Iwan Tirta (18 April 1935 – 31 July 2010) was an Indonesian
batik
Batik is an Indonesian technique of wax-resist dyeing applied to the whole cloth. This technique originated from the island of Java, Indonesia. Batik is made either by drawing dots and lines of the resist with a spouted tool called a ''ca ...
fashion designer. Tirta trained as a
lawyer, but became an internationally known designer.
He is credited with beginning the early revival of batik design during the 1970s and 1980s.
He also became an
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
n and
Java
Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's mos ...
nese cultural advocate, as well as a food consultant, later in his career.
Biography
Early life
Iwan Tirta was born Nusjirwan Tirtaamidjaja on 18 April 1935, in
Blora
Blora ( jv, ꦧ꧀ꦭꦺꦴꦫ) is a List of regencies and cities of Indonesia, regency in the northeastern part of Central Java province in Indonesia. Its capital is Blora. The regency is located in the easternmost part of Central Java, and bor ...
,
Central Java.
[ Tirta, the youngest child in his family, had three older sisters.][ His father, Moh Husein Tirtaatmidjaja, served as a justice of the Supreme Court of Indonesia from 1950 until 1958.] His mother was West Sumatra
West Sumatra ( id, Sumatra Barat) is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the west coast of the island of Sumatra and includes the Mentawai Islands off that coast. The province has an area of , with a population of 5,534,472 at the 2020 cen ...
n.[
Tirta originally wanted to be a diplomat as a child, though his father encouraged him to study law.][ Tirta received a law degree from the ]University of Indonesia
The University of Indonesia ( id, Universitas Indonesia, abbreviated as UI) is a public university in Depok, West Java and Salemba, Jakarta, Indonesia. It is one of the oldest tertiary-level educational institutions in Indonesia (known as the D ...
in 1958.[ He became a professor of ]international law
International law (also known as public international law and the law of nations) is the set of rules, norms, and standards generally recognized as binding between states. It establishes normative guidelines and a common conceptual framework for ...
following graduation.[ Tirta then moved to the ]United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
to study at the London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is a public university, public research university located in London, England and a constituent college of the federal University of London. Founded in 1895 by Fabian Society members Sidn ...
and the School of Oriental and African Studies
SOAS University of London (; the School of Oriental and African Studies) is a public research university in London, England, and a member institution of the federal University of London. Founded in 1916, SOAS is located in the Bloomsbury a ...
.[
He was awarded the Adlai Stevenson Fellowship to study law at ]Yale Law School
Yale Law School (Yale Law or YLS) is the law school of Yale University, a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. It was established in 1824 and has been ranked as the best law school in the United States by '' U.S. News & Worl ...
in Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its capita ...
in 1964.[ Tirta moved to ]New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
upon the completion of his law degree in 1965,[ where he worked at the ]United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoniz ...
headquarters for several years.[
]
Batik design
Tirta returned to Indonesia from New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
in 1970. Instead of utilizing his law degree as a profession, he started his career as a designer using traditional, hand-made batik
Batik is an Indonesian technique of wax-resist dyeing applied to the whole cloth. This technique originated from the island of Java, Indonesia. Batik is made either by drawing dots and lines of the resist with a spouted tool called a ''ca ...
cloth
Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is not the ...
.[ Batik is a traditional art on Tirta's native island of ]Java
Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's mos ...
. He began studying the design, motifs and manufacture process of batik.[
Tirta authored several prominent books on the subject of batik.][ An advocate of batik decades before the fabric regained popularity, Tirta's designs gained attention both in Indonesia and internationally. He designed batik clothing for ]U.S. President
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...
Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan during their visit in the 1980s. Tirta's work achieved worldwide recognition in 1994 when he designed the batik shirts worn by world leaders at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC ) is an inter-governmental forum for 21 member economies in the Pacific Rim that promotes free trade throughout the Asia-Pacific region. summitt in Bogor, Indonesia.[ He counted Nelson Mandela among his clients.]
He was widely credited with the promotion of batik designs within the international fashion industry
Fashion is a form of self-expression and autonomy at a particular period and place and in a specific context, of clothing, footwear, lifestyle, accessories, makeup, hairstyle, and body posture. The term implies a look defined by the fashio ...
, including its magazines and fashion shows
A fashion show (French ''défilé de mode'') is an event put on by a fashion designer to showcase their upcoming line of clothing and/or accessories during a fashion week. Fashion shows debut every season, particularly the Spring/Summer and Fal ...
.[ However, despite its newfound popularity, Tirta was a critic of the recent revival of batik in the early 21st Century. He was especially critical of the embrace mass produced, printed batik over the traditional, handmade cloth, "The problem is that the establishment still doesn't know the difference between printed batik and the handmade one. It's our own mistake. They say *creative economy', and that's a contradiction. When the word economy comes into it ... you reduce everything to ]money
Money is any item or verifiable record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts, such as taxes, in a particular country or socio-economic context. The primary functions which distinguish money are as ...
. What we need now are good and knowledgeable patrons."[
Tirta expanded from batik clothing into other batik inspired products in the last years of his life. He introduced news lines of ]ceramics
A ceramic is any of the various hard, brittle, heat-resistant and corrosion-resistant materials made by shaping and then firing an inorganic, nonmetallic material, such as clay, at a high temperature. Common examples are earthenware, porcelain ...
and silverware embellished with traditional batik designs.[ Tirta also worked as a food consultant for upscale Indonesian restaurants.]
Tirta established PT Iwan Tirta (with trademark name of Iwan Tirta (IT) Private Collection/ ITPC) in 2003. ITPC established its first gallery in 2006. ITPC opened its first mall location in 2008 and expanded further. Now it has 10 galleries already in prominent malls and locations in Jakarta & Surabaya (Galeria Grand Hyatt - Plaza Indonesia, Plaza Senayan, Senayan City, Pacific Place, Pondok Indah Mall 2, Jl Wijaya XIII, Shangrila Hotel Jakarta, Borobudur Hotel, Central - Grand Indonesia and SOGO Tunjungan Plaza IV - Surabaya).
As recently as 2007, Tirta partnered with Lydia Kusuma Hendra, the chairwoman
The chairperson, also chairman, chairwoman or chair, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the grou ...
of the PT Tri Marga Jaya Hutama ceramics company, to relaunch PT Pusaka Iwan Tirta, a line of batik-inspired ceramic dinnerware
Tableware is any dish or dishware used for setting a table, serving food, and dining. It includes cutlery, glassware, serving dishes, and other items for practical as well as decorative purposes. The quality, nature, variety and number of obj ...
.[ The ceramics line was called Pusaka Maha Karya ("Heritage Masterpieces"), divided into two collections, Modang and Hokokai.][ His Hokotai collection was inspired by Hokokai batik, a form of batik which was created in the early 1940s during the ]Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies
The Empire of Japan occupied the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) during World War II from March 1942 until after the end of the war in September 1945. It was one of the most crucial and important periods in modern Indonesian history.
In May ...
by painters in Pekalongan
Pekalongan ( jv, ꦦꦼꦏꦭꦺꦴꦔꦤ꧀) is a city of Central Java, Indonesia. It was formerly the seat of Pekalongan Regency on the northern coast of the province, but is now an independent municipality within the province. The city is Cen ...
, Central Java, who themselves were inspired by kimono
The is a traditional Japanese garment and the national dress of Japan. The kimono is a wrapped-front garment with square sleeves and a rectangular body, and is worn left side wrapped over right, unless the wearer is deceased. The kimono ...
.[ The Modang collection was based on the batik traditionally worn by royal families in ]Yogyakarta
Yogyakarta (; jv, ꦔꦪꦺꦴꦒꦾꦏꦂꦠ ; pey, Jogjakarta) is the capital city of Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia, in the south-central part of the island of Java. As the only Indonesian royal city still ruled by a monarchy, ...
.[
In a 2009 interview with '']Time Magazine
''Time'' (stylized in all caps) is an American news magazine based in New York City. For nearly a century, it was published weekly, but starting in March 2020 it transitioned to every other week. It was first published in New York City on Ma ...
'', Tirta listed some of his diverse influences, which included Pakubuwono X
Pakubuwono X (also transliterated Pakubuwana X, sometimes abbreviated PBX; Surakarta, November 29, 1866 – Surakarta, February 22, 1939) was the tenth Susuhunan (ruler of Surakarta).
Birth
His birth name ( jv, asma timur) was Raden Mas ...
and other Javanese royalty, novelist Pramoedya Ananta Toer
Pramoedya Ananta Toer (EYD: Pramudya Ananta Tur) (6 February 1925 – 30 April 2006) was an Indonesian author of novels, short stories, essays, polemics and histories of his homeland and its people. His works span the colonial period under Dutch ...
, Indonesian painters Raden Saleh
Raden Saleh Sjarif Boestaman ( ar, ; ', jv, ꦫꦢꦺꦤ꧀ꦱꦭꦺꦃꦯ꦳ꦫꦶꦥ꦳꧀ꦨꦸꦱ꧀ꦠꦩꦤ꧀; EYD: ''Raden Saleh Syarif Bustaman''; 1811 – 23 April 1880) was a pioneering Indonesian Romantic painter of Arab- Javan ...
and Srihadi, Yves Saint Laurent, Halston
Roy Halston Frowick (April 23, 1932 – March 26, 1990), known mononymously as Halston, was an American fashion designer who rose to international fame in the 1970s.
His minimalist, clean designs, often made of cashmere or ultrasuede, were ...
, Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classic ...
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard wo ...
and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition r ...
.[
]
Death
Iwan Tirta died on 31 July 2010 at Abdi Waluyo Hospital in Menteng
Menteng is the south-central district of Central Jakarta, one of the administrative municipalities in the capital city Jakarta, Indonesia.
The nexus of its heritage is the Menteng neighbourhood (Project), a new urban design developed mainly i ...
, Central Jakarta, at the age of 75.[ He had suffered from diabetes and several strokes in the preceding years][ He was buried at Karet Bivak cemetery in Jakarta near his mother's tomb.][
After three years of the maestro's departure, his name lives on.
Commemorating 1,000 days of his departure this year (2013), several events and milestones was highlighted among others:
- Mobiliari group (Tatler Indonesia) has awarded a tribute to Iwan Tirta via Iwan Tirta Private Collection, on his role to promote Indonesian Batik as one of the luxury brands from Indonesia. March 2013, Darmawangsa Hotel
http://kennedyvoice-berliner.com/home/2013/03/19/mobiliariluxuryindustryconference/
https://web.archive.org/web/20160303233035/http://mobiliarigroup.com/events/indonesia-international-luxury-fair-2013/
- Tribute to Iwan Tirta by Berita Satu Media Holding and Gelar Nusantara. "Knights of the Golden Empress". Darmawangsa Hotel, July4th, 2013.
The management of PT Iwan Tirta has also paid tribute to the late maestro, visiting his tomb on last 8 July 2013.
]
References
External links
Iwan Tirta Batik
IWAN TIRTA Private Collection official Facebook page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tirta, Iwan
1935 births
2010 deaths
Indonesian fashion designers
20th-century Indonesian lawyers
Indonesian writers
Yale Law School alumni
University of Indonesia alumni
Indonesian expatriates in the United States
People from Blora Regency
People from Jakarta
Artists from New York City
Batik