Jejak Batik, translated as Batik’s Trace, was the theme of an exhibition held at the Erasmus Huis from 13 March to 29 April 2026. With the tagline “Because Every Line of Batik Carries a Trace,” the exhibition invited visitors to explore batik through two connected lenses: gender and water. It was organized by Erasmus Huis and Green Batik Pekalongan, with support from Partners for Water.
Batik is more than visible patterns on cloth. Behind every line lie invisible traces of hot wax, the hands that draw it, the labour that completes it, and the water that shapes the process. The exhibition presented ten selected batik works created by ten different workshops in Pekalongan. Each piece reflected a creative exploration of the connection between Indonesian and Dutch cultures, while also taking steps toward more sustainable batik production.
Presented in conjunction with World Water Day and this year’s theme, Water & Gender, the exhibition highlighted the important roles of both women and men in batik making. Women have long played a central role in applying hot wax with a canting, a delicate process requiring patience and precision. Men also contribute through physically demanding stages such as dyeing, ngelorod, and washing.
The exhibition also introduced the Green Batik Pekalongan initiative, which promotes sustainable innovation in batik production in the “Capital of Batik,” Pekalongan. Through the 12 Green Batik Goals and collaboration with ten batik workshops, the initiative shows how batik can continue to honour tradition while embracing sustainability.
Jejak Batik also welcomed 50 mothers and children to experience the exhibition on 25 April 2026. Many mothers were surprised by the depth of women’s roles in the industry, while children discovered that batik is not simply drawing, but a careful process using malam, or wax, and inverted patterns.
The exhibition was also presented during King’s Day on 27 April 2026, where it reached a wider audience and brought Indonesian batik heritage into a Dutch cultural celebration setting. The event was attended by Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, who noticed the batik display and expressed appreciation for the exhibition, recognizing batik as an important part of Indonesia’s pride and cultural heritage.
In the end, Jejak Batik reminded visitors to look more closely: every line of batik carries a trace of people, water, heritage, and a living tradition shaping a more sustainable future.