The Art of Batik in Sri Lanka:

A Vibrant Journey Through the Island’s Culture and Textiles

One of the most evocative images of Sri Lanka is its lively street stalls, brimming with vibrant fabrics adorned with intricate designs created through a centuries-old technique known as batik. These colourful creations inspired by the island’s exotic nature, cherished by visitors as keepsakes, capture the island’s spirit and creativity. Yet, to uncover the origins of this artistic craft, one must journey to Indonesia, where batik was born and refined over generations before spreading to neighbouring lands.

This artisanal textile technique, recognised in 2009 as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO, travelled beyond Indonesia during the colonial era and gained popularity in the 19th century across regions like India and Sri Lanka. The Dutch traders introduced batik to the island, where it was warmly embraced, eventually evolving into a unique art form that now stands as a symbol of Sri Lanka’s rich cultural heritage.

The word batik derives from the Javanese term ambatik, meaning “written with drops,” a reference to the technique of hand-drawing patterns onto fabric using wax. This “resist dyeing” process begins with hot wax being applied to the cloth—typically cotton—using a tool called a tjanting. The wax forms a barrier during dyeing, preserving the integrity of the design. Once the fabric is dyed and boiled to remove the wax, the final design is revealed, often characterised by a distinctive crackle effect that adds depth and charm.

In Sri Lanka, the unmistakable beauty of batik finds its way into both traditional attire, such as the sarong, and home décor, including wall hangings, bed linens, and tableware.

Beyond fashion and interior design, batik’s influence extends into fields like architecture and fine art. Two of the island’s cultural icons, architect Geoffrey Bawa and designer Ena de Silva, played a pivotal role in elevating batik, merging tradition with modernity in groundbreaking ways.

Ena de Silva revitalised this craft in the 1960s, transforming traditional motifs with contemporary flair and securing batik’s place as a revered art form. Her works resonated profoundly with Geoffrey Bawa, a pioneer of “tropical modernism,” who seamlessly incorporated batik into his architectural projects as an homage to Sri Lanka’s cultural legacy. 

Together, they created a symbiotic artistic partnership that flourished in iconic projects like the Sri Lankan Parliament, Bentota Beach Hotel, and Ena de Silva’s own residence in Colombo.

Today, their legacy endures, and batik remains not only a treasured symbol of Sri Lanka’s history but also an inexhaustible source of inspiration for art and design. Its mesmerising patterns and vivid colours have profoundly influenced creations by OONA, where we honour the island’s artisanal craftsmanship, traditions, and the beauty and exoticism of its natural landscape: everything that the art of batik embodies and reflects.

María, OONA’s founder, strolling through the streets of Galle wearing a batik sarong
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