Indonesian Costumes

The Tropenmuseum Amsterdam houses about 12,000 textile objects that were collected over a period of 160 years. The majority of the objects were amassed during the time that Indonesia was a Dutch colony, the former Netherlands-Indies. This study presents the collection and the stories of the makers and users of the fabrics as well as those of the collectors who brought them to the Netherlands, who have studied and exhibited them. The textiles originate from all over the archipelago, from Aceh on ... [Read More]

The Monkey King is back in this sequel to the 2013 Stephen Chow film JOURNEY TO THE WEST: CONQUERING THE DEMONS. Now tamed by Tang Sanzang, Monkey King has become one of Tang's disciples. Tang, Monkey King, Sandy and Pigsy band together to fight demons as they continue their journey west.

Masked performances are an ancient and integral part of Balinese rituals. A great variety of Bali's masks, many of them sacred and rarely displayed, are represented in this book. The spectacular detail and craftsmanship of the masks, their artistry, symbolism, religious significance, and manufacture, will take readers on a fascinating journey into the sacred rituals of Bali.

Batik occupies a special place in Indonesian culture. Each fabric has a rich story to tell—as a reflection of the nation's religious beliefs, sophisticated court cultures and cosmopolitan history. The extraordinary textiles in this book are from the collections of Rudolf Smend and Donald Harper. Most date from the period 1880 to 1930 when the art of batik reached its apogee. Having collected historical batik for over thirty years and published two books on the subject, Rudolf Smend has invited... [Read More]