Art is often perceived to be inaccessible to the masses, only available to a privileged few to enjoy. But is that still the case in 2019? What about those looking to embrace their inner creativity? NOW! Jakarta spoke to three artistic communities that are gaining popularity within their respective medium to emphasise that everyone with the right interest can be an artist of their own making.
A Beautiful Mess
Wati Karmojono and Yetty Tamsil met when they studied ceramics under artist Liem Keng Sien, and it wasn’t long until they created their own studio, Gallery Kollekan and opened classes in 1999. “We see this as an opportunity in order to continue our work as well as sharing our knowledge about ceramics and its role in our daily lives,” says Yetty.
Kollekan, which literally means ‘to collect’, provides a platform for to create beautiful ceramic works to be collected. The gallery is open for art enthusiasts from kids (minimum 5 years old) to adults without the need to bring specialised equipment whatsoever. Guests can get right on to playing ‘dirt’ and enjoy the sensations of squeezing clay, turning the wheel from slow to fast, shaping the glazes and firing them, in addition learning about the theory of the soil to become ceramics and hand built wheel techniques.
Gallery Kollekan
Jl. Abdul Majid Raya No. 15
South Jakarta 12410
Phone: +62 21 769 4543 / +62 816 840 459 (WA)
IG: @kollekan_keramik
Fun with Calligraphy
The dying art of handwriting is getting a massive revival thanks to movements like Supercalligraphylistic by Edria Handuran. “Focusing on calligraphy art and floral watercolour painting, I found that calligraphy is a powerful tool to convey a positive message and encouragement that can impact people.”
Supercalligraphylistic has been featured in many art journals and art television shows, and the movement is not stopping its forward momentum anytime soon. Everyone is welcomed to learn the art of calligraphy in a positive, laid-back environment. “With ten to 15 participants in varied venues from classrooms to long-table coffee shops, the vibe of the class is casual and relaxed, yet informative and educative. By the end of the class, all participants will be able to use calligraphy art with floral painting to create a beautiful final artwork,” Edria added.
Supercalligraphylistic
IG: @Supercalligraphylistic
FB: Supercalligraphylistic
Email: Supercalligraphylistic@yahoo.com
When Wine Meets Art
From a discussion about creating a unique and impactful activity in Jakarta, college mate trio Benson Putra, Jazz Pratama and Nadia Daniella conceptualised Bartega Paint & Sip, an artistic platform that combines the love of art and appreciation of good drinks. Regarding the movement, Benson explained that “painting is an acceptable medium for people to socialise and potentially explore their new hobby. To make it more fun, wine or beer is also served as an optional addition to the experience. Our goal is to not only inspire people to explore new and fun activity, but also to make them better individuals and give them a chance to positively contribute to social movements.”
With an entirely different approach to painting, Bartega Paint & Sip invites everyone to join up; no prior painting or drinking experience required. “We try our best to make each event less of a class but more like a party. We don’t focus on technical details and theories, but more on how we could introduce painting as a way for our participants to mingle, socialise and relax,” Benson concluded.
Bartega Paint & Sip
IG: @bartega.studio
www.bartega.com
