Bandung, W Java (ANTARA News) - Some 40 batik works by nine artists from nine ASEAN member countries will be put on display in Bandung and Jakarta starting August 8, 2011.

In Bandung, the exhibition will be held at the Asia-Africa Conference Museum (KAA) and in Jakarta at the ASEAN Secretariat building, KAA Museum Chief Isman Pasha said here on Friday.

The exhibition in Bandung will take place from August 22 to 24, 2011.

The nine ASEAN artists had joined a batik painting training course in Sleman, Yogyakarta, for more than two months since June 4, with scholarships from the Indonesian foreign affairs ministry.

The batik exhibition, which will be supported by the Indonesian Batik Foundation, is part of a series of Indonesian Channel 2011 activities.

A number of batiks made by Indonesian maestros would also be displayed on the occasion.

The industry ministry in cooperation with the Indonesian Batik Foundation and concerned ministries will hold a World Batik Summit at the Jakarta Convention Hall from September 28 to October 2, 2011. The Summit`s theme will be "Indonesia: Global Home of Batik".

The ongoing Batik Cultural Heritage Exhibition is being organized from August 2 to 5 by presenting the best works of 48 batik producers from various regions such as Jakarta, Tangerang (Banten), Pekalongan, Sragen, Surakarta (Central Java), Bantul (Yogyakarta), Garut, Tasikmalaya and Cirebon (West Java), and Madura (East Java).

Meanwhile, Industry Minister MS Hidayat officially kicked off the Fourth Batik Cultural Heritage Exhibition at the industry ministry plaza in Jakarta on August 2, 2011.

"The people including youths and teenagers have started to like batik. The government`s policy to wear batik in the government and the private officers has helped boost the batik industry," the minister said in his remarks.

The batik production growth has increased 13 percent to Rp732.67 billion in 2010 from Rp648.94 billion in the previous year.

The minister is optimistic that the batik industry will continue growing in the future as more Indonesians tend to wear batik in their daily activities.(*)

(f001/HAJM)

Editor: Ruslan Burhani
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