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Pubumésu celebrates East Asia’s cultural heritage and craft techniques by creating leather fans that transcend the ephemeral trends in our modern world. Our one-of-a kind works of art are crafted in Java, Indonesia by artisans using traditional techniques used to make Javanese Wayang shadow puppets.
EACH FAN IS CRAFTED BY TRAINED ARTISANS WITH A 6 STEP PROCESS USED TO CREATE TRADITIONAL WAYANG SHADOW PUPPETS. ONE FAN TAKES A WEEK TO COMPLETE.
COLLECTION ORIGIN
Our fans are made in a studio that is on the outskirts of Yogyakarta & part of the industrial craft area of Bantul, Central Java. The village is known to produce traditional leather shadow puppets. Pictured is the material of the fan, water buffalo hide.
Wayang shadow puppetry is considered the highest forms of art & story-telling in Indonesia. The puppets are held between a source of light and a translucent screen. Various effects can be achieved by moving both the puppets and the light source.
Similar to how wayang shadow puppets are made, each fan involves 6 steps, all done by hand. The hide is sanded down, cut and punctured, one hole at a time, to create the details of the fan. Afterwards, they are painted, flattened and sewn onto oxen horns.
Although the 10 artisans we work with are all trained to do every part of the process, it is a collaborative effort. Some are better at sanding than others. So, some may focus on purely sanding while the others would focus on punching and painting.
We’re committed to finding new ways to preserve traditional crafts and practice a sustainable supply chain. The water buffalo hide we use are byproducts of the meat industry in Boyolali, a 2 hour drive from the village of Klumprit where the fans are made.
