textile Museum

Jakarta Culture Agency cooperates with Wastraprema Association hold rare songket exhibition themed 'Songket Indonesia Beragam Tradisi dan Pesona' at Textile Museum Jakarta, Jalan KS Tubun, Kota Bambu Selatan Urban Village, Palmerah Sub-district, West Jakarta, starting from June 26 to July 26, 2024.

this exhibition is the best means to introduce and attract the interest of the younger generation

The exhibition, which displays a variety of songket from various regions in Indonesia, is held to commemorate the 497th anniversary of the City of Jakarta and the 48th anniversary of the Jakarta Textile Museum and the Wastraprema Association.

The songket on display is from the collection of the Jakarta Textile Museum and its collectors include Rumah Wastra Jo Seda, Sri Sintasari (Neneng) Iskandar Collection and Aswin Wirjadi.

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Jakarta Dekranasda Deputy, Endang Lestari Joko Agus, said that not many people know about the variety of Indonesian songket woven literature, which is one of the ancestral cultural heritages.

"Therefore, this exhibition is the best means to introduce and attract the interest of the younger generation to love weaving," Endang said, Thursday (6/27).

The General Chairperson of the Wastraprema Association, Sri Sintasari Iskandar or known as Neneng Iskandar, said that the wastra songket on display is selected songket from all over the archipelago, originating from most of the islands of Sumatra, Kalimantan, Bali, Lombok, NTT, Sulawesi, the Maluku Islands and Java.

"Songket is a luxurious piece of literature woven using gold and silver threads by twisting it. The songket weaving technique is known in almost all regions of Indonesia," she said.

Neneng explained that wastra is always present in human life and has an important role, especially in rituals related to the life cycle which are used as a complement to ceremonies.

"This exhibition, which is held regularly every year, is in accordance with HWP's vision and mission to provide education to the public, especially the next generation about various literature as well as to preserve the nation's ancestral heritage," she added.

Jakarta Culture Sub-agency's Art Museum Implementer Unit Head, Sri Kusumawati, stated each region in Indonesia has its own characteristics of songket weaving in accordance with the traditions and beliefs of the local community. She hopes that Indonesian woven literature with various motifs and charm can remain sustainable.

"Aspirations and love for Indonesian literature can be fostered in efforts to preserve it through this exhibition," she added.

As part of the exhibition, the Wastraprema Association also held a talk featuring Minangkabau songket observer and Director of Wastra Pinankabu Studio Nanda Wirawan who has also succeeded in revitalizing the extinct Minangkabau songket.

Nanda, who really cares about Indonesian culture, especially songket literature, also conducted research on Minangkabau songket, which extinct hundreds of years ago. Nanda will appear to discuss the issue of Minangkabau songket with the theme 'Tracing the Traces of Canduang and Muarolabuah Minangkabau Songket' on June 29, 2024 at the Jakarta Textile Museum Auditorium, and live streaming on Zoom and via Wastraprema YouTube. Nanda Wirawan will also bring several collections of songket that extinct hundreds of years ago.

Apart from that, on July 13, 2024 there will be a Wastra Telling story which will discuss the story behind a piece of Wastra Songket from its collector, with guest speakers from Rumah Wastra Jo Seda, Neneng Iskandar, Aswin Wirjadi and the Head of the Sri Kusumawati Art Museum Management Unit which can be watched live via Zoom and Youtube Wastrapema. Then a workshop on July 23 and 24, 2024.