Kasongan, A Line of Sculptures Village
Art galleries lines up in the street, some tourists enter in and out of the galleries, They seem look around or even buy something unique. Different dimension of ceramic are displayed orderly in the gallery, for example vases, pots, porcelains or dancing-woman sculptures. It offers lot of choices for visitors.
It's Kasongan Village, a village which is created for tourism area on ceramic activities. It located in Bantul Province, 20 minutes south Yogyakarta City. A big gate welcomes the visitors into village. Most of Kasongan villagers have choosen his job as craftsmanship, making ceramics and earthenware. Now, Kasongan is the center of ceramics production in Yogyakarta and Central Java.
For many years the elderly show their amazing creation of ceramics, changing society as farmer into craftsman. First making, they made household equipment and child toys, somehow in the 1971-1972, a Jogjakarta ceramics artist, Sapto Hoedojo, was learnt how to make ceramics more commercial, as souvenir and jewellery. Now, most of craftsmanship created commercial concept of ceramics.
'Which ceramics is the most looking for ?' Asks to the gallery keepers, and the answer must be Loro Blonyo. Loro Blonyo is a couple in Javanese clothes wedding that sitting side-by-side. It is believed on giving luck and harmonism in the household. People usually take it in main house, as family room or guest room, on the best view. Loro, based on Javanese word, means two and Blonyo means giving caresses.
Now, craftsmanship in Kasongan Village is using stamp methods to create ceramics. The clay twisted into a form one by one and then grouped into a new form. It will be burnt for several hours and coloured in a shiny paint. It gives a new identity of Kasongan ceramics, and the design reaches up into other possibilities, very unique and intimate.
The market of Kasongan ceramics is not only for local, but also for global. The export reaches many countries in US, Europe and Asia. The increase of ceramics production is also followed by the design; now tens of new ceramics design can be seen in the workshop. Every ceramic has their identity and function. It is not only from clay, ceramics but also combine with coconut, dry leaves and goat leather.
Source: tourjogja.com
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photo: presidenri.go.id
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