Pameran 100th De Weefkunst
[Seni Jenun]
Peringatan seabad pernerbitan buku monumental seni kriya:
J.E. Jasper & Mas Pirngadie
1912- 2012
18th October - 20th December 2012
Friday, November 30, 2012
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Russian Doll Shoes, Indian Maharaja's Mojries or the Norwegian Loafers
These slippers have been in trend for a while now, yet only today did I finally find a pair that caught my attention.
The embroidery pattern on black leather reminded me of the embroidery on russian dolls/ costumes, where as the silhouette- specially the pointed tips- reflect influences of the Mojri's worn by mahajaras in India, however the throat line of the shoe asserts its loafer slipper origins.
Such intense cultural reflections combined with careful attention to modern detail- such as the thin and delicate metallic feature on the tip of the shoes- not only add to uniqueness of design, but also illustrates how a feminin look can be retained even in comfortable modern women's footware.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Batik in Batawia
Batik- a word believed to be a combination of "banyak"+"titik-titik"
which is Indonesian for "many"+"dots".
For many years now the Indonesians and Malaysians have been in conflict due to lack of substantial evidence, in favour of either country, which would make them the proud country of origin for this traditional textile art. This conflict remains unresolved to date.
Having grown up in Indonesia and seen batik so commonly used, I never realised its value until today.
At the Museum of Textiles Jakarta I had my first attempt at batik, and boy was I wrong about how easy it would be to create these seemingly simple geometric patterns in dots and lines. If anyone ever feels the need to test the stability and control of their hands- batik is the way to do so.
There are a few simple steps within the Batik construction process.
Step 1. is outlining the batik pattern on cloth with pencil (Membuat Pola- Molani)
Step 2. Tracing the pattern on the right side of the fabric with melted wax using a tool called the Canting. which looks like a small tub attached to a curved nib- for drawing, and a wooden handel. (Melekatkan Lilin 1- Ngelowongi)
Step 3. Tracing the same pattern on the wrong side of the fabric using melted wax again.
Melekatkan Lilin- Nemboki)
Step 4. dip-dying process which involves colouring and boiling the fabric.
(Mewarnai & Merebus- Nyelup & Merebus)
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| 1st attempt at Batik |
This being my first, I let the art enthusiast in me choose a detailed pattern and got through the first 2 steps- not without having driven over a few speed bumps- then proudly took the messy art piece to the lady running the workshop. Thinking we were ready for the dip- dye process, only to be dismayed at being informed that I had a whole wrong side to trace in wax. I never thought I'd be able to survive this, as if tracing using a canting wasn't challenging enough to do once, tracing it the second time was like tracing black over black- this was a whole new level of skill and patience!
I'm describing the laboriousness of a 30 x 30 cm piece of cloth, Respect to all those ladies who batik 2 - 3 meters. Some handprinted batik can take over a year to complete depending on the fineness of the print and the number of layers of colours.
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| Gas Stations: Ceramic and Metal tins. |
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Play Date @ the Playground
A play date with my beautiful friend Eknam at Grand Indo's Playground. This concept restaurant takes you back to your childhood days and reminds you that its ok to let go. Sitting on swings or mary-go-rounds or even one of their more conventional seating options, you can't help but relax and simply enjoy.
Being vegetarian we were originally skeptical about their "American diner with a twist" sorts menu. However, to our pleasant surprise, the chef was quite accommodating to our request. Both the Aglio Olio and the Spicy Pesto did not fail to impress us.
What did beat our expectations was the level of spice in a drink they quite innocently call the "Hot Virgin" (If you plan to try this one, make sure you let the chef know, as he then lets this drink do the talking to the palets of your tongue and the food pacify them!).
On the other hand, for those who prefer sweet and simple, their Lemon Grass drink is a very good option.
BUT! for those who are truly dare devil: shout "Omakaze" and watch what they do to you ;)
Having been swept off our feet by the ambiance, how could we have left this place without testing and tasting their dessert art?- one thing is for sure- these guys really do know how to name dishes... cause after the Hot Virgin, one simply can not afford to resist "The Apple that Changed the World", and I have to say this apple did change my world! super light and just the right amount of sweet and savoury, I am deff going back for this baby!
Friday, November 23, 2012
Orchids & Bamboo Deco @ the Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta
This is a beautiful example of simple sophisticated Deco. The simplicity makes it appropriate for any celebration and the cultural aspect behind orchids and bamboo lend the space elegance & sophistication.Whereas blending the two with a water feature take it to the next level of calm Utopia.
The Four Seasons Jakarta know how to impress.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Fashion Meets Disney @ Barney's Electric Holiday
A very well made video and a much needed distraction, for NewYorkers, from the memories and aftermath of hurricane Sandy.
What do the land of Gangam style Seoul and fashion capital London have in common?
Stamps and Postage seem to be everywhere I go, whether it be Designer or Highstreet, fashion capital London or the land of Gangam style Seoul and Mary Katranzou's "Stamps / Money" or Low Classics "My type of Love Letter" are perfect case in point examples.
Though both the brands are addressing the same theme- its application demonstrate 2 very similar yet distinct design styles. In the examples below we can see that white is a popular base colour option- lending a neat and clean appearance to the over all look- however, the silhouettes of the two designers showcase the difference in their target audience.
1) Katranzou's collection on Net-A-Porter ranges from £338 to £2850 whereas Low Classics which has yet to create its online & international presence, would range anywhere between £20 to £200.
2) The clean and simple silhouettes of garments by Low Classics aim at those looking for oversized, functional, minimalistic and somewhat androgynous type of garments.
Whereas Katranzou's attention to print placement and intricate garment construction detail are more appealing to those looking for exclusive, bolder, all-in-one, with a fitted & flowy essence- type of pieces to add to their wardrobe.
Ultimately it all boils down to one question: Who Would You Wear + Where?
Photo Credits:
www.catwalking.com
www.stylebubble.co.uk
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