Singaporean Artist Preserves Heritage through Batik Art
Published on 7.26.25
Fathiah, a Singaporean artist, received a scholarship to hone her heritage conservation skills through the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Commonwealth Heritage Skills Training Programme. Her journey into Arabic calligraphy led her to discover her Southeast Asian heritage and batik, an ancient art form from Indonesia. Fathiah's late grandmother, nenek, played a significant role in introducing her to batik, which holds spiritual significance and carries messages of hope and prayers for its recipients. After visiting Surakarta, Indonesia, where her great-grandparents grew up, Fathiah learned traditional batik-making techniques from deaf artist Angga Setiawan. She now sees herself as a cultural bridge, aiming to contribute to Singapore's vibrant art scene by honoring its layered past and promoting multiculturalism.