Living Cloth: Textiles and Society in Indonesia

Schedule

Thu, 25 Sep, 2025 at 05:30 pm

UTC-04:00

Location

Yale Art Gallery | New Haven, CT

Advertisement
Woven into Indonesia’s cultural fabric, textiles have historically served not only as expressions of artistry and tradition but also as drivers of trade and economic activity. In this lecture, Barbara Watson Andaya, Emeritus Professor of Asian Studies, University of Hawai‘i, reaches back into the past, exploring how cloth and material objects reflect shifts in aesthetic preferences, ritual practices, and the assimilation of outside influences. In the process, Andaya examines the gendered dimensions of cloth production as it transitioned from a cottage industry to a central commodity in the broader economy. Although the women involved—whether in transforming bark into cloth, infusing their weaving with intricate symbolism, or painting the vibrant designs that made “batik” a household name—are often overlooked in Indonesian history, they bequeathed a legacy that is still thriving.

Taking as departure points several pieces in the Gallery’s exhibition Nusantara: Six Centuries of Indonesian Textiles, the lecture traverses the Indonesian archipelago, tracing historical developments and highlighting the extraordinary diversity and cultural dynamics embedded in textiles. From the headdresses of headhunters to the cosmological motifs adorning Sumatra’s ship cloths and the mythical creatures on a batik waist wrapper from Java, this journey through time reveals both unique creativity and the profound connections between textiles and the identities of so many Indonesian communities.

Generously sponsored by the Martin A. Ryerson Lectureship Fund. Offered in conjunction with the exhibition Nusantara.
Advertisement

Where is it happening?

Yale Art Gallery, 1111 Chapel St,New Haven, Connecticut, United States

Event Location & Nearby Stays:

Yale University Art Gallery

Host or Publisher Yale University Art Gallery

It's more fun with friends. Share with friends

Discover More Events in New Haven

Sip & Paint at Bear's New Haven
Wed, 24 Sep at 06:00 pm Sip & Paint at Bear's New Haven

Bear's Smokehouse Barbecue

ART FINE-ARTS
Blake: Word and Image
Thu, 25 Sep at 04:00 pm Blake: Word and Image

1080 Chapel Street, New Haven, CT, United States, Connecticut 06510

ART EXHIBITIONS
Skip the Small Talk at East Rock Brewing
Thu, 25 Sep at 06:30 pm Skip the Small Talk at East Rock Brewing

East Rock Brewing Company & Beer Hall

Zombii, Kids on Fire (WA), Ghost Tones @ Cafe Nine
Thu, 25 Sep at 07:00 pm Zombii, Kids on Fire (WA), Ghost Tones @ Cafe Nine

cafe nine

KIDS
Six the Musical at Shubert Theater New Haven
Thu, 25 Sep at 07:00 pm Six the Musical at Shubert Theater New Haven

Shubert Theater New Haven

LIVE-MUSIC TRIPS-ADVENTURES
The Moth Mainstage at College Street Music Hall
Thu, 25 Sep at 07:30 pm The Moth Mainstage at College Street Music Hall

College Street Music Hall

TRIPS-ADVENTURES
Six the Musical - New Haven
Thu, 25 Sep at 11:00 pm Six the Musical - New Haven

Shubert Theatre - New Haven

LIVE-MUSIC ART
Parking Six the Musical - New Haven
Thu, 25 Sep at 11:00 pm Parking Six the Musical - New Haven

Shubert Theatre - New Haven

LIVE-MUSIC ART
The Next-Level Assistant
Mon, 28 Jul at 10:00 am The Next-Level Assistant

Rebel Salon

WORKSHOPS
Architects in Conversation: Lord Norman Foster
Wed, 03 Sep at 01:00 pm Architects in Conversation: Lord Norman Foster

1080 Chapel Street, New Haven, CT, United States, Connecticut 06510

EXHIBITIONS ART
From Pixels to Print: Introduction to 3D Design & Solidworks
Wed, 03 Sep at 06:00 pm From Pixels to Print: Introduction to 3D Design & Solidworks

770 Chapel Street, New Haven, CT, United States, Connecticut 06510

WORKSHOPS ART
Louder Than a Veto Housing Forum| New Haven
Thu, 04 Sep at 05:30 pm Louder Than a Veto Housing Forum| New Haven

Ives Main Library

BUSINESS
Sketching in the Galleries
Thu, 04 Sep at 05:30 pm Sketching in the Galleries

Yale Art Gallery

ART FINE-ARTS
Meditation for Everyday Calm: A 3-Week Introduction Series
Thu, 04 Sep at 06:30 pm Meditation for Everyday Calm: A 3-Week Introduction Series

300 W Elm St, New Haven, CT 06515-2035, United States

HEALTH-WELLNESS MEDITATION
N.A.H.S.E. CT Presents 5th Annual Building & Sustaining Your Career Pathway
Sat, 06 Sep at 10:00 am N.A.H.S.E. CT Presents 5th Annual Building & Sustaining Your Career Pathway

55 Park St

WORKSHOPS HEALTH-WELLNESS
You looking for an Experience?  New Haven Style Pizza Making Class  9\/7 New Haven, CT
Sun, 07 Sep at 09:00 am You looking for an Experience? New Haven Style Pizza Making Class 9/7 New Haven, CT

Michelina’s Apizza & Ristorantè

WORKSHOPS
Sun, 07 Sep at 03:00 pm Remembering the 1975 New Haven Teachers Strike

New Haven Labor Center

BUSINESS MEETUPS
Pathshala Picnic 2025-26 (Welcome back)
Sun, 07 Sep at 05:00 pm Pathshala Picnic 2025-26 (Welcome back)

70 Pond Lily Ave, New Haven, CT, United States, Connecticut 06515

TRIPS-ADVENTURES
What Inventors Should Know About Patents, Trademarks and Copyright
Mon, 08 Sep at 12:00 pm What Inventors Should Know About Patents, Trademarks and Copyright

770 Chapel Street, New Haven, CT, United States, Connecticut 06510

What's Happening Next in New Haven?

Discover New Haven Events