Through her ceramic practice, Addin Sugarda explores personal experiences and cultural research inspired by Javanese traditions.
When Addin Sugarda moved to Australia, she expected the experience to influence the direction of her work. Instead, living overseas prompted her to look back towards Indonesia and learn more about her own cultural roots.
Now based in Melbourne, Sugarda's practice is grounded in personal stories, family history and Javanese traditions. She mostly works with ceramics, using the medium to explore stories, memories and cultural traditions that inspire her work.
One theme that appears throughout Sugarda's work is fictional heirlooms.
The concept grew out of Sugarda's interest in pusaka, objects that hold cultural and historical significance in Javanese society. Rather than recreating traditional heirlooms, Sugarda creates ceramic works that imagine what new heirlooms might look like through the lens of her own experiences.
I became interested in pusaka, these objects that are believed to hold history, meaning and energy. But the objects I make aren't traditional pusaka. They're fictional heirlooms that come from my own experiences and identity as a Javanese person.Addin Sugarda
The idea has since appeared in a number of her ceramic works. Through these forms, Sugarda reimagines how cultural objects can carry stories across generations while remaining connected to contemporary life.
Personal experiences also play an important role in her practice.
One of her works, Jagong, grew out of a childhood memory. As a child, Sugarda heard her grandfather say he was going jagong. At the time, she thought he meant corn because the word sounded like jagung.
Sugarda, who completed a Master of Fine Arts at RMIT University, later learned that jagong is a Javanese word for visiting people or attending a gathering. The memory eventually became the starting point for the ceramic work.
More recently, Sugarda has been exploring jamu––Indonesia's traditional herbal medicine––in Yogyakarta.
Sugarda was initially drawn to jamu because of its health benefits, she said. Living with PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome), she has found jamu helpful in managing inflammation. Learning more about jamu also showed Sugarda that traditional practices can still play an important role in modern life.
The experience deepened her interest in preserving the cultural knowledge and traditions behind them.
Listen to the full interview on the SBS Indonesian podcast.
