How's your process in producing Mahija's product?
So the production process, in general it start from how Mahija can grow with the DNA. Actually, we already have keywords, and those are planted as the DNA. There are several aspects that we bring up, Astronation jewelry.
Wow, I’m getting curious…. Can you explain a bit about the Astronation concept?
It’s like an alien in shape of orchid. Why Astronation? Because inside those shapes there are symbols of fertility, we can say it’s like omega and constantly connect to the aesthetical which I like, orchid. It can’t be separated.
Then, go back to the first question. In every step of Mahija’s process, it’s never detachedfrom the form and it meaning. After, we consistently develop the idea, other forms wereborn from the previous shapes. In instance, let’s just say in third collection we made a circle form jewelry, and in next collection we also have the same form idea but it’s evolve into other kind of circle.
For the production, is it by yourself or do you also collaborate with vendor
We have a small team in Mahija and also mini atelier where we work with our own energy. Also, we do collaborate with some local vendors for production
What are you usually doing when you get art block?
Surrender hahaha…..actually if we realize, art block itself is an anxiety that we need to solve. That we need to sit down, clear our mind and make sure what we really want to do. We need to find the solution! Yeah, sometimes what I usually doing is daydreaming. Because it’s also something we need to do, right? Don’t you think so? Hahahaha…..we get paid for daydreaming…
I saw some of Mahija's designs on Instagram, Where do you get your inspiration for Mahija?
As I said before Mahija was born from the DNA of orchid, but for the inspiration is different things. If we draw from each collection, the idea came from anything. It can be something close to everyday life, friend, story of our client, sometime politic. In one collection, I also shared about my own anxiety, like...why do I feel confused? Is there anyone who understand this situation? It’s like realizing where we are and what we are doing.
Then, sometimes I have thought, is our ancestors realize if times have changed and the family structure might be change with their own belief. Yeah....something like that!
Wow, outstanding! So, each collection have deep meaning.....Then, how you visualize it?
Each of our collection, consist of introductory text so everyone will know, so people know what is actually being discussed in this collection. One example is Encased Ember collection, it talks about death. Death, it’s a natural thing to celebrate. Even though there is a feeling of grief, but we need to be able to let go, because it’s
It's a natural thing to celebrate, even though there is a feeling of sadness, but yes, we have to be able to let go, because that's everyone’s journey.
So, the root of the visual take on the DNA, Astronation Jewelry. We made the design with big shapes and in this edorisment, I sense closeness with myself. Outside of the jewelry, Ialso made the nails…. not exactly only for this collection but in each of it. You know…It’s not just to embellish the appearance, but it has a meaning in it.
For Encased Ember collection, those ideas also symbolized in the ring. The story in it is when we die, our soul wander nowhere and when our physical body are buried, there’s an Ankeny energy that makes our hair and nails keep growing. Yeah, it’s still growing until certain period.
Oh my gosh! It’s very meaningful also knowledgeable! So what does the symbol or shape look like?
Okay, let's take an example from the Encased Ember collection. Have you ever wonder, when we get buried deep into the earth, who will become our friend? It’s centipede, right? It’s a scary animal, but they are our friend in there.
Other example, I made several realistic shape, It’s actually a cigarette box in shape of heart. The philosophy behind it is heart is like a solar, a core that pumps energy to brain. Heart also symbolize the soul, and when it job is done then it’s also done for ourself.
Back to Encased Ember collection, here I made several hairpin which symbolize heirloom. Inspire from our ancestor who have long hair and their hair ornament are hairpin. Beside, it could become a heirloom for our descendant.
Chinese and in their belief chrysanthemum is a flower that symbolize dead. In the past, they celebrated death by scattering these flower. It commonly found at funerals, yet rarely at wedding. In my opinion, why not? It’s not a taboo thing to use for wedding, it’s like we pay some respect to out ancestor, that we won’t be here today to celebrate the wedding without their presence (birth). So, I think it’s not a bad thing to use chrysanthemum.
For the orchid, we used the ghost orchid type, but with deconstruct shapes. I sometimes imagine, what if several centuries later, the ghost orchid evolve and really has shape like a ghost, then grow from the mouth of a dead person. Isn’t it beautiful?
How did you start Mahija? What encourages/inspires you to start it??
Mahija came from failure…. Failure of making ceramic artwork…. In past years, I made an installation artwork from ceramic. Within the process, there are things we can’t control, like in firing process, many of them break and shatter. But, some of those fragments look beautiful. Then, in one moment my friend, Lulu Luthfi Labibi said “Gal, how about turn it in to accessories?”
So, I recycled my failure ceramic artwork into jewelry. In the beginning, Mahija does not use silver, but attenuer like ceramic, terracotta which forced to burn and cause a sherd. Those sheds then use as jewelry for Mahija that have gigantic shape.
So, how long has mahija been growing?
Since 2015, in Jakarta Fashion week. I guess it’s been 8-9 years.
Is there any meaning of the word Mahija?
Mahija means Daughter of the Earth; the word came from Bahasa Sansakerta. A reason I choose this name came from when I learned ceramic. In there, I am not just learning about ceramic but also the characteristic of materials that we got from earth. Then, why daughter? I don’t know, I sense there’s something feminine within it, but with masculine behavior. So, to sum it up this kind of Earth characteristic who willing to give is like a mother, a woman, but those materials are treat in a masculine way. Because when we processed the earthy material it connects to mining, and absolutely there are men in it. This is why I said it has masculine behavior.
Any morning ritual before starting your day?
Having breakfast, coffee…. the black one! And incense! Oh, also cigarettes!
How do you feel, that now Mahija is growing bigger and bigger?
I do feel delighted, its like everything goes well. I could make anything I want and there’s joy in it. If I remember, before need to consider the budget, social validation.... like “will people like it? Do they accept the design” something like that. But now, with my knowledge and marketing I can make a design that combine mine and other people ideas into it.
What is your first design/product for Mahija?
The first design made from ceramic shards; I have the photo! d the second one we use an actual orchid flower. Formerly, the shape of Mahija’s jewelry is very realistic. So, I will explain a bit about the process. We used electro forming technique for the second design. Briefly, we put the real orchid into a liquid and there’s this electro things happen, and poof! It became a copper! Afterwards, we will assemble it into jewelry.
Even so, this technique has some disadvantages. It cost much energies, expenses and a lot of error. So, I did long research to find another alternative and found a way. Those long research led us to make irregular shapes yet conceptual and big jewelry. We also wantpeople to know our dress up tradition. In previous era, Indonesian women usually dress up all out wearing big jewelry, but because of colonialism we rarely see this tradition anymore
You have been to Bali before, how do you feel about Bali?
Spiritually speaking I feel like I am connected to Bali. I feel like home when I am in there. The people, their character & style it’s just as I imagined. You still can see, Balinese woman dress up wearing big jewelry, right?
Actually, I got lot inspiration from Bali, one of it is prince Dwijendra’s story where he immigrated to Bali. I found several symbols which I used for inspiration. Usually, I found those symbol in book or museum, and it’s just a photo yet I found those symbols here, in Bali. Not in a shape of photo, but the real one! Those things, make me feel like…. Oh, this iswhat I’ve been looking for…. and what I yearn from Bali. The symbols I told you about, I got the inspiration out of Bali.
Oh my god…… I feel like crying…. I miss Bali so much.
How's your perspective of Bali’s situation now?
A bit…. Crowded… and I feel like there’s fear that it can’t be controlled
What are your favorite places to chill out in Bali?
Previously, I like Ubud and Pererenan but…. it’s already change…. I still like Tabanan and Singapadu. There’s one place in Tabanan I frequently visit in Nyambu, Kediri
And last question, what is your wish for Mahija in the future?
My wish ya… Hopefully Mahija will keep inspire people, can be accepted and more sustain!
Galuh Anindita from Mahija
Written by Sekar Pradnyadari
Photo by Faiz Pujo