The Ceramic Road of Southeast Asia 
Pottery Villages, Ancient and Contemporary Ceramics
A group exhibition by South East Asia Ceramics Artists
Curated by Ting-hsuan Chen
Yingge Ceramics Museum
Taipei, Taiwan

Southeast Asian countries are the neighbors and friends of Taiwan, and have been connected for a long time. The Taiwanese government has encouraged overseas Chinese to come to Taiwan to study and to settle. Recently, Southeast Asia has been providing the Taiwanese society with the labor force it lacks and Southeast Asians have become some of our latest newcomers. Taiwan and Southeast Asia therefore have had a close relationship. In order to gain a deeper understanding of this new element of Taiwan, we make the exhibition to focus on the ceramic history of Southeast Asia.





*source : Yingge Ceramics Museum and Nia Gautama

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Flip Up Your Wings and Fly
2006 / 3 pieces, the largest one 12×55 cm

Flip up your wings and fly like birds and butterflies. Everybody is both a social creature and an individual. People need friends and companies to help each other, tolerate and compromise. But they also need to exist as they want to be, to express their opinions and ideas, unique as they want. The dream is a gift of God. It would be better if we have our own dreams, and have courage to fight and achieve that dreams. So what are you waiting for? Just FLIP UP YOUR WINGS AND FLY!!!

Let’s Take a Bath (Jokotarub)
2005 / 23×35×36 cm

Bathing together is the custom of Indonestian villagers. Women or girls usually bath together in the clean river and wash cloths for their families. This artwork inspired by a popular traditional Indonesian tale Jokotarub. Seven angels from the seventh sky traveled to earth and took a bath in the river.
Then a handsome guy named Jokotarub, hiding behind the trees and bushes, took away one angel’s wing and shawl.
The angel Nawang Wulan (Dhamarwulan) couldn’t go back to the sky. Then they married and had a daughter. One day, Nawang Wulan has to go back to the sky, because Jokotarub break his promise. In my country this kind of story usually applied in painting, dance, theater, and puppet.

Rose, Sweet Rose
2006 / 10 pieces, each one high around 50-70 cm

The idea of this artwork is to find peace in human relationship around the world. The coiled shapes represent the branch of rose plants. Red and white roses symbolize the power and the courage of pure love.
My country’s national flag is Red and White in color. Red represents courage and white represents holiness or purity. Red and white roses represent human spirit and courage to fight for peace of the world.
​Wars, crimes, conflict, calamity are everywhere now. The social gap between the rich and the poor in my country is very strong, and it cause jealousy to chaos. But I do believe love plays its role. Love will inspire human to struggle and fight for the peace they dream of.

Further Readings: Brief Introduction of Southeast Asia

Contemporary Ceramics of Indonesia - Searching For the Light
Kurniawati Gautama
(click the title link for  article in the museums' digital library)

News Coverage
Artist-Magazine
November 2009, No. 414

Pottery Villages - Indonesia
Kurniawati Gautama
(click the title link for article in the museum's digital library)