In 2008, Bernhard Bart founded a weaving studio near Bukittinggi in West Sumatra. Since then, he has trained young weavers aged 18 to 25, focusing on recreating traditional silk and metallic Minangkabau songkets through extensive research into design and quality. The workshop handles every stage on-site — designing patterns, dyeing silk with organic dye, warping the loom, making heddles, weaving, and finishing with pillow lace or fringes — sourcing only silk and metallic thread externally.

Bernhard’s songket journey began in 1996 while learning Indonesian in West Sumatra, where he noticed a decline in traditional handicrafts, especially songket weaving. Determined to revive its former quality, he began researching Minangkabau, Palembang, and Aceh songket, work that continues today and includes a collection of over 2000 photographs of historic textiles. Trained as an architect, he is particularly drawn to weaving techniques and looms.

His studio’s success includes a 2012 UNESCO Award of Excellence for Handicrafts, exhibitions in Jakarta (2006, 2011, 2014), Kuala Lumpur (2016), and a curated exhibit in Switzerland (2018). Bart has published articles on his studio and on textile patterns from Singasari and Majapahit stone statues, and has lectured internationally, including in Jakarta, Bangkok, Zurich, London, Oxford, Hangzhou, Leiden, and Singapore.