Alexander Pelikan en Christian Kocx op Java

Last week we structured our pictures and laid out tests. Now it was time to go to the workshops. Something we would enjoy very much!

First we went to the wood workshop where we explained our try out designs and discussed with the people how to realize this. It was very nice to see how eager they are to make the new designs. We made technical drawings for them. Two days later we went to the bamboo-weaving workshop.

After a long drive we arrived. The tea was waiting for us and we looked at the designs displayed in the room. We looked at them to see if we could use techniques from these products to realise our designs. We discussed our designs and agreed to see each other the next week to have a look at the try-outs.

After visiting the wood workshop to see the improvements we went to the batik-wood workshop to do some tests with etching batik on metal.

We had a very busy week and pictures of the results can be expected next week.

After having visited lots of workshops before, last week we started to extract some inspiration from what we saw.

This took time - in the short period we have been here we took about 1500 photos. We sorted the most interesting stuff out and while doing that two quite clear ideas formed out on how to fulfil our goal, which is helping the local artisans creating products that sell on the European market (higher, design conscious market segment).

First step will be a presentation for the designers and the management-team at the Pekerti office, about how we perceive the aspects of design.

The local designers and craftsmen see their products with absolutely different eyes then we do and the average design customer in Europe.

We would like to get our view on design across to the Pekerti staff and hope that in time we can also start changing the perspective of the craftsman.

The second step sprung forth naturally when we were confronted with all the techniques possibilities – we want to make a collection of prototype products for selected craftsmen. Which they can produce easily and will strengthen their ability to sustain themselves.

Last week here in Yogyakarta we did lots of things and and had so many impressions that it felt like being here a month.

The day after our arrival we took a bus to visit Yoga, it´s a more quiet city then Jakarta. We wandered around and took photos of anything we thought to be interesting.

The next day we started visiting the workshops. Something we really were looking forward to! The first workshop was a pottery. Pekerti started a 5 days course about design and we joined it for 2 days. It was very interesting to see how they tackle design.
We got a good view on how they make the local pottery, which is terracotta, fired bisque and afterwards stained. Artisans are also very handy in decorating the works with detailed reliefs.

For lunch we took fresh made Gado Gado of which Peli became a big fan.
Here the link to the youtube movie he uploaded:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1MfDJU8peA Considering food, I must say that these little eateries along the street are really great. They provide local fresh made food. Very Nice!

The third day after arrival we visited several wood workshops. It was amazing to see, that with the little tools they have and lots of handwork, they can achieve unbelievably much.
All the visits were done on the back of little scooter motorcycles...
in between we got the chance to ride some kilometres– felt still a bit strange but we will practice the coming days.

The next three days Peli en I split our ways, to visit workshops individually so we could be more efficient. We visited a batik-wood, a bamboo (2 day visit), a woodcarving, bamboo weaving, another batik-wood and a palmwood ("Aren" – oilpalm and "Glugu"- coconut) turning workshop.

At that point we already took 1300 pictures! In the evenings it took us quite a while to sort them all out.

And as if we didn´t have enough inspiration we went to the market "Beringharjo" on Sunday in Yoga. It´s a really big market of 3 stories high and packed with literally anything you could think of. From spare car parts over raw meat to household goods and clothing!

After a hot day full of inspiration and a good meal we went to bed.
The next morning we both had a lot of ideas and started making the first concepts and sketches. Peli went back to Yoga to buy some material samples we saw at the market that could serve as inspiration....

Stay tuned for this week's story...coming soon!

arriving about 1 hour late at theDue to a delay airport in Jakarta, Java, we were curious if someone would still be there for to pick us up.

And yes of course Prior from one of the Javanese partner organizations of DDiD waited for us with a big sign with our names on right behind the customs in the airport. And we drove "stop and go" through rush-hour Jakarta to finally end up at the hotel. That evening we took a stroll along a crowded street to get some air after the flight. Even though the air was filled with car exhaust and humid air we enjoyed it
- the smell of Jakarta!

Early the next day we went to the main office of Pekerti to meet the staff and Iwan, the general manager.

Quite interesting was the so-called 'master room' with all the samples Pekerti has in stock.
Later on we went to the Pekertis warehouse...an airy location where the products are delivered by the producers and then packed and shipped to the international customers.

It looked all quite familiar but the work organization and the execution of the work was a bit different then what we were used to.

We took constantly photos...while walking around with mouths open ...
Java is stunning to see!

on the back ofThe following day we went to Yogyakarta by train, the location where we would work for the coming three month. And what a train-ride it was...Pekerti arranged an 'executive' ticket for us. This meant full service in airconditioned compartments, padded sleeping-seats, including a few meals and snacks - we felt like sultans elephants...landscape passing by slowly (despite the luxury of the train, the track was run down).

We arrived in Yogya and drove by taxi to our office in the outskirts of the city, some 12,5 km from the centre - here we would work the next months.