Collecting batiks by the Oeij family of Pekalongan
Collecting batiks by the Oeij family of Pekalongan
Thursday, 23 January 2025, 7–8pm
Ngee Ann Auditorium, Asian Civilisations Museum
Since 2015, the Peranakan Museum has held a significant collection of textiles made by three generations of female batik makers from Pekalongan, Indonesia: Jane Hendromartono (1924–1988), her mother Nyonya Oeij Kok Sing (1895–1966), and grandmother Nyonya Oeij Soen King (1871–1950). Comprising three large gifts and two purchases, the collection of 150 pieces is the most comprehensive corpus of works by this celebrated batik-making family. Tracing the journey of these cloths into the Peranakan Museum’s collection, this talk explores the significance of the collection within the context of the museum and wider inter-disciplinary studies.
This talk is organised in conjunction with Batik Nyonyas: Three Generations of Art and Entrepreneurship, at the Peranakan Museum, from 11 October 2024 to 31 August 2025.
Light refreshments will be served at the basement foyer from 6pm.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Darryl Lim, Assistant Curator
Darryl Lim is assistant curator for Southeast Asia at the Asian Civilisations Museum and Peranakan Museum. His research focuses on everyday expressions of ethnic and religious identity in Southeast Asia, as well as on the materiality of religion in Thailand. He is the co-curator of Batik Nyonyas: Three Generations of Art and Entrepreneurship.
Key Supporter
The ACM Conversations Lecture Series is generously sponsored by Dalio Philanthropies.
DISCOVER WHAT'S ON
Special Exhibition
Peacock Power: Beauty and Symbolism Across Cultures
31 Oct 2025 – 30 Aug 2026
With its dazzling feathers and spectacular tail, the peacock has long symbolised beauty, power, and divinity across Asia. Its image travelled widely, inspiring sacred imagery, luxury ornament, and everyday adornment. Shaped by diverse cultural influences, Peranakan art provides an ideal starting point for this journey. Each object invites us to consider how a motif moved between regions and contexts, revealing the networks that connect peoples and how artistic traditions evolve through exchange.
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Guided tours led by our volunteer docents are available daily.
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