A dialogue between Cologne and Java

What began with a journey to Indonesia more than fifty years ago has become a lifelong connection between two cultures.

In the early 1970s, Cologne-based Rudolf G. Smend encountered batik in Yogyakarta and discovered a textile tradition that would shape the rest of his life. In 1973, he opened his gallery in Cologne's Südstadt and has since dedicated more than five decades to collecting, researching and exhibiting Indonesian batik.

During Design Season Cologne, selected fabrics from his collection leave the conventional context of textile display and become part of the interior itself. Hung as large-scale surfaces across the walls, their colours, patterns and craftsmanship transform the rooms and show how textiles can shape the character and atmosphere of a space.

The presentation is complemented by contemporary bamboo furniture from PRING Studio in Yogyakarta. Led by German founder Dennis Pluemer, PRING combines Indonesian bamboo, local craftsmanship and contemporary furniture design, developing a material deeply rooted in everyday life in Java for a new generation of interiors.

Together, the two perspectives create a dialogue across time and disciplines: historic textile culture meets contemporary furniture design; Cologne meets Yogyakarta; collecting and preserving meet designing and making.

A German-Indonesian connection that began more than half a century ago continues to evolve — through material, craftsmanship and the spaces we live in. Smend: http://www.smend.de/ Pring: https://pring-studio.com