This partnership was inevitable.
Since Plain Sight started collaborating with local artists, it was only a matter of time before it set its sights on pottery, particularly the vessel which holds that most precious brew—the coffee mug.
A Story in Every Mug: The Odangputik x Plain Sight Collaboration
The Odangputik x Plain Sight collaboration is a whimsical yet subtly macabre representation of the coffee drinker. Every Odangputik x Plain Sight Face Mug captures a coffee fan mugging in caffeine bliss with Odangputik Ceramic Artist Ianna Engaño taking inspiration from everyday coffee drinkers. Hanging in coffee shops, she watched and observed. She said, “I wanted to know why they were so addicted to coffee. I wanted to know who they were, what they were doing.”
A visit to the Plain Sight headquarters proved to be very rewarding as she learned more about the roasting process and the roasters themselves. One could say that some of the face mugs were inspired by members of the Plain Sight Team.
“It was exciting to look at the coffee world,” says Ianna. “I was very excited about the project because it’s rare for brands to approach artists. Sino ba ‘ko?”
The Odangputik Story
What started out as a playful moniker for a particularly tenacious student has evolved into a studio dedicated to promoting adventures in pottery and other art forms.
In 2014, Ianna Oda Engaño had quite the luck of having director and production designer Cesar Hernando as her professor. Hernando was responsible for the production design of films such as Mike de Leon’s Batch ’81, Raymond Red’s Bayani, and Lav Diaz’s Batang West Side.
Because Ianna, when working on her pottery, would always have bits of clay on her face, hands, and wherever else, Hernando decided to call her Odangputik after the legendary gangster Nardong Putik. Supposedly, Nardong Putik (Leonardo Manecio IRL) would submerge himself in mud paddies to elude the police.
At the time, Ianna was unaware of the reference to the anti-hero whose life was even made into a blockbuster movie. However, the moniker was so catchy that Ianna decided to use it as her Instagram handle. When that gained a strong following, she was pleasantly surprised.
Ianna explored different options as an artist after graduating from the University of the Philippines with a Bachelor’s Degree in Visual Communications. She was once upon a time a mural artist, an art teacher, and an apprentice at an art conservatory. During the pandemic, she rediscovered her love for pottery, started making ceramic pieces, and sold them online.
In 2020, she partnered with poet and social media strategist Lin Bajala to create a digital platform for her ceramic artworks. The partnership proved to be very fruitful. With Lin as Odangputik Studio Growth Director, their digital platform grew and they soon got physical, participating in pop up markets here and there. By 2023, the brand was established enough to open a studio in Quezon City, hoping to promote community-based art programs for individuals who want to experience pottery and other art forms.
Experiencing Pottery It was this community which eventually caught the eye of Sean Lee, chief executive officer of Plain Sight. While Ianna’s sculptures captivated him, the community that she and Lin were building inspired him.
“Odangputik Art Studio is doing its part in making art more accessible to more Filipinos. Odangputik wants you to experience pottery, and not necessarily master it. That’s how respectful they are of the learner and the craft. That’s how we are at Plain Sight, too. We are a team of learners,” he says.
Lin says, “Odangputik Art Studio is a safe space for people to learn new hobbies. There is no pressure to be perfect, most specially not on the first try. That’s why we call our events experiences. This allows participants to have more understanding on the significance of patience and forgiving themselves during the whole experience.”
Yes, this partnership was indeed inevitable.
Get first dibs on the Odangputik x Plain Sight Face Mug at the Plain Sight HQ.
