Screening | Relawati

Rifa’iyah batik is an increasingly rare tradition of hand-made batik from Batang, Central Java (Indonesia), featuring motifs inspired by tropical flora and fauna, Sufi beliefs, and Javanese philosophy.

This short documentary screening and Q & A invites audiences to encounter this practice through the lens of Rifa’iyah women artists, exploring their work as both a cultural expression and a living botanical archive. It reflects on their resilience and skill, and the ways they sustain Rifa’iyah traditions and knowledge through attentive, manual creative practice in an age shaped by automation, digital distraction, and echo chambers.

The Q&A features Sarah Rennie (documentary director), Ibu Trihandayani Mulyati and Ibu Nandiroh (batik artists), and Emily Collins, Curator of Southeast Asian Art and Material Culture at MAGNT.

This program is part of Pencelupan – Immersion, a multi-arts project for Darwin Festival also featuring a Rifa’iyah batik exhibition, three nights of live performance, hands-on batik workshops, and a living botanical batik walk at the George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens.

The project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body, and through the Australia Indonesia Institute, and by the Northern Territory Government through Arts NT. Generous in-kind contributions and support have also been provided by project partners George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens and the Consulate of the Republic of Indonesia (Northern Territory).

Suitable for ages 16+ | Free | Limited places | Bookings recommended

Key Information

Register at the Information Desk in the foyer 15 minutes prior to the start of the program.

This program will be held in the Theatrette.

As part of our commitment to pest control and the protection of MAGNT Collections for future generations, no food or beverage can be consumed inside the Theatrette.

It can get cold inside the Theatrette so please be mindful of this and consider bringing a shawl or wearing long sleeves to maintain your comfort during the program.

MAGNT acknowledges the traditional owners of Country across the Northern Territory and beyond, and pays respect to Elders past, present and emerging.

Photo: Courtesy of Sarah Rennie