I wanted to reframe the chrysanthemum as a cross-cultural symbol that connects stories from Java and the world. In both Europe and Asia, chrysanthemums are associated with hope and prosperity, often used in celebrating the Lunar New Year. But I wanted to explore its meaning further.

“Alih” Prints Edition explores that life is a constant change, and nothing is permanent. Our experiences consist of ups and downs, filled with dark and light emotions. Each moment is as valuable as the other...

I became fascinated by the “seedpod” [lotus seed] while observing it floating on the water’s surface. Its perforated form seemed to hold traces of lives that had passed, reminding me of Derrida’s concept of the trace and the absence within meaning (1997)...

Having a journal from 1997, since I was 23, helps me reflect. Growing up, I experienced dreams, and these visions would come to reality. Lacan suggests that what we perceive as truth is constructed through narrative and language, implying that our understanding of reality is inherently shaped by symbolic representations (2020)...

Madras is Melissa’s visual interpretation of the shared stories between European and Asian textile cultures. Madras refers to a traditional textile craft from the small villages in India, where natural dyes are used to create distinctive checkered patterns...

The Tulip & Paperflower collection, are both inspired from the novel “Ragam Ni Si Marian”. A novel written by Kartini Sjahrir, based on research conducted in the Netherlands and Indonesia, is a work of fiction interwoven with social, political, economic, and inter-racial conflict facts during the colonial period from 1900 to the post-independence year of 1956...

Growing amidst the grasses and often unnoticed, a clover is unique and possesses many virtues. In the narrative of “Roekmini van Jepara”, the term “Semanggi Berdaun Tiga” is given to the three sisters: Kartini, Kardinah, and Roekmini, who are often overlooked in the history. There was no rivalry between them...

‘Ajita’ is an ancient Javanese word meaning ‘The Unconquered’. Based on the book ‘Perempuan-perempuan Perkasa’ [The Invincible Women] by Peter Carey and Vincent Houben, the illustrated textile edition of Ajita by Melissa Sunjaya depicts the unyielding spirit of female resurgence through an assemblage of symbolic flowers...

This collection features products from the 2022 to 2023 prints editions that are still available in our catalog.