Ceramic exhibiton takes inspiration from the past
Mehru Jaffer, Contributor, Jakarta
The on-going exhibition of pots, plates, tiles and tableware at the Erasmus Huis is a minimal one. But it tells the long story of four centuries of ceramics in the Netherlands.
The first brick, it is said, was laid in 1594 and since then the Royal Tichelaar Makkum has continued to custom design and create ceramics, as well as restore works. At that time the Europeans were not aware of the secret of porcelain making. They imported, and imitated the eye-catching and exquisite Wan-Li porcelain made in China during the mighty rule of the Ming Dynasty.
Porcelain first came to the Netherlands in the early 17th century and even by 1650 all that the factories at Delft could manage were poor, somewhat brittle, imitations.
Dutch factories produced mainly Majolica items made with a tin-glaze first found in Italy and Spain.
The Europeans were crazy about the blue and white Chinese porcelain and the Dutch East Indian Company imported it in abundance till civil war in China affected its supply and the Majolica factories were forced to produce poor imitations.
It was only towards the turn of the 19th century that Dutch ceramics came into its own. Between the years 1876 and 1940 Delftware, Gouda, Persian, Turkish, art nouveau and the art deco styles flourished.
This period is known as the Art and Crafts movement when hand decorative arts were most valued. Tough competition from Wedgewood in England and the devastation caused by the second world war was a big blow to art pottery. Soon mass produced porcelain with printed decorations was back in business. But now there seems to be a renewed interest in the Art and Crafts kind of pottery all over again.
Although the markets seem to have lost interest in the traditional blue and white Delftware forms, contemporary ceramics with simpler motifs and glazing limited to single, solid colors has given new life to the ancient art.
The exhibition displays pieces of traditional pottery like the gigantic blue and white urn shaped vase and tulip holders to highly abstract decorative pieces made by living artists.
Ton Berends, a Dutch art expert and curator of the exhibition, is responsible for introducing the ceramic and porcelain sculptures of some contemporary potters to art lovers here and the contrast between the traditional styles and techniques is obvious with modern methods whisking the new molds to new heights.
The contemporary art on display obviously remains inspired by tradition but without permitting the past to throttle it. There is much contemplation and freedom of spirit manifested in the blue bowls of Pieter Stockmans and the sculptures of Pauline Wiertz are glazed in imagination itself.
There are three sets of exquisitely colored tableware in a refreshing modern style while the bowls in dark porcelain with curly motifs in different combinations by Johan Van Loon seem to be patterned on the age old saying that old is gold. But the creamy looking bowls of Leen Quist with a fine, geometric pattern are definitely a sign of the times.
The pieces by Heringa Van Kalsbeek, Gert Germeraad, Harmen Brethouwer and Noclas Dings are intricately decorative and show a great power of technique.
The Ceramics and Porcelain exhibition remains open till March 28 at the Erasmus Huis, Jalan HR Rasuna Said, Kuningan, South Jakarta. More information on 5241069.