A Lady Found a Culture in its Cloth: Barack Obama’s Mother and Indonesian Batiks,
featuring batik patterned textiles from the collection of Ann Dunham, President Obama’s mother,
from August 9-23, 2009. This marks the final stop in a national tour of the exhibition. Washingtonians and visitors to the nation’s capital will not want to miss this unique look at the Obama family and the Southeast Asian culture from which these fabrics originated! The Textile Museum is presenting the exhibition in coordination with the Embassy of the Indonesia and co-hosting a gala event with the embassy at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel on Saturday, August 8. The exhibition is made
possible with the support by President Obama’s sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, and her family.
About the Exhibition
Ann Dunham loved and collected many handcrafted objects, including textiles. As a teenager, she wove wall hangings in earthy shades of brown and green
for her own enjoyment. After marrying Lolo Soetoro and moving to Indonesia in the 1960s with her son Barack Obama, she was naturally drawn to the vibrant textile arts of her new home. She began to amass a collection of Javanese batiks — fabrics patterned by using a wax-resist process — from which this exhibition is drawn. These textiles were readily seen on city and village streets in this Southeast Asian nation at that time. Her interests in batik patterned cloth were complex. She did not acquire rare or expensive pieces, but rather contemporary examples that were an expression of a living tradition, patterned with both classic designs and those of passing fashion. The lives of the batik makers also fascinated
her. While earning degrees in anthropology from the University of Hawaii in the 1970s and 1980s, she focused on how to help craftspeople, like those creating batik in Indonesia. She
worked with the Ford Foundation in Jakarta and later with USAID and the World Bank, guiding projects beneficial to poor women through micro and small enterprises. She eventually set up microcredit projects all over Indonesia as well as in Pakistan and Kenya. The wide variation in the batiks on view in this exhibition reflects the range of colors and
patterns that captured her imagination and provides a window into Indonesian culture.
About the August 8 Gala
A gala event at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel on Saturday, August 8 will celebrate Dunham’s collection as well as Indonesian culture, and offer invited guests a special preview of the
exhibition at The Textile Museum. The gala will be hosted by H.E. Sudjadnan Parnohadiningrat the Indonesian Ambassador to the U.S. and Muhammad Lutfi, Chairman of the Investment Coordinating Board of Indonesia, and attended by Maya Soetoro-Ng, President Obama’s sister. During the reception preceding the gala dinner, selected pieces from Dunham’s collection will be on view, as well as batiks owned by Ani Yudhoyon, the First Lady of Indonesia, and other Indonesian handwoven textiles provided by Cita Tenun Indonesia (Indonesian Handwoven Textile Association). The dinner program will feature a fashion show by two top young Indonesian designers, Priyo Octaviano and Sebastian Gunawan, who will feature their latest haute couture collections made from handwoven materials influenced by traditional Indonesian textiles. Entertainment will include performances of traditional Indonesian dance and an exotic angklung orchestra. The gala is made possible in part by The Textile Museum, the U.S.-Indonesia Society
(USINDO), the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the USASEAN Business Council and the Asia Society, as well as the Embassy of Indonesia.
About The Textile Museum
Established in 1925 by George Hewitt Myers, The Textile Museum is an international center for the exhibition, study, collection and preservation of the textile arts. The Museum explores the role that textiles play in the daily and ceremonial life of individuals the world over. Special attention is given to textiles of the Near East, Asia, Africa and the indigenous cultures of the Americas. The Museum also presents exhibitions of historical and contemporary quilts, and fiber art. With a collection of more than 18,000 textiles and rugs, The Textile Museum is a unique and valuable resource for people locally, nationally and internationally. The Textile Museum is located at 2320 ‘S’ Street, NW in Washington, D.C. The Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 1 pm to 5 pm. Admission is free with a suggested donation of $5 for non-members. For more information, call (202) 667-0441 or visit www.textilemuseum.org.
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