UNS – Faculty of Arts and Design (FSRD) of Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS), as a partner of Association Internationale des Étudiants en Sciences Économiques et Commerciales (AIESEC), taught the traditional pottery making to 11 foreign students on Thursday (25/01/2017). The eleven students were from China, Egypt, Oman and India.
In this activity, participants were first introduced to the traditional pottery and the methods and techniques of pottery making. The participants were given the theory and helped to put it into practice by local experts of handicraft from Fine Arts program of FSRD.
Joko Lulut Amboro, the Head of Fine Arts Program, said that the participants were first given a brief explanation of traditional pottery, from the clay material to the techniques for pottery making. “We give them a brief theory first. Since this is only a one day course, we only teach them basic techniques, which are pinching and twisting technique. They make bowls, as those are the easiest things to make for the first timers,” Joko explained.
An exchanged participant from AIESEC having fun while kneading and twisting the clay into a cup and vase in FSRD campus
According to Joko, the work of eleven foreign students will be burned and the result can be taken home by each of them.
“That is a method of introducing Indonesian culture to foreign students through AIESEC, whose members come from various countries. The results could be taken to their home countries as promotion of pottery from Indonesia,” Joko said.
Annisa, Bengawan Project coordinator of AIESEC, added that the activities for the foreign students was aimed at introducing the work of traditional Indonesian handicrafts. Besides learning traditional pottery making, they also learn karawitan and batik. (Herlangga Hizkiawan/Eln/Sav)