Local Cultural Aesthetics in The Logo Design of The Museum Batik Indonesia

Abstract

This research is based on the high importance of cultural institutions in designing a strong and contextual brand identity amid the dominance of global design. Batik is not just a motif, but a process, a technique of decorating fabric. Almost all regions in the country have their own batik motifs that symbolize the characteristics of their region. Javanese people wear batik in their daily lives. Batik plays a role in various activities, such as childbirth, weddings, and others. Batik motifs from various regions in Indonesia have specific meanings. For example, the kawung motif is a batik motif from Yogyakarta, shaped like a split palm fruit, which symbolizes the four directions as a form of brotherhood. The research method used in this study was descriptive qualitative with visual analysis techniques. Data was obtained through interviews with museum officials and visual observation as well as document analysis. The analysis was conducted using The Function Complex, Brand Identity Elements, Trichotomy Semiotics, and Visual Communication Design (logo principles and design principles). The results of this study indicate that the stylization of batik fabric in museum logos has undergone a transformation in meaning, function, and form that is aligned with the needs of contemporary visual communication. Stylization not only serves as an aesthetic element, but also functions as institutional legitimacy, cultural value, and identity differentiation. This research contributes to the development of a theory of brand identity based on culture and also provides practical recommendations for designing the brand identity of Indonesian cultural institutions.