TWO preserved tigers, looks organized to welcome every guest at the door of the house. While inside, some tiger heads stuck to the wall. Not only that, A beautiful painting made of leather canvas is also seen decorating the living room of the house.
Sculpture at a glance- the statue looks a lot like a preserved beast. From an anatomical point of view, size, as well as facial expressions. Striped motif on the skin of the tiger statue, very true to the original. But who would have thought, figurines of animals like tigers, tiger, and other beasts stored in Dandy's house, it's just a statue.
All parts of the statue are just a design. The only one that comes from animals, only skin, It's also made from goat and cow skin, not a type of tiger or other beast. “I use cow and goat skin," he said. No kidding, The creation of a statue that is very identical to its original form doesn't just happen. Before work, Dandy did a lot of research to make a statue of a protected animal to match the original.
“Research to make it look like the original," he explained. Instead, we have to bring in products from America to replace animal eyes. “I used to take this in America, after that we learn, now you can make it yourself," he said while showing some eyeball shapes.
To make a statue of a tiger and similar animals, he involves six people who already have their own abilities, starting from body formation, skin installation, to coloring. They have their own responsibilities.
“There are six workers, one statue finished five days," he said. In making it every detail of the shape starting from the claws, hair, until the teeth become a priority. This hard work, fruitful in the recognition of antique collectors. At the moment, similar products can only be produced by artists in China and India.
“It's only us who make this, China, and India, “he said. Even fans of this statue collection are not kidding. According to this man who has eight sons, most of the customers are military officers who live in Jakarta. Besides that, in big cities throughout Indonesia also have resellers who have been working together for a long time.
“This statue is often sent to Jakarta, also available in Timika, there are also many on other islands,he explained. For that craft, the price that is set for each animal is different, depending on the form of facial expression and movement. But in general, the price of one statue starts from Rp 15 million to Rp 25 million.
“The price depends on the shape and facial expression," he said. The resemblance of this form turned out to have invited problems. He has had several dealings with animal protection officers because he is considered to have carried out illegal acts. Officers only understood if it was an imitation when showing the materials used in the formation such as white carbon and a number of other chemicals.
“A lot of officers are coming, thought to be a preserved protected animal," he said. To protect consumers and travel from officers' suspicions, he includes a certificate containing the qualifications of raw materials. It was done to avoid misunderstanding with the officers. “I used to deal with officers,he explained. (radar)
