Bimo's Dragonfly more hip on your dining table

Primastuti Handayani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

What would you do if a dragonfly landed on your dinner table? Smack it dead? You would definitely think twice about doing that if the Dragonfly tableware collection from young artist Bimo Chondro was there in its place.

Consisting of limited pieces in four vivid colors -- orange, yellow, green and blue -- Bimo has made the dragonfly, perhaps a member of the bug family you dislike the least, the focus of a creative and artistic work in ceramics.

So why the dragonfly?

"Dragonflies have rarely been chosen as a theme in artwork. Nobody has ever used dragonflies for tableware. Besides, I wanted to find an insect that was not hated by housewives and mothers," said Bimo with a laugh during the Metro's Festive Gift Gallery Opening at Hotel Mulia Senayan, Central Jakarta, last Monday.

"Many artists have explored butterflies and ladybugs. That's why I picked the dragonfly. Besides, it's impossible to use the cockroach as a theme."

This is the second time Bimo has collaborated with the Metro department store and PT Tri Margajaya Hutama in launching his tableware collection.

Two years ago, Bimo released his Hibiscus collection, also in the same four colors, and the response was overwhelming. All the items sold out, and even Metro merchandising manager Allan Teoh said he regretted not having in stock any pieces from the first collection.

"When we were about to stage this exhibition, I found out that none of his initial ceramic artwork was available at our store," said Allan, who was amazed with Bimo's place mats and coasters at the Peacock Restaurant in the Jakarta Hilton Hotel.

"I even had to 'steal' the menu as it was also beautifully designed by him," he said, recalling his first impression of Bimo's work.

Bimo, a graduate of the Bandung-based school for hotel management, recalled how he had to go through a difficult and complicated production process when creating the Hibiscus collection.

The three parties needed one year, starting with brainstorming the idea, making the pattern on tableware biscuits, and then molding and coloring before its mass production.

"Although the Dragonfly collection is more complicated than the Hibiscus due to the various colors I use on each item, the process is quicker. When I first designed the Hibiscus collection, I was still trying to transfer my paintings onto tableware," Bimo said.

The reason for using the four colors is to ensure continuity from the first collection to the second.

"As our customers have good taste in tableware -- they like colorful items on the dining room table -- we want them to mix and match the first and second collection or even different colors from the same collection," he explained.

"Besides, there's only a slight difference between the colors in the Dragonfly collection."

PT Tri Margajaya Hutama director Lydia Kusuma Hendra said her 300 employees had to work hard to meet Bimo's standard of quality.

"Bimo personally controls the production process. He is a perfectionist and always goes into detail. Quality control has to be very strict to meet his standards," she said.

Bimo admitted that he had always fully controlled the production process.

"I only gave them some tips when doing the first collection. But this year, they are more skillful and able to follow my patterns and colors."

The Dragonfly collection includes mugs, tea sets, cappuccino sets, dining sets, rice bowls, salad bowls and various sizes and kinds of plates.

This year, Bimo has also launched bathroom accessories with the Hibiscus motif instead of the Dragonfly.

Unlike noted clay ceramicist F. Widayanto, who focuses more on an ethnic theme, Bimo's collection is well-loved by many young executives due to its colorful designs, which are more in tune with their lifestyle.

Prices for items in the Dragonfly collection range between Rp 14,000 (US$1.55) and Rp 439,900. A large plate is a limited edition piece and only 80 of them were made.

"This large plate is very limited due to the difficulty in producing it. The piece was very unstable during the production process, not only during the coloring but also the firing," Allan said.

Bimo, a former bank employee, is better known as a painter who often exhibits his works at the Koi Gallery in Kemang. Gallery owner Amalia Wirjono happily hung up two of his paintings on her wall back in 1996. Both paintings were sold and since then the price for a painting by Bimo has soared.

Some of his paintings were also displayed during the opening. They resemble Bimo's style -- simple in pattern, but complicated in colors.

Born the second of four children to father Soeparmo, a military officer, and mother Sri Sutanti, Bimo said he inherited his love for painting from his mother, who majored in architecture at school.

Speaking on his plans for the near future, Bimo said he would be collaborating with Rumah Sutra in Kemang to create embroidery on Vietnam silk.

As for his next collaboration with Metro, he declined to comment, only saying that he was still searching for ideas for other products.

All the pieces of Bimo's Dragonfly collection are available at the four Metro department stores: Mal Taman Anggrek in West Jakarta, Pondok Indah Mal in South Jakarta, Plaza Senayan also in South Jakarta and Supermal in Bandung.