Balinese pottery on show at Bentara Budaya

Cultural center Bentara Budaya Jakarta is showcasing an exhibition of pottery products from Bali's Pejaten craftsmen.

The exhibition, titled "Habis Genteng Terbitlah Kodok" (After Roof Tiles Comes the Frog) was opened Tuesday May 4. The exhibition of pottery made by craftsmen Wayan Kuturan, I Made Durya and I Putu Oka Mahendra, will run until the end of the week.

Pejaten is a village in Bali that has transformed from being a roof tile production center into a flourishing pottery factory, exporting its elegant products to Europe, Japan, Australia and the US. The title of the exhibition is a play on the title of Indonesian women's rights heroine Kartini, Habis Gelap Terbitlah Terang (After Darkness Comes the Light).

In the exhibition, ceramic statues of frogs were lined up for show. Rows of coral green ceramic teapots and glazed mugs, vases, and plates were beautifully arranged.

Ceramic statues are also on display. The exhibition showcased figures playing traditional Balinese musical instruments and the statue of the Buddha.

The pieces are priced from Rp 50,000 (about US$5) to more than hundreds of thousands of rupiah.

Tickets to the exhibition range from Rp 25,000 to more than Rp 100,000. For this weekend, Bentara Budaya is offering a 20 percent discount.

Bentara Budaya curator Ipong Purnamasidhi wrote in the exhibition catalog that the village won the Upakarti award for distinguished performance in the SME sector in the 1980s from the government for its roof tile products.

Then Pejaten village leader at that time Made Tanteri introduced roof tile presses and later clay mills to the villagers. French ceramic expert Hester Tjebbes came to the village in 1985, which started the pottery revolution in Pejaten.

Ipong wrote that an idea to change the pattern of making roof tiles into functional ceramics emerged at that time. "Then came interesting designs of cups, plates and bowls with flora and fauna patterns.

Don't be amazed to see a little frog at the side of the cup or a gecko on a plate."

With Hester's help, the Dutch aid organization HIVOS supported the development of more complex pottery making.

Made Tanteri and Pejaten residents Wayan Kerta and Wayan Kuturan spearheaded the transformation.

Wayan Kuturan produces pottery with his signature gecko and frog designs. The son of the late Made Tanteri, I Putu Oka Mahendra carries his father's pottery legacy under the name Tanteri Keramik. Its style is clean and minimalist, seen on its tea pots, plates, bowls and mugs. Made Durya produces large flower vases with holes with floral motifs.

French ceramic expert Hester Tjebbes came to the village in 1985, which started the pottery revolution...

Jakartapost