Aduh! Ceramics - branded/promo short documentary

“Aduh,” an Indonesian term much like an "oops," is not only a nostalgic sound rooted in Amber's childhood, but a concept that has shaped her perspective on taking risks as an artist and Brooklyn-based ceramicist.

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I met Amber at a street fair last summer. I bought one of her beautiful mugs and on the way home read her card that explained how her art stemmed from the desire to let go of a constant need for control. How beautiful things come when we learn when to sit back, listen, and let things be. It resonated quite deeply with me.

“Aduh” is an Indonesian term Amber’s grandma would use, much like an “oops”. A familiar sound in her childhood. She grew up learning not only to embrace these moments, appreciate them, but also realize how integral they are — to our growth, to our art, to everything, really. Almost nothing in life is ever linear, so why is it that we have so much resistance to moments when we lose a little control?

We had long conversations on the balance of control and risk in art. I saw a lot of myself in Amber. I had many of my own Aduh moments, even with this project, in prep, in the edit, and it came full circle when I would realize it’s all part of the process, and a part of something larger than me. Then the more I allowed the project to breathe, the more it came to life. It felt pretty wholesome.

Thank you, Amber, for opening your heart up to this, to an excitable stranger at a street fair. And endless thanks to the small but mighty team who came together to shoot this in just 6 hours on location.

Producer & Director: Ingie Enan
Director of Photography: Robert E. Newman
Production Designer: Sophia Uehara
Gaffer: John Zeng
Score, Sound Design, Foley: Fady Garas
Color: Jared Rosenthal
Location: BKLYN CLAY