[PhotoSparks] Creativity from clay – how Iskandar Jalil sees art in the ordinary

PhotoSparks is a weekly feature from YourStory, with photographs that celebrate the spirit of creativity and innovation. In this photo essay, we feature some of the creative ceramic art work of award-winning potter Iskandar Jalil.

In the earlier 95 posts, we brought you a wide range of creative photographs from an art fair, world music festival, painting fair, telecom expo, art museum, mobile showcase, math museum, social hackathon, bookstore, co-working space, sensorium, international design week, flower show, outdoor ads, startup roadshow, computer museum, startup T-shirts, business cards, art therapy, startup festival, Diwali rangoli, Vesak, jazz festival, modern art gallery, ecopreneurs, painter-poets, health activists, eNGOs and digital innovators.

It seems hard to take humble clay and ordinary kitchen objects and elevate them to works of art – unless you are Iskandar Jalil. Over 200 ceramic works of this Singaporean artist’s career spanning 50 years were on display at the National Gallery of Singapore, which I had the opportunity to visit during my Southeast Asia travels this year.

Art and culture are visible in daily life to this artist, who blends domesticity with functional art, tradition and modernity, Asian and Western design. The works of this award-winning artist span a wide range of textures, colours, materials and shapes.

Iskandar sees utilitarian art as a vehicle of critical thought on society and urbanisation. Art is a process of trial and error, and some of the displayed objects even come across as ‘mistakes’ occurring in the kiln. Iskandar has travelled across Asia, from India to Japan, to study crafts such as pottery and textile weaving. His methods of journaling, mixed-media art, and local cultural engagement are widely researched and taught.

As an aspiring artist or entrepreneur, inspiration is all around you – so what have you seen today that inspires you to be bold and creative?

Got a creative photograph to share? Email us at [email protected]!

See also the YourStory pocketbook ‘Proverbs and Quotes for Entrepreneurs: A World of Inspiration for Startups,’ accessible as apps for Apple and Android devices.