Once recognized as a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO on the past October 2, 2009, batik is increasingly getting more popular not only in Indonesia as the country of its origin but also in the world. Batik designs become one of the great demands of international community. Even some time ago, as the commitment to raise the culture of Indonesian batik, Mercedes Benz launched a very limited edition car painted in batik in an auction for charity in Jakarta.
The painted-in-batik Mercedes C 250 CGI has official price of only 650 million rupiahs but in that auction, it was sold 1 billion rupiahs by Piyu, one guitarist of a very famous Indonesian band, PADI. According to Piyu, the Mercedes C 250 Avant-garde is very unique because it was the only one painted in batik. He would not use the limited edition car for daily activities. He would keep it as a collection.
According to Rudi Borgenheimer, President Director of PT. Mercedes Benz Indonesia, Mercedes C 250 CGI is limited product, specially produced to commemorate 40 years of the existence of Mercedes Benz in Indonesia as well as to raise Indonesian batik. The batik design was done by a famous fashion designer in Indonesia, Carmanita. By using water brush, the car was painted in such way as if it’s covered by batik cloth. In the auction, Mercedes also had donated funds amounting to 2.4 million Euros to help Indonesia's batik industry.
Indeed the technology will be more valuable if combined with world-class culture such as batik. Similarly, the culture will be more attractive if it can be combined with contemporary technology.
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