KAWUNG, MOTIF BATIK LOKAL MENUJU GLOBAL

Batik memang telah diakui UNESCO sebagai salah satu kekayaan budaya dunia yang berasal dari Indonesia. Namun motif batuk kawung adalah motif batik yang dapat dengan mudah mengglobal mengingat pola geometrisnya yang universal hingga dapat dengan mudah diterima oleh segala bangsa. Apa yang membuat saya memilih motif batik kawung ini adalah sebagai desain yang paling Indonesia karena pola kawung ini memiliki filosofi yang mendalam.

Motif batik Kawung

Motif kawung berasal dari penampang buah aren, biasa dikenal dengan nama kolang kaling, berbentuk oval yang dalam bahasa Jawa disebut kawung. Penampang oval tersebut ditata secara diagonal berjajar terpusat serta simetris hingga membentuk ilusi  optik seakan bunga yang memiliki empat kelopak. Aren yang manis, pohonnya yang  tegak lurus tak bercabang memberikan nilai keagungan, keadilan dan kebijaksaan pada  motif kawung. Bunga empat kelopak menyimbolkan bunga teratai yang menambahkan  nilai kesucian pada kawung. Perpaduan antara bentuk bunga dan buah membawa arti  harapan dan kesuburan. Keempat arah dari kelopak bunga juga merefleksikan empat  arah mata angin yang akan membawa cahaya kebijaksanaan.

Tak heran jika motif batik kawung menjadi begitu popular dengan begitu tinggi makna yang terkandung di dalamnya. Hanya di Indonesia motif yang sebenarnya universal itu mampu memiliki arti yang demikian mendalam.

Sementara teknik batik di Indonesia sudah sangat berkembang hingga bukan hanya di atas sehelai kain tapi juga di atas potongan kayu. Namun kesederhanaan motif batik kawung membuat penerapannya merupakan yang paling mudah untuk diaplikasikan.

Wallpaper dan wallcover berupa panel bermotif Kawung
dalam ruang tidur rancangan Rudi Dodo 

Panel kayu bermotif Kawung rancangan desainer interior Jaya Ibrahim
untuk Hotel Darmawangsa

Berkat orang-orang kreatif Indonesia, motif Kawung dapat kita temukan pada berbagai elemen ruangan sebagai dekorasi. Kawung telah diterapkan oleh desainer interior yang nama dan karyanya telah terkenal di mancanegara, Jaya Ibrahim. Ia menciptakan panel dinding yang diukir dengan motif kawung untuk Hotel Darmawangsa di Jakarta. Arsitek Heru M. Prasetyo untuk sebuah rumah tinggal rancangannya di kawasan Serpong, memberikan aksen atraktif dengan membuat partisi di teras muka rumah yang terbuat dari besi bermotif batik kawung dan diberi pengecatan rona putih. Sementara desainer interior Rudi Dodo merancang kamar tidur yang diberikan sentuhan kertas pelapis dinding maupun penutup dinding berupa panel kayu bermotif kawung di Pondok Gede.

Desainer perabot yang karyanya telah dipertunjukkan dalam berbagai pameran desain di mancanegara, Alvin Tjitrowirjo, juga telah mengaplikasikan motif kawung pada meja maupun rak berbahan besi dengan teknik laser cut yang diberi pengerjaan akhir berwarna putih.

Meja berbahan besi dengan teknik laser cut tercipta motif Kawung,
rancangan desainer perabot Alvin Tjitrowirjo

Studio 181, sebuah studio keramik di Bandung, menghasilkan produk keramik dinding bermotif Kawung.

Keramik dinding bermotif Kawung produksi Studio 181

Sementara produsen perlengkapan makan keramik terbesar di Indonesia, Kedaung, juga menggunakan Kawung sebagai ornamen hias untuk salah satu koleksi mereka. Bukan hanya Kedaung, namun produsen kain pelapis sofa dan kertas pelapis dinding asal Amerika, Quadrille, juga telah membawa motif Kawung mendunia lewat produk mereka hingga dipajang di berbagai majalah dekorasi di Amerika.

Wallpaper Quadrille bermotif Kawung
dalam majalah Coastal Living Oktober 2009

Kain pelapis sofa Quadrille bermotif Kawung
dalam majalah Elle Decor

Tulisan ini dibuat dalam rangka keikutsertaan Kompetisi Blog Telkomsel Paling Indonesia di Kompasiana.

CHRISTMAS TREE COMPETITION @ PACIFIC PLACE JAKARTA

Pacific Place Jakarta in celebrating Christmas is holding an event called 'Trees of Christmas'.

Feel free to vote in their facebook page.

Lamborghini Christmas Tree in Black

by

Alvin Tjitrowirjo -

psst my vote go for this one

Paperlicious Christmas

by

Surya Palace Jaya

my heart fall for this one

ViVeRe Gift Tree

Charles & Keith Christmas Tree

Microsoft Hardware Christmas Tree

this one is also my fave one

Potatohead Christmas Tree

count this in

Coca Cola Christmas

this one too

Manulife Christmas Tree

Eka Karya Christmas Tree

Review of 2010

This year for me personally is really hard. It's the first hardest time since 2005/2006 when I was got through hard obsticles in my furniture business. But one thing for sure this blog is becoming my consolation. I started this blog half and a year ago on May 2009. And after not that so long but silent journey, this blog is getting more views and visitors. And it's getting numerous visitors in only a year compared to my previous blog which needed three years to get the same number. Tough it's still in the range of tens to a hundred, hopefully in the future it's getting better, increasing the number of views and visitors.

Last but not least I would like to thank to you all the visitors who have visited this blog. It's been a great journey throughout all the obsticles I had to deal. Thank you so much.

Here are the top 5 posts in my blog

1. Ubin Tjap Koentjie, Cap Kunci Cement Tile, a classic Indonesian heritage
2. Alvin Tjitrowirjo
3. Design for Sale: Taman Rasuna Tower 18 One Room Apartment
4. Design for Sale: One Room Apartment Thamrin Residence
5. Inspirational Design: Rumah Kartanegara

The top 5 keywords:

1. tabloid rumah -45
2. design ruko - 6
3. leonard theosabrata - 5
4. alvin tjitrowirjo - 4
5. design interior rumah -4

The top 5 pageview countries:

1. Indonesia - 8,161
2. United States -1,402
3. Canada - 661
4. Malaysia - 216
5. Great Britain - 166

ALVIN TJITROWIRJO

“I want my work to be statement pieces in a house. All my products have a bit of me in them. To put that personal stamp on a product, it must have strong character.That strong personal stamp is something that gives a work the power to outlive a designer.”

Alvin Tjitrowirjo - the Jakarta Globe

Kawoong, a coffee table and modular shelf unit that laser cut with batik pattern made from laser cut mild steel with automotive high gloss paint.

courtesy of alvin-t

Round table bench, a coffee table that also acts as a bench, round spacious, a combination of modern design with synthetic rattan weaving, suitable for both indoor and outdoor.

courtesy of alvin-t

With the weekend just around the corner, we’re certainly looking forward to two days of relaxation after a stressful week at the office. But since the style-conscious wouldn’t do with just any relaxation pod, check out the new Snug Lounger by the up and coming Australian designer, Alvin Tjitrowirjo. Designed as the ultimate lounge chair, Snug offers the full range of comfort by allowing the freedom to position the entire body in any way you see fit. Made from molded fiberglass with aniline leather upholstery, there’s also an aluminum polished stopper that turns this chair into a rocker.

Snug Lounge Chair courtesy of designcrave.com

This natural furniture ideas is called Linger Bench. Designed by indonesian designer Alvin Tjitrowirjo, this rattan furniture-based material ideas is designed to bring people together; it’s nature is to attract and to be experienced. Its a media for people to gather and socialize, Linger is made only by human hands as opposed to machines. Using material that comes from nature instead of a man-made. An escapade of nature’s beauty harnessed by modernity.“I choose the rattan look also to show the Indonesian touch,” says Alvin

courtesy of Decodir

Perched on a three-seater white synthetic rattan bench, a young man waits for people to drop by his corner in a creative industries exhibition. When someone approaches, he invites the newcomer to share the bench with him and starts explaining what that bench is all about: “If you sit here and someone else takes another spot, you’ll immediately notice each other. Even if you’re looking in another direction.”Mingle, the bench he was sitting on for the exhibition, is a featured work, his brainchild and his proof that a young man can successfully be idealistic even in the increasingly commercial furniture design business. “Mingle is based on the idea that a piece of furniture can set off a social interaction,” says the 26-year old Jakarta-based designer. “By distorting the balance of the bench, making it rock slightly as a person sits down, it generates the probability that people will start a conversation as they notice one another, be it about the bench, or about most anything.”

courtesy of The Jakarta Post and Grand Indonesia

Satool, an organic shaped stool that uses traditional weaving combined with strong synthetic rattan peel that is available for both outdoor as well as for indoors. The form expresses fluidity will break the hard edges of traditional rattan furniture.

courtesy of alvin-t

The “Snug Chair” is another good example of Alvin’s ability to blend design and function. This egg-shaped, molded fiberglass recliner is upholstered with rich padded leather, creating the perfect nest to cozy up in. The seat also rests on a polished aluminum stopper that, when removed, turns the padded lounger into an ultra-slick rocking chair.

Snug Chair courtesy of kangguru and the Jakarta Globe

Alvin Tjitrowirjo has been known for his originality, modern, sophisticated and stylish lifestyle products which has been the talk of the town due to is unsual dynamic designs.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Industrial Design from RMIT Universit, he joined Melbourne Movement, an organization which promotes young designers. Through this organization, the Bell Chair was selected to be exhibited in the world's leading furniture fair Salone Satellite in Milan 2005, and following the success, Snug was exhibited in Melbourne Design EX. In 2006, Snug was selected to be exhibited during design week (saturday in Design) in which it was awarded as one of the top 5 favorite designs choosen bye an international jury panel at the Melbourne Museum.

Upon returning to Indonesia, Alvin has joined Dform, an association to promote young Indonesian designers. In 2006, he held his first solo exhibition entitled Alvin+Volvo. The exhibition displayed a bold statement of his commitment and passion for design as it has indispuably earned him respect from other fellow designers, the media and the public itself.

In 2007, Alvin held his second solo exhibition entitled Mi Casa Su Casa.

In 2008, Snug and Satool were both selected to exhibit at Ambiente's Talents in Franfurt. alvin's unique and minimalistic style did not go unnoticed, where his succes was published in the local Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper expressing their interest towards 'Made in Indonesia, designed by an Indonesian for the rest of the world.'

The alvinT brand is dedicated to reviving the Indonesian design industry and communicate Indonesia’s distinctive design character and high quality materials and craftsmanship to both locally the rest of the world. With Indonesia enriched with a unique culture in history and art, alvinT is inspired by the traditional techniques and how inimitable innovation can be formed in the modern approach.

FROM THE EVENT CASA by BRAVACASA

This Saturday morning I visited the premium living exhibition, CASA by BRAVACASA.

Surprisingly I met an old friend from high school.

After indulging experience in front area, window shopping some well known local furniture brands, I was shocked knowing that there were only several participants in tent area. Guess I didn't read the invitation carefully, -shame on you, tim-. I had assumed that there would be more high end brands gathering together in this event.

I realize that maybe this event supposingly to highlight some local brands and talented young designers. Hopefully next time there will be more local high end brands like Vinotti, Vivere, Joop Fine, Bika, or Saniharto would contribute to this event. Those local furniture lines really make me proud.

Maybe next year Bravacasa needs to consider holding a chair design competition for product or interior design students. So that there will be equal opportunity for students of all local design universities, not just from ITB. There are lots of talents out there that need exposure.

Too bad I can't take picture during the visit. So I grabbed the brochures or CD promo also name cards.

Tough there are no brand new designs appears except ones that presented by industrial design student society ITB, it was really entertaining for eyes to see beautiful table seting by Deya -I think this furniture line was under OBIN, fabric designer-, the design award winner, accupuncto, or other chairs designed by Leonard Theosabrata or Alvin Tjitrowirjo.

Yamakawa rattan really captivated my heart with their classic egg chair design. It's just a mixture of melamic finished natural rattan and chromed iron is just perfect. It combines modern and traditional feel at the same time. I adore their products. No wonder their products become bestseller in Japan.

And the great news is after dozens years selling their product only for exporting to other country like Japan, this year, after Idul Fitri, Yamakawa plans to open their first store in Jakarta. Halleluya.

I found interesting name cards of young designers of ITB. Creativily they made their name cards with cotton fabric ex flour bag, thin plywood and velvet.