IBU NASIATUN — SELENDANG RELAWATI KETUMBAR BOLONG

Ibu Nasiatun 
Born 1970, Batang, Indonesia

SARONG RELAWATI KETUMBAR BOLONG (2025)
100% Cotton, synthetic dyes
Hand-drawn wax resist on machine-woven cotton
216 × 56 cm

A vivacious work, abundant with abstracted life.

The selendang shoulder cloth holds a distinctive place in Javanese domestic and ceremonial life — draped as a fashion accessory, used to carry goods, and to cradle babies close to the body. This vibrantly coloured work is in the relawati style: a free-form mode of Rifa'iyah batik characterised by flowing, organic arrangements of flowers, foliage and creatures, drawn without the constraint of geometric templates.

From each end of the cloth stem lavish buketan (bouquet) arrangements, almost but not quite symmetrical. This near-symmetry is characteristic of Rifa'iyah batik and resonates with a broader principle in Islamic artistic tradition: the deliberate introduction of imperfection is an act of humility — a quiet acknowledgement that only God may achieve perfection.

On close inspection the cloth is teeming with life. Birds, butterflies and other insects are camouflaged throughout, constructed entirely from leaves and flowers in keeping with the Rifa'iyah Sufi principle that living creatures must not be depicted whole unless one can also grant them a soul.

The isen (fill) throughout the cloth is ketumbar bolong — hollow coriander seeds — a tight, repeating pattern of small circles, creating a feeling of dense, tactile abundance across the cloth.

Eye-catching papan border panels with floral vines frame each end of the badan, again near-symmetrical. The edges feature tumpal — upward-pointing triangles symbolising creation, cosmic order and the sacred mountain peaks where earthly and spiritual realms converge — filled with sasek (fern-like curling forms), cecek (dots) and flowers. Star-like configurations along the outer lengths evoke the celestial horizon. The body is bordered by creeping vines with the outer papan panels enclosed by a geometic design known as kopi ceplak (cracked coffee beans).

Ibu Nasiatun (Ibu Atun)

Born in Batang, Ibu Nasihatun — known to all as Ibu Atun — began making batik at the age of twelve, continuing a tradition passed down from her mother. She is renowned for her mastery across a wide range of designs, including the prestigious tiga negeri works for which she is particularly celebrated: tambal, gemblong sairis and kotak kitir, as well as a rich variety of relawati motifs. She favours bold, confident colour combinations that reflect her character — Ibu Atun is known for her wide smile which, like her batik, leaves a lasting impression on everyone she meets.

"I am honoured to be a maker of Rifa'iyah batik — an artistic tradition passed down through so many generations in Indonesia." Ibu Atun, June 2026