Pau

A scene from the gate of Chateau du Pau (Castle of Pau)

Some notes and stories from the beautiful city itself, Pau. It's too bad since we had a very tight schedule, we didn't get much time to explore the city. But having a stroll and visiting the downtown, enjoying their coffee with some sweet croissant is already a treat for me. Actually I kinda miss walking in cold and just getting lost in a strangers place.

Well then, let the pictures (and caption) do the talk 

Some spot from Pau's downtown area

Bouleveard of Pau. The building on the left side was used to be a prison, and now use as a hotel (didn't get much different in terms purpose huh..)

Cheeeeeese!! One of my latest obsession in Pau. Love them like craaazy, wish I can bring them all

A one overwhelmingly capucino (I don't usually like whipped cream on my coffee, but since its in France, what the heck)

Never thought these bad bad boys are actually taste very good

I forgot the name, but its basically a buttered rice with creamy chicken and mushroom, yum yuummm

One of the local bar we visit, it have great ambience and one hell of a 90's playlist. Oh and great booze off course (a lot cheaper than in Indonesia..thinking about this makes me sad..:|)

One of the shopping center in downtown Pau

Biggest cathedral in Pau

One classic  Europe small street. Its always a joy to have a long walk in Pau

One of the meeting room in Castle of Pau, me and my friend keep wonder which klan would suit this room, its either Baratheon or Lannister ;)

One spot from the old part of the city near the castle

Woke up at our first day of working and get stoked with the scene at the window. We are greeted by the heaviest snow in Pau for the last five years, apparently its a good sign 

The Grow Kitchen

Photo courtesy by HONF

Last February some of my friends from HONF (House of Natural Fiber), DorxLab and XXLab and I had a chance to exhibit our works titled Grow Kitchen; Five Kingdoms of Life in Gallery of Le Bel Ordinaire, Pau France for more than two weeks. Here's some stories

Photo courtesy by HONF

Photo courtesy by HONF

About November last year I was ask to join with the XXLab, an open group consist with girls whom love to challenge their-self with projects that combines art, science and technology. Since then we've already done some project, and the latest one is the Grow Kitchen project. The project was initiated by HONF  also collaborating on designing the installation is DorxLab, a community who've done many contemporary architectural project.

The Grow Kitchen is an expanding project from XXLab previous work, we call it Wati Project. We set off from the Blue Economy principle in our work and incorporate it in our whole works. It is basically a living method on how to produce and consume as friendly as possible with the environment, by leaving no harmful waste and maximizing the use of natural material in the producing activity. The Grow Kitchen is our way to show people how possible it is, not by buying fancy technology with big science to learn, but it cant start it from our own kitchen, it is simple and fun, with a twist of craziness off course ;)

The installation it self based on the five kingdoms of live, it is a classification to divide diverse living material on earth. Each section of the installation symbolize each classification and the alternative invention we can get from it, for example, to represent bacteria, we made a vegetarian leather material from soy bean liquid waste, to represent plant we've made an alternative for bio diesel source from grass jelly leaves, and many more.

Besides preparing for the exhibition, we also held some grow kitchen workshop for the student of ESSE, one of the well known art school in Pau. Some of the workshop we gave are; natural dyeing, moist censoring, making bacteria starter for vegetable leather cellulose. After the workshop, the student then help us to preparing all what is need for the exhibition, including made some of the graphic design material and the exhibition posters. It's been a great time spending with these people, we had great moment chatting, working, eating and off course partying with them. Miss them so bad, and definitely miss Pau so bad :(

PS: Learn more about House of Natural Fiber and their activity on their website, also go visit the Le Bel Ordinaire Gallery here

Photo courtesy by HONF

Photo courtesy by HONF

Photo courtesy by HONF

On Costuming

"Jalan Emas" (Golden Ways) A collaborative performance by seven artists, supported by Teater Garasi. Photo courtesy of Anom Sugiwoto and Teater Garasi

For the last four years, fashion had been my most dominant creative outlet, creating draoupads and learning a lot about designing, whether it's ready to wear outfit or the textile and coloring. But not until 2013 that I had a chance to expand my designing skill. The call was made from Papermoon Pupet Theater, Ria the founder a.k.a this amazing woman from the company ask us to join the team to create the outfit that will be used for their performance on ArtJog event. Since then I have collaborate in some fun and challenging costuming project, and here's some.

"Laki-laki Laut" (Men of the Sea) performance for ArtJog 2013. Photo courtesy of Papermoon Pupet Theter

"Jalan Emas" (Men of the Sea) performance for ArtJog 2013. Photo courtesy by Papermoon Puppet Theater

"Ratu Kalinyamat" performance, directed by Sardono W Kusumo. Collaborating with Retno Intiani on behalf Pappermoon Puppet Theater

"Surat ke Langit" (Letters to the Sky) performance by Papermoon Puppet Theater in Salihara, Jakarta. Photo courtesy by detik.com

"Surat ke Langit" (Letters to the Sky) performance by Papermoon Puppet Theater at Salihara Jakarta. Photo courtesy by detik.com

"Jalan Emas" (Golden Ways) A collaborative performance by seven artist, supported by Teater Garasi. Photo courtesy of Budi Dharmawan and Teater Garasi

"Jalan Emas" (Golden Ways), A collaborative performance by seven artists, supported by Teater Garasi. Photo courtesy of Budhi Darmawan and Teater Garasi

"Jalan Emas" (Golden Ways) A collaborative performance by seven artists, supported by Teater Garasi. Photo Coutesy by Anom Sugiwoto and Teater Garasi

Off course it is almost impossible to tell what's my favorite project, all of them had different challenge and fun itself. But two of the most memorable are Laki-laki Laut and Jalan Emas. Laki-laki Laut definitely because its my first costume designing project and introduce me to another designing outlet, plus I feel very 

welcomed in an incredible team, almost like family. The second one is I would say Jalan Emas, to become part of the team consist in amazingly talented artist and having a very different way of creating. And uummm... for the first time (and I'm quite sure its for the last) I actually doing some performance, and maaaann its one hell of a trainwreck..hahahhaa.. Don't ask me to go detail on this ;P. But at least the audience enjoys it (or so I think..).

PS: To know more about Papermoon Puppet Theater, you can check their blog here, For Ratu Kalimanyat project, you can watch the performance here. Also visit Jalan Emas page to learn more about the project. And here for Anoter Trip to The Moon movie and Bosan Berisik Lab

"Another Trip to The Moon" a feature film directed bu Ismail Basbeth

Tjipta Boedaja

Some visual journal from a small trip to a small yet beautiful place in Muntilan Central Java, Padepokan Tjipta Budaya 

 

Dear people, my... it's been almost six months since my last posting! Oh well, hello again! Hope you doing well and happy. First of all, I wanna make a silly confession, so this post is actually made almost six month ago, and since that, I thought I already publish it, so every time I tell people about this incredible art community and their performance, I always refer to this blog. Aaaaaand.. I've just realize it that ALL THIS TIME.. I haven't click the 'publish' button. So yeah, my bad.

Anyway, around June 2015, my friends invite me to this place called Tutup Ngisor, a one small village in the Muntilan region (Central Java). It is located in the ranks of Mount Merapi whom proudly own a traditional art community named Padepokan Tjipta Boedaja. We went there to watch one of their performance of wayang wong (traditional theatrical performance with Ramayana or Mahabharata script-based). I have to sadly admit that it was the first time I've watch wayang wong live, and all this time I live in Jogja..I know. But it was beautiful, though I don't completely understand the language and it perform for five straight hours - yep you've heard it right. The performance also gave me some melancholic feelings, you see, my late grandfather was used to be a wayang wong actor, -and he's a good one-, but I've never seen him on stage. He passed away when I was around seven, in his nineties. So for me seeing the actors playing is kinda like seeing a glimpse of what my grandfather use to be.

PS: if you want to know more about the community (Padepokan Tjipta Boedaja) you can visit their facebook page here. The cool thing about them is they always welcome everyone new who wants to learn or just visiting and curious about the community and their art. They also quiet open with modern art influence, and perform it sometimes, as a collaboration project or as their own piece.

Finally home

 Its been almost two years since I moved back to Yogya, and its almost a year I had this new studio which also the place where I live. I always say that I will share some of the spot in my house/studio, and I did! its on the March tops edition, which featuring my niece Dea as the model, but it might not quite thorough that time,  (though I can't promise that this time it will ;) ). 

You see, the thing is, I always think I would only share my place when its in a neat and tidy condition and the problem is.. it NEVER is.. So, when I tell you on the last post that the last couple of week my studio itself is a complete chaos, you know I'm not exaggerating..

Yep, ladies and gentlemen this is my working place now. Well you know what the research say, messy desks usually owns by the most creative and genius people.. (yeah rite..)

Well, if you one day are in Yogya, do come :) There's one big jar of ice tea waiting for you! or at least water.. :|

Love

Kiki