Ideology:Dr Iskandar is particularly drawn to the clay vessels and receptacles of everyday life throughout Southeast Asian kitchens. In this spirit, he has produced works inspired by the lesong (mortar and pestle), tingkat (tiffin carrier), kendi (a pouring vessel) and cooking vessels such as the kuali. Shaped similarly to the Chinese wok, the kuali is the Malay name for a bowl-like pan with the distinguishing features of steep, sloping sides and a concave shape with a rounded rather than flat bottom. Dr Iskandar noted variants of this vessel throughout Asia – the wajan in Indonesia, kawali in the Philippines, chūkanabe in Japan and karahi in India. This pair of kuali was inspired by the sight of kuali-roasting coffee beans on outdoor stoves, seen throughout the region from Bali to the coffee plantations of southern Laos. The unique shape of the kuali offers more control over distributing heat, resulting in more even roasting. Both kualis have loop handles mounted on opposite ends for easy manipulation. They are differentiated by their surface decoration as well as subtle differences in form and handle design.
Detail of Work:Weight : 2.5kg Dimension : H 13.5 x 33 x 28 cm Technical Info:Wheel thrown High-fired at 1300ºC, reduction gas-firing Material:Stoneware (clay from Lombok, Indonesia) Glaze:Blue and green stains over resist decoration. White slip over rim and inside of handles. Iron oxide and cobalt barium glaze. Seal:1 sakura motif, c.1990s 1 oval, kanji, 1972 (at the foot)
