Short bio
Sabine Bolk (1984) is a Dutch artist who has been exploring Batik since 2009. The inspiration doesn’t only come from the technique, but also from the language of the patterns and the philosophy of Batik. On her blog ’The journey to Batik’ she writes about her discoveries, journeys and research. In 2009 and 2016 Sabine went to Java, Indonesia, to document to process of Batik making. In October 2019 she went to Indonesia to launch her current researchproject. In her researchproject she works on Retelling the History of the (Indo-)European Influence on Batik. From 2019 until December 2021 Sabine was a Research Associate at the Research Center for Material Culture in Leiden (NL) to research the batik collections in Dutch museums & archives. In her current research she focus not only on the maker, but also the wearer. Sabine writes for different platforms, organises events, gives talks, presentations and workshops. She not only gets inspiration from Batik, she also works on promoting, preserving and protecting Batik.
Contact me at sabine{@}sabinebolk.nl
CV
Work
2020
September Article ‘Verbinden op afstand: hoe mode daarop inspeelt’ for the exhibition/project The New Normal by Modemuze x Oscam
Summer 2020 – Spring 2021 Article on Batik and its history in the 19th century in 3 parts in the magazine ‘Tribale Kunst’
2019
4/10 Making of temporary work for Batik Weeks for program Museum Batik in Pekalongan, Java (ID)
30/3 – 28/4 Exhibition ‘Batik is Art, Batik als kunstwerk’ at CultuurSpoor, Best, part of the Indonesian Cultural Month organised by Stichting Hibiscus
2018
16/12 – 20/01/2019 Exhibition ‘De reis naar batik – Dag en nacht’/ ‘The journey to Batik – Day and night’ at Nieuwe Veste, Breda, part of ‘Indische Winter’ in collaboration with Stedelijk Museum Breda
2017
15/7 Made a ricecarpet Spice Goddess during the opening of the new tropical greenhouse at Animal park Taman Indonesia, Kallenkote (NL)
2016
4/10 – 9/10 Made a temporary carpet using Natural Dye and other organic materials during the Batik Week at Museum Batik Pekalongan (Java, ID)
13/2 Presentation during ‘Reclaim the Seeds’ of ‘Hill of beans’ in Wageningen
2015
27/9 End project ‘Hill of beans’ during the Harvest Fest at Kapeltuin Breda
14/6 Work in progress ‘Hill of beans’ at Kapeltuin Breda during Kunstroute Haagse Beemden
2014
19/7 – 20/7 “Practices of Sustainability, Étude #1 en Étude #2”, temporary installation in the public space, Victoria park and Blackfriars Bridge in London (UK), by curator Vanessa Saraceno
2013
28/9 ‘Rice-table-carpet’ during Tussen Kunst & Kitchen, Kunstnacht Den Bosch (NL)
3/3 – 29/3 ‘Butterflies and other garden animals’, solo exhibition with activities at Buurtsalon Linie, Breda (NL)
2012
17/6 ‘Ricecarpet for tropical birds’ of Taman Indonesia in Kallenkote (NL)
2010
27/10 & 28/10 ‘Ricecarpet for Vincent van Gogh’ in the garden of his birth house, VanGoghHuis in Zundert (NL)
2009
23/1 “Pattern-Pattern-Pattern-Pattern” performance during ‘Slapeloze nacht Vanuit bed’ in Café het Hijgend Hert, Breda (NL)
2008
1/11 – 17/11 ‘Tour des poulets’, solo exhibition at the StadsGalerij Breda (NL)
20/9 “Disappear” exhibition ‘Tour des poulets’, solo at KipVis in Middelburg (NL)
7/7 – 20/9 Artist residence at KipVis in Middelburg (NL)
14/2 – 14/3 Installation ‘What Mei Come?’ at Central Station Breda (NL)
2007
2/9 Living room-route Expeditie Belcrum. Ricecarpet and photos, Breda (NL)
Collaborations
2020
25/1 ‘De Grote Spiegel’ in collaboration with Pieter Vastbinder and Koen de Wit, part of Spiegelhol-project during Cultuurnacht Breda (NL)
18/1 Batik workshop in collaboration with Guave at Lola Luid in Amsterdam (NL)
2019
3/5 – 2/6 ‘The Batik Stand, A Stand for Batik’ in collaboration with Guave during the Tong Tong Fair in Den Haag
23/2 -24/2 Second Wastra Weekend at animal park Taman Indonesia, with an exposition of my Batik-collection, Batik workshop, a pasar, Rumah Fashion and expert-stand
13/1 Slideshow ‘The journey to Batik’ for piano piece by Leopold Godowsky called the ‘Java Suite’ performed by Poitr van de Werff during the New Years Concert of Nieuwe Veste in Breda (NL)
12/1 Batikworkshop with Shuen-Li Spirit at Nieuwe Veste in Breda
2018
29/12 Batik workshop with Shuen-Li Spirit at Nieuwe Veste in Breda
22/7 Third walk of ‘Spiegelhol op zoek naar Spiegelorchis en Spiegeldikkopje’ to De Groote Peel
3/6 Second walk of ‘Spiegelhol op zoek naar Spiegelorchis en Spiegeldikkopje’ to Schin op Geul in search of the ‘mirror orchids’
11/3 First walk of ‘Spiegelhol op zoek naar Spiegelorchis en Spiegeldikkopje’ to Hortus Leiden in search of the ‘mirror orchids’
17/3 Designed and made a kraplap for the ‘Bunschoten-Spakenburg’-episode of Community Dressing, a documentary series by filmer & fashion-activist Thijs Adriaans
24 – 25/2 First Wastra Weekend together with Marlisa Wareman, owner of animal park Taman Indonesia, with an exposition of my Batik-collection, films including ‘The journey to Batik – Tari Batik’, a pasar and expert-stand
2016
17/7 Third quest for the Large Chequered Skipper in collaboration with Spiegelhol
2015
21/7 ‘Spiegelhol2015Opstap op onderzoek naar het Spiegeldikkopje’ with Spiegelhol, walk in search of a butterfly
28/1 Rangoli carpet, small temporary carpet at the Cityplot stand at Reclaim the Seeds, Driebergen (NL)
2014
27/7 ‘Spiegelhol2014Opstap op onderzoek naar het Spiegeldikkopje’ with Spiegelhol, walk in search of a butterfly
2012
30/9 Second forest exhibition with artist Emmy Dijkstra at Koekoek in Etten-Leur (NL)
13/7 Ricecarpet-soundscape with electronic musician Husc
8/4 Forrest exhibition with artist Emmy Dijkstra in Enschede (NL)
2011
15/4 ‘Dance in a ricecarpet’, opening Art route ‘Starry Night’ in Etten-Leur (NL)
2010
23/5 & 28/5 ‘Dance in a ricecarpet’ at Argument Vertoningsruimte in Tilburg (NL)
9/5 ‘Mayakovsky’, opening ‘2 sides of a story’ with my visuals, Husc (electronic and vocal) & Koen de Wit (clarinet) at Café Het Hijgend Hert in Breda (NL)
19/4 – 22/5 Artist residence ‘Dance in a ricecarpet’ at Argument Vertoningsruimte in Tilburg (NL). With dancer Barbara van Kooten, musicians: Koen de Wit (clarinet), Dirk Elst (percussion) and Chester L. Brandes (classical guitar).
27/4 ‘Mayakovsky’, Proeflokaal #80 with my visuals, Husc (electronic and vocal) & Koen de Wit (clarinet) at Theater Kikker in Utrecht (NL)
2009
6/2 Ricecarpet-soundscape during ‘Klokkespijs live’ at Het Appeltje in Antwerpen (BE)
2008
11/8 – 24/8 ‘Tour des poulets’, tour to chicken farmers (NL). I made a ricecarpet and while the chicken eat it, Koen de Wit played clarinet
2007
11/1 – 14/1 Exhibition with artist Ties van de Ven at in Argument Vertoningsruimte, Tilburg (NL)
(Group-)exhibitions
2020
25/1 ‘De Grote Spiegel’, showing my installations with projections inspired by ‘Bigi Spikri’. Part of Spiegelhol-project in collaboration with Pieter Vastbinder and Koen de Wit during Cultuurnacht Breda (NL)
2019
25/9 – 25/10 My film ‘Tari Batik’ was part of the exhibition ’10th year challenges, 10 year UNESCO Intangible cultural heritage of Indonesia’ at Museum Tekstil, Jakarta, Java (ID)
24/5 – 26/5 My film ‘Tari Batik’ was part of the exhibition ‘West meets East’, part of ‘In the spotlight’ event by De Nieuwe Veste, at the Stokvishallen in Breda (NL)
25/4 My film ‘Tari Batik’ was part of ‘HERSTORY, a program penayangan film’, organised by Perempuan Berkabar, at Ruang Audio Visual, Dinas Perpustakaan dan Kearsipan Kota Padangpanjang in Sumatra (ID)
2018
24 – 25/2 Third screening of my film ‘ ‘The journey to Batik- Tari Batik’ during the Wastra Weekend, a textile weekend I organised together with Marlisa Wareman at Animal park Taman Indonesia (NL)
26/1 Second screening of my film ‘The journey to Batik- Tari Batik’ as part of the Shorts Program III of the SEAxSEA: The Southeast Asia x Seattle Film Festival (USA)
2017
14/9 First screening of my film ‘The journey to Batik- Tari Batik’ during the opening of the Asian Library at the University Leiden (NL)
27/1 ‘Kwatta girl’ Batik Statement live during Cultuurnacht Breda at Waalse Kerk, program IDFX (NL)
2016
26/7 till 5/8 E:collective group exhibition ‘Experiencing change/Changing experience’ at ONCA in Brighton (UK)
17/12/2015 till 9/1 Groupexhibition ‘IDFX Benefiet, Ode aan IDFX’ with an auction, Expo@IDFX at IDFX, Breda (NL)
2015
1/8 ‘Processionale’, temporary carpet of given-materials during the openingsday of Bewust Breda, StadsGalerij Breda (NL)
22/4 t/m 16/5 ‘Cambridge Sustainability Residency Collective 2015’ exhibition in Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge (UK)
2014
12/12 till 14/12 ‘Laat je hart spreken’ at StadsGalerij Breda (NL)
5/9 till 7/9 ‘Alle Stroomt’, part of Art program of Into The Great Wide Open, Vlieland (NL)
11/4 till 13/4 ‘Quid Pro Quo- Negotiating Futures’, Cambridge Sustainability Residency exhibition at Changing Spaces Gallery in Cambridge (UK)
2013
1/9 – 4/9 Wallpaper installation ‘Little Nana’s Cape’, Grote Kerk, Breda (NL)
2011
5/6 Work in progress of my Batik Pagi-Sore design and a Batik-chalk-workshop during ‘PindaKAAS Light’ in Tilburg (NL)
16/4 – 25/4 Group-exhibition ‘Van Gogh Leeft!’ during the art route in Etten-Leur (NL)
19/2 – 27/3 Graphic collection folder ‘De Brabantse Ring’ group-exhibition at Grafisch Atelier Den Bosch (NL)
2010
25/9 ‘PindaKAAS light’, group exhibition at the Scheltema in Leiden (NL)
18/9 & 19/9 ‘Kunstroute Leiden’, group exhibition at the Scheltema in Leiden (NL)
9/7 – 25/7 Group exhibition ‘Paper in progress’ in Electron, Breda (NL)
1/4 – 2/5 Group exhibition Graphic collection folder ‘De Brabantse Ring’ in the City Hall of Roosendaal (NL)
17/11/2009 – 15/1 Group exhibition Graphic collection folder ‘De Brabantse Ring’ in Theater De Kring in Roosendaal (NL)
2009
12/9 – 13/9 Preview exhibition of Graphic collection folder ‘De Brabantse Ring’ at Theater De Maagd in Bergen op Zoom (NL)
12/6 – 14/6 Group exhibition ‘Was ist ist, was nicht ist ist möglich’, at Rosa during open studio route in Breda (NL)
17/5 – 1/7 Group exhibition ‘Turks’ at De Kunstpraktijk in Veldhoven (NL)
23/1 – 18/2 Group exhibition ‘Het Hert in bed met Vanuit bed’ at Café Het Hijgend Hert, Breda (NL)
2008
4/9 – 14/9 Group exhibition ‘Peep Perspective’ at Villa Ockenburgh during the Ground 3 festival in Den Haag (NL)
13/7 – 7/9 Group exhibition ‘Salon XI’ at NBKS in Breda (NL)
11/7 – 13/7 Ricecarpet and works on paper on one location during art- and countryside-route ‘Kunst op het hof’ in Merksplas/Hoogstraten (BE)
2007
1/12 – 2/12 Open studio and group exhibition Vlaszak in Breda (NL)
29/11 Installation ‘Wanna play?’ at Het Nutshuis in Den Haag (NL)
14/7 – 15/7 Group exhibition ‘Komt/Nu/Voorbij‘ at Lokaal 01 in Antwerpen (BE)
7/7 – 20/8 Exhibition graduation work st Galerie Segeren in Breda (NL)
7/7 – 8/7 Group exhibition ‘Komt/Nu/Voorbij’ at De Fabriek in Eindhoven (NL)
28/6 – 4/7 Graduation exhibition at Kunstacademie St.Joost, Breda (NL)
9/6 – 10/6 Group exhibition ‘Komt/Nu/Voorbij, de reizende tentoonstelling’ at Your-space of the Van Abbemuseum during the EDIT festival in Eindhoven (NL)
18/5 Installation ‘Living room wallpaper’ at FreeSpace, Electron in Breda (NL)
Projects, workshops & lectures
2020
2 /10 – Zoom Batik Day Bday Talk, online talk about my third journey to Batik
28/5 – 7/6 Batik Stand Online in collaboration with Guave and TTF, 10 days online program on Instagram with stories, videos and posts
29/4 IG Live by aNERDgallery on Instagram
March – curated Indonesian textiles for the cookbook ‘Bijbel van de Indonesische keuken‘ by Maureen Tan
18/1 Batik workshop in collaboration with Guave at Lola Luid in Amsterdam (NL)
2019
2/11 Lecture ’10 years The journey to Batik’ including screening of ‘Tari Batik at Vrijmetselarij Museum, Den Haag (NL)’
19/10 Screening ‘Tari Batik’ at Batikworkshop Gading Kencana, Desa Jeruk, Java (ID)
18/10 Lecture ‘Re-telling the history of the (Indo-)European influence on Batik between 1840-1890’ and screening ‘Tari Batik’ for Kensensem Lasem at Rumah Merah in Lasem, Java (ID)
7/10 Talk at Pekan Batik for Batik Weeks for program Museum Batik in Pekalongan, Java (ID)
6/10 Try-out workshop ‘Buketan’ for Batikmakers in Batang, Java (ID)
5/10 Lecture ‘Re-telling the history of the (Indo-)European influence on Batik between 1840-1890’ and screening ‘Tari Batik’ for IPI and Redaya Batik in Batang, Java (ID)
4/10 Panel-discussion with theme ‘the influences of Indo European, Chinese, and Gujarat’. part of ‘Re-telling the history of the (Indo-)European influence on Batik between 1840-1890’ for program Museum Batik in Pekalongan, Java (ID)
2/10 Batikworkshop in the former ‘Heerenstraat’, part of ‘Re-telling the history of the (Indo-)European influence on Batik between 1840-1890’ for program Museum Batik in Pekalongan, Java (ID)
28/9 Lecture ‘Re-telling the history of the (Indo-)European influence on Batik between 1840-1890’ at Museum Tekstil, Jakarta, Java (ID)
18/9 Workshop ‘Molukse Lenso’ designing at LocHal, Tilburg (NL)
16/6 Batikworkshop at Stichting De Vrolijkheid at AZC Oisterwijk (NL)
June 2019 – June 2020 Research Associate at Research Center for Material Culture for researchproject ‘Re-telling the history of the (Indo-)European influence on Batik between 1840-1890’
23/5 – 2/6 ‘The Batik Stand, A Stand for Batik’ in collaboration with Guave including three lectures with screenings on stage during the Tong Tong Fair in Den Haag (NL)
1/5 & 3/5 ‘Sarong drawing’ two day workshop at at De Vrolijkheid at AZC Oisterwijk
13/4 ‘Batik Statement Day’ at CultuurSpoor, Best, part of the Indonesian Cultural Month organised by Stichting Hibiscus
8/4 ‘Sarong Tekenen’ workshop for kids at CultuurSpoor, Best, part of the Indonesian Cultural Month organised by Stichting Hibiscus
4/4 Lecture and screening of my film ‘The journey To Batik – Tari Batik’ at CultuurSpoor, Best, part of the Indonesian Cultural Month organised by Stichting Hibiscus
30/3 ‘Batik Statement Fashionshow’ during the opening of Exhibition ‘Batik is Art, Batik als kunstwerk’ at CultuurSpoor, Best
18/2 Provided the Batiks for 250 bookcovers & 100 Lurik banderols for the Special Editions of Indonesian cookbook ‘BaruBelanda’
10/1 Lecture and screening of my film ‘The journey To Batik – Tari Batik’ for Save the Loom #3 at Nieuwe Dakota in Amsterdam (NL)
2018
11/12 Presentation and screening of my film ‘The journey To Batik – Tari Batik’ at Red Hat Ladies, Capelle aan den Ijssel (NL)
17/11 Presentation and screening of my film ‘The journey To Batik – Tari Batik’ at Masoek Dua in Zwolle (NL)
17/10 Autumn Workshop with leaves at De Vrolijkheid at AZC Oisterwijk
28/7 Workshop Making patterns with stencils for Tactus in Ommen
15/7 Presentation and screening of my film ‘The journey To Batik – Tari Batik’ at Madjoe in Utrecht (NL)
27/6 Doe-dag, temporary carpet-workshop, at Stichting De Vrolijkheid at AZC Oisterwijk (NL)
3/5 Batik Statement PhotoBooth at launch Summer collection Guave in Amsterdam (NL)
2/5 Doe-dag, temporary carpet-workshop, at Stichting De Vrolijkheid at AZC Oisterwijk (NL)
25/4 Presentation and screening of my film ‘The journey To Batik – Tari Batik’ at Kopi Kecil in Eindhoven (NL)
2017
23/8 Presentation second journey To Batik at Kopi Kecil in Eindhoven (NL)
13/5 ‘Hill of beans’, seed swap and workshop, at Open Source Event, Bibliotheek Tilburg Centrum (NL)
4/6 -5/6 Workshop ‘Staphorst Dot Batik Wrappingpaper’ at Animal park Taman Indonesia (NL)
2016
22/5 Presentation of my second ‘journey to Batik’ during Festival Budaya in Best (NL)
2015
17/5 ‘Batik Statement Fashionshow’ during Festival Budaya in Best (NL)
2/5 – 3/5 ‘Origami Batik Blouse folding’ Workshop during Pasar Siang at Taman Indonesia
4/4 Workshop Painting Easter Eggs Indonesian Style at Cultuurspoor, Best (NL)
2014
May till November “Daar lusten de honden geen brood van”, walks with Rudolf Steiner School and Okba Ibnoe Nafi in Liniepark, Breda (NL). Making signs for the park.
31/3 till 11/4 Cambridge Sustainability Residency in Cambridge (UK)
2013
19/10 & 20/10 ‘Er was eens een Batikspin’ workshop at Taman Indonesia, Kallenkote (NL)
5/10 Lecture ‘The journey to Batik, making a statement’ at the Najaarsdag of the Ned.Kostuumvereniging in Amsterdam (NL)
21/4 ‘Batik Statement Fashionshow’ at the Cultural Indonesia Festival at Best (NL)
2012
24/11 ‘Batik Fashion Photo shoot’ during WinterFashionFair at Taman Indonesia,
Kallenkote (NL)
14/11 Lecture ‘Walk around the Pond’, Butterflies in Art and Batik at KNNV, Breda (NL)
2011
28/9 Lecture ‘The journey to Batik’ at the Indische Huiskamer in Eindhoven (NL)
Grants, awards & positions
2019
June – June 2021 Research Associate at Research Center for Material Culture (RCMC) for researchproject ‘Re-telling the history of the (Indo-)European influence on Batik between 1840-1890’
2010
22/1 BKKC Project grant for ‘Dance in a ricecarpet’
2008
17/12 Start stipendium Fonds BKVB for 2009
2/12 NBKS grant for HD 3CCD film camera and equipment
9/2 Selected for artist residence at KipVis in Middelburg during pitch
2006
14/12 Won being portrayed for the poster campaign ‘I am an artist’ of Kunstenaars&Co with my presentation of my work at stARTfactory in TAC in Eindhoven (NL)
Education
2014 – 2015
‘IVN gidsencursus’, Nature guide course by IVN in Breda (NL)
2008
‘PR in Art’ course by Kunstenaars&Co
2002-December 2006 (graduation exhibition 2007)
Bachelor of Fine Art, Art academy St.Joost, Breda
2002
Orientation course Art academy AKV, Den Bosch
1997-2002
HAVO (Culture & Society with History, Geography, Art history and art), Udens College, Uden
Fore more related work experience, check out my LinkedIn profile