When clay meets modern interior
Maria Endah Hulupi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
People still prefer to have chinaware with modern designs to serve their guests. Some of them even consider clayware, which originates in this country, as low-class.
But in the "magic" hands of noted clay designer/painter F.X. Widayanto, clayware can be turned into objects of art.
Some of his creations -- Loro Blonyo (bride and groom), Ukelan, Ganesha Ganeshi (god and goddess of knowledge) and Mother and Child -- were mostly inspired by Javanese fairy tales, mythology and the Ramayana epic. They have been displayed and sold at luxury department stores in the city apart from Widayanto's showroom itself in Sawangan, Depok.
Despite the fact that his creations are based on strong ethnic themes, his clayware can still be matched with modern interior designs. It was shown in his recent exhibition at the Archipelago modern interior design showroom at Plaza Senayan, Central Jakarta.
One of his latest designs displayed at the exhibition was Peri Golekan. The collection is of female fairy figures ornamented with bronze wings and movable wooden hands, inspired by wayang golek (wooden puppet) from West Java. The shapes and faces of Peri Golekan figures are similar to his other female figures but each of the figures wear unique hairdos and traditional costumes.
Some of the figurines adorn a long wooden dining table which was beautifully decorated with pebbles and wild grass, some others bedeck a round table for the living room.
For a complete set of Peri Golekan, Widayanto only created 123 unique items which are offered at Rp 2.5 million (US$271.8) per set.
To avoid rampant piracy in the country, Widayanto also includes a certificate of authenticity to protect his important creations and customers.
His other artistic statues are Wara Naga Cuwis (a half man half dragon figure) and Ajar Asih (a half woman and half snake figure, portraying a mother holding her baby in her arms) from his Mother and Child collection.
Some consoles in the showroom are equipped with ethnic bokor (a traditional dish), embellished with potpourri or tropical flowers like frangipani and large leaves, senthir (traditional lamps using coconut oil) or kendi (a pot for drinking water).
For this event, Widayanto also exhibited his huge clay pots and large dishes. Some of the clay pots, whose prices range from Rp 1.75 million to Rp 5 million, were ornamented with sintung (a traditional woven-leave-top fan made of bamboo stick) or large- leaved plants, like philodendron taken from his own garden.
A section of the showroom's wall was fully bedecked with dozens of his topeng (masks). According to one of his staff, Widayanto portrayed the faces of Akim (his employee at the workshop) and Bu Umi (his cook) and molded them into different funny expressions with leaves and insects as accents. Each mask is sold for Rp 100,000.
Four of his wooden-framed charcoal paintings, depicting faces and a topless rural girl were also among the items displayed.
"I've been drawing a lot lately and will continue to draw next year. I've done a lot of black and white paintings," said the designer whose other latest creations, titled Galaxi Vas, were displayed at Koi Gallery recently.
"It (painting) is not my profession, just a hobby for my leisurely hours," Widayanto, who also loves gardening and cooking, added.
The designer also prepared some of his wide ranging, traditional treats for visitors on the first day of the month long exhibition.
Among the dishes served include jadah manten (glutinous rice with savory filling served with bamboo stick), serabi Solo (traditional pancake, topped with chocolate rice served on a banana leave), brondong jagung (spiced pop corn), while the drinks include es mangga (a sweet and slightly tangy drink served with thinly sliced mango) and teh sereh (hot tea with pleasant lemongrass flavor).
"Apart from designing, I love doing activities around the house, like gardening and cooking. Most of the food I cook is traditional. I try to maintain their traditional flavors and way of cooking," Widayanto smiled.