DESIGNING LOCAL

DESIGNED AS A SPACE TO DISPLAY THE ARCHIPELAGO’S INTRICATE TEXTILES, GALERI WASTRAKU IS INDEED A WELCOME ADDITION AMIDST THE MORE MODERN APPARELS CANGGU HAS TO OFFER.

The gallery is created by entrepreneur and traditional textile collector, Terry Wijaya Supit, as a tribute to Indonesia’s local artisans and their creations, from the well known such as the batik motifs from Java to the little known, like the batik from the village of Munti gunung in Karangasem.

For their first exhibition, Galeri Wastraku displays the handwoven and naturally dyed textiles from Eastern Sumba, a beautifully earthy collection with simple lines and motifs. It’s definitely not your fast fashion variety as one stretch of textile can take around eight months to finish. Traditional Sumba jewelry was also present, with cream colored earrings, bracelet, and necklaces wound in meaningful shapes or symbols such as the mamuli that is supposed to resemble a woman’s womb.

The gallery intends to have different themes each month, with every new exhibition boasting a particular region’s traditional fashion and accessories. If you always got one eye on learning the how-to’s of the local fashion (by the local people themselves), then you really shouldn’t miss their workshops, such as the bracelet weaving and natural dyeing workshops. Follow their IG @galeriwastraku for updates on workshops and exhibitions.

MAKING MACRAME

For hipster-friendly art, the macrame suits just fine. Knotting textiles into dreamy shapes like dreamcatchers and hammocks to enrich one’s studio-like abode certainly sounds lit. Thus, why not learn from the best? The Canggu based A Studio is an artist haven spearheaded by Anroo, a macrame and fabric artist, whose artistry has so far brought her into collaborating with other artisans, such as a ceramic artist from Sukawati and dancers from Platform Dance Company. And just like her collaborations, her geometrically eccentric creations have been adapted into various medium, from wall hanging décor to cushion covers. If hitching is your thing, take up one of her macrame classes which you can either do at her studio or in the comfort of your own home. Check out her IG @woodandropebali for more info on classes.