T

ake some earth, shape it into the desired form, burn, glaze and dry it under the sun, that's how complicated the art of ceramics is.

Yet, ceramics are still a marginalized medium in the art world. A joint exhibition will attempt to convince art aficionados that the earthen material is actually as experimental and as expressive as other media.

Starting today, the Jakarta Contemporary Ceramics Biennale at North Jakarta's North Art Space, involving 40 foreign and local artists, is perhaps the first of its kind in Southeast Asia.

"More and more people are starting to appreciate ceramic art. We're not only trying to display works of artists specializing in ceramics, but also of those who have chosen to experiment with ceramics this time around," exhibition curator Rifky Effendy said.

Herra Pahlasari combines ceramics with video art in Please, let us have a cup of happiness, while video art trio Tromarama use porcelain tableware for their animation and installation work.

Contemporary ceramic art may conjure images of pottery, yet it encompasses so much more.

"When used with other media, it's no longer just art for the sake of decoration," Rifky added. "The process of making ceramic itself is an art."

Unlike painters, who pretty much have carte blanche with their canvases, paints and brushes, ceramic artists are creators who have to let go of some of the control, and let nature play its part. The making of ceramic art is a longer process, which requires more patience.

"Artists have to invest more if they choose ceramics as their medium," Rifky explained.

Yet, despite the disadvantages of ceramics, the country does have its ceramics maestros like the pioneer of Indonesian modern ceramic art, the late Hildawati Soemantri, her predecessor Lidya Poetrie and ceramic art trendsetter F. Widayanto.

"Artists can explore without leaving behind their skill, a basic necessity in ceramic art," Rifky added.

Also curated by Asmudjo J. Irianto, the biennale, which has invited artists from Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, USA, the Netherlands and Italy, aims to capture developing trends in the region's contemporary ceramic art.

"It is hoped the public will appreciate how varied and vast today's ceramics art is, from art craft to conceptual art and new media," Rifky said.