TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The 11-year-old Nanda Yoga Pratama needed only one hour to finish painting batik motif on a 40x100-centimeter fabric.
On a white sheet, Nanda painted kangkung setingkes that is a Banyuwangi distinctive motif. Nanda was one of 180 elementary school students who participated in the batik painting using canting (traditional tool to draw batik motive) competition held in Blambangan open field, Banyuwangi, East Java, on Saturday.
The competition was part of Batik Festival held by Banyuwangi local government to attract young generations to learn batik painting skill.
“The batik painters in Banyuwangi are mostly elderly people,” said Hary Cahyo, the Head of Industry Trade and Mining Agency on Saturday.
Banyuwangi owns 26 small-medium batik enterprises but many of the batik painter have gone to Bali for a more promising business.
The competition was judged by two batik entrepreneurs and one staff from the Industry Agency. The judging include the tidiness and whether or not the drawing well-penetrated into the other side of the fabric.
Ana Nemi Balqis, the owner of Batik Sritanjung art shop said that she has difficulties to find batik painter. The 30 painters that she currently employed have now aged over 50 years old.
“Banyuwangi needs regeneration of batik painter,” said Ana.
Each month, Ana can only produce 30 sheets of handmade batik with the price starting from Rp1 million. Most of her batik cloths only able to serve local demands.
IKA NINGTYAS