Cultures come together in Cirebon ceramics<\/p>\n
Cirebon ceramics, examples of which are currently on display
\nat Bentara Budaya Jakarta in Central Jakarta, are most often
\nassociated with Sitiwinangun village in Klangenan subdistrict.
\nThe pottery, like other folk art forms from the area, attests to
\nthe unique cultural syncretism of the region. Bentara Budaya
\ncurator Ipong Purnama Sidhi examines the tradition, and the
\nthoroughly modern boost the art has received in recent years.<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Cirebon straddles two dominant major cultural
\nstreams -- those of Sunda and Central Java -- creating a
\nsyncretic blend found nowhere else on the island of Java. The two
\nmajor influences have led to a process of acculturation
\nresponsible for the emergence of an art which can rightfully be
\ncalled peculiarly Cirebonese.<\/p>\n
As Cirebon proper is located in the borderlands of the Jawi-
\nPasundan traditional spheres, it has absorbed cultural elements
\npertaining to the two major communities. Only Cirebon is
\nconsidered as manifesting the power of the syncretism between the
\nCentral Javanese and Sundanese cultures in its development.<\/p>\n
This cultural syncretism is also evident in gamelan music, the
\nperforming arts, particularly topeng (mask dances), batik with
\nmotifs distinct from those of Central Java and shadow puppetry.<\/p>\n
Although the pottery-making tradition here dates back
\nhundreds of years, it is undergoing a resurgence thanks to the
\nassistance of Madiun-born Bonzan R. Setyo, a 49-year-old graduate
\nof the School of Fine Arts of the Bandung Institute of
\nTechnology.<\/p>\n
Since moving to the area, he has proved an inexhaustible
\nsource of energy and inspiration for the development of pottery
\nin the village. He has made himself part of village life, and
\nconstructed a kiln, introduced a glazing technique and brought
\nfresh ideas for designs.<\/p>\n
Bonzan said different terms were used for ceramics around the
\ncountry. They are generally known as gerabah or tembikar, to be
\nprecise earthenware vessels or pottery, but in Sitiwinangun they
\nare called getak. Gerabah, however, are also known by another
\nterm, keramik (ceramics), a word derived from the Greek keramos,
\nwhich means clay which is shaped, fired and hardened.<\/p>\n
Sitiwinangun pottery displays particular ornamental motifs:
\njasmine, lompongan (a type of leaf), as well as tumpal, ruwen
\nand cecekan. These motifs are used in traditional ceramics and
\nthe earthenware vessels designed for household use.<\/p>\n
The most distinctive form to the area is the Singabarong,
\ntaking the form of a lion with a gaping mouth, menacingly wide-
\nopen eyes and a hole in its back. The hole is used to store
\npadasan, the water for cleaning before Muslim prayers.<\/p>\n
\"Singabarong is the hallmark of Sitiwinangun ceramics because
\nthis form is not found elsewhere. It was first created by
\nMiskatna, a local ceramicist. The tradition was continued by his
\nchildren, Minen, Taniba and Nama, and is still extant today,\"
\nsaid ceramics maker Utama.<\/p>\n
Upon close observation, Sitiwinangun reveals influences such
\nas Hinduism (the tumpal and ruwen motifs), Buddhism (the lotus
\nmotif), Islam (the leaf motif) and Chinese culture (rain clouds,
\nfrom the megamendung motif also found in batik).<\/p>\n
Most of the ceramics are used for household purposes, such as
\nthe gentong (a large earthenware water vessel), paso karon
\n(traditional rice cooker), pendaringan (traditional rice
\nreceptacle), pengempalan (large earthenware bowl for keeping
\nspiced beef), petapean (for holding tape uli, a traditional snack
\nof cooked glutinous rice, sugar and coconut and eaten with an
\nalcoholic beverage made from fermented rice.<\/p>\n
There is also the kuali jangan (a container where vegetable
\nsoup is kept), klowo(an earthenware bowl for washing the hands),
\npendil and Klowo (earthenware vessels used by the Javanese for
\nburing the placenta), and many others.<\/p>\n
\"In Cirebon the clay is superior in terms of plasticity to the
\ntypes found elsewhere. The clay is known as monmorolinite,\" said
\nBonzan.<\/p>\n
It is usually mixed with other kinds of clay to improve its
\nmalleability; a better kind of clay with greater elasticity is
\nbentonite, which is mostly found in Pacitan, East Java.<\/p>\n
The open-air firing technique is also unique to the area, even
\nthough many ceramics experts find it difficult to believe the
\nfiring is conducted in an open space and that only simple
\nimplements are used. The technique has been practiced in
\nSitiwinangun for years.<\/p>\n
Bricks are arranged as a furnace to supply the heat for the
\nfiring. On top of the bricks, the ceramics are fired, tens or
\neven hundreds at a time. They are covered with dried rice stalks
\nand then the burning or baking process commences. No kerosene or
\ngas is used as the fuel, only discarded items like old tires.<\/p>\n
The firing is quick at only 45 minutes. Bonzan said the open-
\nair firing was fast because the water content in the earthenware
\nvessels rapidly evaporated. In a closed baking process inside a
\nkiln, evaporation takes place slowly. This cheap, fast and
\nefficient technique has been acclaimed by ceramics experts like
\nJapan's Prof. Chitaru Kawasaki, who has conducted research on the
\ndevelopment of ceramics in all the ceramic-producing centers
\naround the country.<\/p>\n
The exhibition is at Bentara Budaya Jakarta, Jl. Palmerah Sel.
\n17 until Feb. 24. Viewing hours are from 10 a.m to 6 p.m.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/cultures-come-together-in-cirebon-ceramics-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}