Pasisir Batik Road - Cirebon - Madmil Workshop

BATIK MADMIL - TRUSMI - CIREBON

Renowned 10th generation batik-maker, Ega Sugeng and her son Arief Nurochmat of Batik Madmil.  Their home and workshop  compound is in Trusmi, Cirebon.  They are standing in front of one of Ega's magnificent works, a
tiga negeri kupu-kupu beras tabur.  It is a 15-colour kain panjang and is 2.6 meters long.  [Photo: Ian Reed]

When we last visited Ega in 2008 we commissioned a 12-colour kain sarong featuring the kembang rangdu negerian motif (detail above).  This cloth took one year to complete and for a work of such complexity, it is flawless in its making.  The kepala is made up of slanting bands or dhorong (as above).  Each band varies in colour, the type of flower and the very intricate filler patterning found within a motif, isen-isen.  The border around the whole work as well as that of the main body of the sarong, the badan, is a repetition of one of the dhorong making up the kepala.  [Photo: Mick Richards]  

Tiga negeri kupu-kupu beras tabar as seen in the background of the first image above.  The butterflies are drawn with a great sense of freedom and the dancing peacocks (as per the  final image below), celebrate beauty and boldness.  [Photo: Ian Reed]

This detail and the one below illustrate Ega's use of a wide variety of background filler motifs, the areas outside the main motifs, called tanahan.  Reference has been already made to isen-isen, the intricate filling motifs used to fill in the primary motifs.

When you are next in Cirebon a visit to Batik Madmil to meet Ega and Arief is a must do.  They are very generous with their time and only to happy to share with you examples of Ega's work.  All of Ega's work is by commission- from the various examples you are shown, you choose a work you would like to commission to be made.  This will take at least one year.  Many commissions are received from overseas museums and galleries.

Contact details:

BATIK MADMIL
Trusmi Kulon 388
Weru Plered Cirebon 45154
Tel: +62 231 321045
Email Arief Nurochmat: arief_388@yahoo.com