Batik Panel c. 20th century

This batik panel, whose maker is unknown, is an arrangement of small brown and cream shapes. I can imagine the artist patiently applying wax and dye, building up the pattern bit by bit. Looking at this panel, I feel a sense of empathy for the artist and the intricate, repetitive work involved in its creation. I can see a complex matrix of triangles and squares, each one slightly different from the last. You know, the artist would have had to be precise to achieve this level of detail. I wonder what they might have been thinking as they worked? The colors are muted and earthy, like coffee and cream, which creates a calm, soothing effect. I find myself getting lost in the details, tracing the lines and shapes with my eyes. It’s like a conversation between the artist and myself, a dance of looking and seeing that stretches across time and space. It reminds me a bit of the work of Agnes Martin, in its quiet, meditative quality. Artists are in an ongoing conversation, and this panel feels like a contribution to that dialogue.