Malang, (malangkota.go.id) – In the creative hands of Syamsul Subakri, owner of the Astakarya Pancawiguna workshop, used materials such as glass bottles are transformed into aesthetic handicrafts with artistic value.
Some of his many products include carvings on glass bottles, damar kambang lamps, wind chimes. Not only that, among his aesthetic works are also aquascapes or mini aquariums, terrariums, hydroponic flower vases, and Puspasarira puppets from mendong. In addition to various works from glass bottles and there are pictures of faces with paper and pencil media known as face drawing.
"The idea started from our desire to manage waste by shortening the carbon footprint. Which means making new items from used materials without using machines or tools that require a lot of fuel or electricity," said Syamsul, who is familiarly called Pak Kardjo, Thursday (23/6/2022).
Furthermore, Mr. Kadjo revealed, in addition to increasing income through his workshop, he wants to make a positive contribution to the environment. The superiority of his products that also differentiates them from others is that each work has the characteristic of 'siji thok'. Which means that each consumer will not get two or more products that are exactly the same.
"Most buyers are still friends, although there are some transactions abroad. Usually, buyers come directly to our location, Jl. Mayjen Haryono Gang Brawijaya 2 Number 63A Malang. On several occasions, we have participated in various competitions such as souvenir competitions both locally and even in Asia," added Mr. Karjo.
For the carving work on glass bottles, Mr. Karjo said it takes 4-5 hours from raw materials to finishing. One of the unique works of Astakarya Pancawiguna is the Puspasarira puppet. The Puspasarira puppet is designed for wayang or shadow puppet shows.
"I took the name Puspasarira from the ornament used by the Tengger tribe in the Mount Bromo area which means 'a body made of flowers'. Its distinctive feature is the material and the unique manufacturing technique, which is made of mendong material and flowers. With a certain amount, 3-5-7 or 9 sticks to adjust the character of the figure to be made. The number has a certain meaning," he explained.
He added that making a puppet takes between 20 to 30 minutes with certain stages. So that the meaning of the body part of the puppet being worked on can be narrated at the same time. The work begins with making the nose and ends with making the feet. This is what distinguishes it from other puppets, even from the widely known suket puppet model.
"Puspasarira itself is actually relatively new, we have developed it since 2012 based on experience in the field of storytelling using various raw materials. I have started storytelling activities since 1998. For the making of Puspasarira puppets, I do not use special tools and without preservatives because in dry conditions the puppets can last up to 5 years," explained Mr. Kardjo.
He also gave a special name for each character to suit the order as a kind of motivator. The names are taken from ancient Javanese treasures. Meanwhile, for the story or performance material, most of them are taken from folk tales and contemporary social themes. Through his works, he hopes to be able to rise again after the pandemic. (eka/ram)
