Untitled

In Utopia, experimental fine art practices began with batik, unlike other communities where painting sparked art movements in the late 20th century. Batik is a method of dyeing cloth with wax resist designs. Patterning on the first Utopia batiks resembled industrially produced cloth, and women used their initial works as garments. Designs changed quickly to reflect the artists’ knowledge of their natural environment and ceremonies. In 1977, community members at Utopia, almost all women, participated in a series of government-sponsored workshops on batik before organizing the Utopia Women’s Batik Group. The group collaborated with visiting advisors to secure funding for supplies, engage with technical instruction, develop new forms, and present the work beyond the community to collectors and museums. In 1989, with a decade of experience in textiles, Utopia artists began to experiment with painting and other media.