The universe always provides a balance for its inhabitants. There’s day, there’s night. There\'s black, there\'s white. Likewise, in a piece of batik cloth, there are those who are creative in adjusting with market tastes, and there are those who are consistent in maintaining the philosophy.
By
Agnes Swetta Pandia & Iqbal Basyari
·6 minutes read
KOMPAS/IQBAL BASYARI
Ferry Sugeng Santoso
The universe always provides a balance for its inhabitants. There’s day, there’s night. There\'s black, there\'s white. Likewise, in a piece of batik cloth, there are those who are creative in adjusting with market tastes, and there are those who are consistent in maintaining the philosophy. Ferry Sugeng Santoso, 39, chose to be a part of maintaining the values of the philosophy of batik.
The head of the Padepokan Alam Batik workshop in Pajaran hamlet, Gunting village, Sukorejo district, Pasuruan regency, East Java, is one of the few batik makers who work by following the philosophy. Every time he produces batik, Ferry performs a series of actions just as batik makers did in the past.
Like a master who makes a keris, Ferry performs several ritual stages. He fasts, performs tirakat prayers and stays up late, all of which were part of the kejawen (Javanese) culture of batik making.
The process of provides "directives" for creating batik, such as whether to stop, pause or continue. "The process could take two years," Ferry said, Saturday (25/5/2019), during an interview in Surabaya.
For Ferry, batik is not only fashion, but also a work of art that has a philosophy. Therefore, making a good piece of cloth must follow the rules. The motifs written from canting (batik drawing tool) must also have a philosophical value for the owner. This, for Ferry, is a form of synergy between nature and humans.
Not all of Ferry’s customers get a batik pattern they want. Sometimes, Ferry refuses orders for the reason that, based on the “directives”, the customers are not allowed to order certain batik from Ferry.
The users of and motifs of batik are two things that are inseparable in making batik. Because, batik does not only function as clothing, but reflects the personality of the user. Batik motifs can represent the identity and exude the aura of its users. So, not all batik motifs can be used carelessly by people. "However high the pay, if they don\'t match, I won\'t make it," Ferry said.
First interest in batik
Ferry was first introduced to batik making in 2006, when he attended a coloring workshop using natural dyes in Yogyakarta.
He then started making batik according to the instructions given by the trainer. Until finally, his interest in the world of batik grew. Three years later, the Padepokan Alam Batik workshop was established at his home in Pasuruan.
The first batik motif he produced was Tali Sukma, which was completed in one year. A batik lover wanted to buy this batik, but he kept it because the batik was very personal and did not necessarily match with the character of the would-be buyer. The batik motifs he has produced include Daun Dilem, Bunga Krisan (Chrysanthemum Flowers) and Bunga Padma (lotus).
"Nature provides so much inspiration for my batik pieces," said the 2018 Nayaka Tourism awardee.
The hallmark of Ferry-made batik lies in the natural ingredients used for coloring. He uses Matoa stems and leaves to produce yellow, gold and black. Other materials used are tegeran wood to produce a yellow color. If you want to make light yellow, then it is mixed with tawas rock that contains aluminum.
The use of natural dyes increases the price of batik because it is very popular with buyers from home and abroad. "I don\'t set the price. When a batik cloth was finished, I was given an envelope. It turned out the buyer paid Rp 250 million. So, it’s the consumers who set the prices. Usually, they know the batik and its philosophy," he said.
His works have gained appreciation in a number of countries, such as Korea, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and countries in Europe. Batik made with natural dyes is indeed more appreciated in these countries. "Europeans don\'t want [batik with] synthetic [colors], they want natural colors," said Ferry, who is also the ambassador of Sampoerna\'s micro, small and medium enterprises (UMKM).
He acknowledged that his idealism meant the batik he made did not always correspond to market demands. His products are favored by only a small portion of the market, so inevitably, his income is uncertain.
To overcome this, Ferry also produces low-price batik. This batik is not produced through a long ritual process, so the price is cheaper. The batik is sold for prices starting from hundreds of thousands to millions of rupiah per sheet. The sale of this batik helps support his 15 employees and increase the popularity of batik among the public.
Dropout youth
Ferry\'s expertise are also shared with his neighbors. Fifteen of his neighbors are now employees at the Padepokan Alam Batik workshop. The majority are young people who have dropped out of school. Ferry deliberately chose young men whose bodies were tattooed to join in his workshop so that they could economically support their families.
"For the young people who have diplomas, it would be easier to get a job. Meanwhile, the school dropouts must be given skills so that they can support their families and be useful not misguided," Ferry said.
The empowerment of the surrounding youths is also a solution to the supply of labor. In Pasuruan, which is one of the industrial centers in East Java, workers who can make batik are not common. Most young people choose to work in factories.
Like other entrepreneurs, Ferry also participates in various trainings held by the government and the private sector. One of them is the Sampoerna Entrepreneurship Training Center, which was established in the city where he lives. "Networks from the government and the private sector are important to improve competency as well as expand the market," Ferry said.
Batik is an inseparable part of Ferry’s life. Producing batik by following ritual processes is Ferry’s way of preserving an ancestral culture that is recognized as part of Indonesia\'s cultural heritage.
He said he hoped that one day he could organize a solo exhibition of his batik works. "I have asked batik buyers to lend them once I want to hold an exhibition," Ferry said.
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