Batik Workshop
Women at a Batik workshop organised by the Government Archaeological Museum in the city on Wednesday. The Government Archaeological Museum is making an attempt to revive a centuries old textile craft, Batik. It is conducting a four-day Batik printing camp, to create awareness about the art among the general public and make them think about the need to preserve ancient arts and crafts of the country. The camp is on till May 30. Batik, an art of using wax and rich colours on cloth, has a 2,000-year history. “The process involves various stages and the expert trainers impart the intricate details of the craft to the participants,” says K.A.Murugavel, the Curator of the Museum. The participants, a majority of them women, experimented with the colours and learnt the technique of printing the distinct motifs that characterise Batik.
The museum conducts similar training programmes every year on various arts and crafts. “It is more like an outreach programme for the museum. Through such workshops, more people know what a museum is all about,” he adds. “In addition to learning the art or craft, they also cultivate an interest in the museum and understand the importance of our history, which is preserved here,” Mr.Murugavel says.
Last year, it had trained interested people in fabric painting and embroidery. The materials required for the training were provided to all the 40 participants. The museum also conducts competitions, exhibitions, and lectures every year at schools and colleges. “There is a need to create awareness among students on the ways how a museum is maintained. How the objects are collected, preserved and explained,” Mr.Murugavel says.Museums also have an educative role in society. They preserve the glory of the past and pass it on to the future generations, he says.
