Leo Purnomo: Batik, Wax, Dye and Wi-fi

Come along to an exhibition from artist, Leo Purnomo, and experience the photographic-like images created by screen printing a wax-emulsion that resists the water-soluble cold-dye, creating an effect reminiscent of cyanotypes.

The flow of the emulsion and the two-step waxing and dying process result in blurred, bleeding, and obscured imagery. Some pieces also incorporate flowing lines characteristic of traditional batik, created by applying hot wax with a janting — a traditional tool for applying hot wax. By utilising these techniques, Leo aimed to create works that embody the perceived ‘not-quite-ness’ of diaspora identities, questioning the complexities of self-teaching traditional methods via the internet to bridge cultural gaps from a distance.