RI artists leave ASEAN awards trophy-less<\/p>\n
Tantri Yuliandini, The Jakarta Post, Nusa Dua, Bali<\/p>\n
This year's ASEAN Arts Awards, which took place here on May 9,
\nwere a complete disappointment for the host country, Indonesia,
\nwhose five entrants won no recognition.<\/p>\n
\"It's a shame. I am disappointed,\" said artist Ay Tjoe
\nChristine, whose work Pilgrim King (pencil, pastels and gouache
\non canvas) was nominated.<\/p>\n
With a total of US$150,000 in prize money, there is a reason
\nthe ASEAN Art Awards have been called the Rolls Royce of art
\ncompetitions in the region.<\/p>\n
On top of cash prizes for the top five winners at the
\nrespective national levels -- in Indonesia's case a total of Rp
\n90 million (about $9,677) -- the lure of the $15,000 grand prize
\nand the $5,000 juror's choice awards for five winners is
\noverwhelming.<\/p>\n
Another Indonesian artist, S. Teddy D., even apologized to the
\npublic for not winning a prize, and added a mournful \"I won't be
\ngetting married this year after all\".<\/p>\n
However, what perhaps was more valuable than the prize money
\nwas the experience, the exposure to and the interactions with so
\nmany leading art administrators, artists and thinkers.<\/p>\n
Just take a look at the lineup of judges for this year's
\nawards, lead by artist and cultural commentator Patricia Hoffie
\nof Australia.<\/p>\n
There was artist and writer Yulin Lee from Taiwan; Emily Sano,
\nthe director of the Asian Museum in San Francisco; art writer,
\nbroadcaster and television and cinema consultant Philippe Piguet
\nof France; and Han-Kook Kim of Korea, an artist and a professor
\nat Kangnung National University.<\/p>\n
None of the judges came from participating countries to ensure
\nneutrality, the corporate affairs manager of PT Philip Morris
\nIndonesia, Geroard Jusuf said, adding that it was also hoped the
\nartworks could be exhibited across the globe with the help of the
\ninternational panel of judges.<\/p>\n
\"I entered (the competition) looking for experience; I wanted
\nto know how far my work has progressed compared to other
\nartists,\" Christine said.<\/p>\n
Not winning a prize herself, she views the awards as a good
\nopportunity to interact with artists from other countries, and to
\nstudy the trends and the impacts of their respective societies on
\ntheir work.<\/p>\n
\"I realize now just how much the environment effects an
\nartist's work; with a different environment the resulting artwork
\nis also very different. But we all have our own strengths and
\nindividual abilities,\" Christine reflected.<\/p>\n
The ASEAN Art Awards, sponsored by the Philip Morris Group of
\nCompanies, was first organized in 1994 to promote contact and
\ninteraction between the arts communities in the member countries
\nof the Association of South East Asian Nations.<\/p>\n
The competition is open to artists above the age of 18 from
\nBrunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore,
\nThailand, Vietnam and Myanmar. New ASEAN members Laos and
\nCambodia only took part in the exhibition.<\/p>\n
Over the years, the awards have had a positive impact on the
\ndevelopment of ASEAN art; after taking part as observers in 1998,
\nthe following year Laos held its first national painting
\ncompetition, formed the Laos Association of Artists and opened
\nmore galleries in Vientiane and Luang Prabang.<\/p>\n
The awards have attracted more than 20,000 artists and 250,000
\nart enthusiasts to interact, experience and share their love of
\nart with one another, said the president of Philip Morris Asia
\nLtd., Ellis Woodward.<\/p>\n
This year's grand prize winner, Singapore's Francis Ng Teck
\nYong, was another eye-opener for the region's art world. The 26-
\nyear-old's winning work, titled Constructing Construction #1, is
\nactually a 183 x 4 cm color photographic print (C-type).<\/p>\n
It was the first photograph to ever win a prize in the history
\nof the ASEAN Art Awards.<\/p>\n
Changes in competition rules during the last few years have
\nbrought a wider range of creativity to the competition, including
\nin the choices of material.<\/p>\n
\"Although the competition stipulates that works should be two-
\ndimensional, artists in this competition have continued to
\nstretch the rules in terms of materials and treatment,\" one of
\nthe judges, Patricia Hoffie, said.<\/p>\n
Media extended from computer parts to natural fibers, from
\ntraditional oil on canvas to assemblage and photography, all of
\nwhich are acceptable and in line with international art criteria,
\nEmily Sano, a judge from the United States, said.<\/p>\n
The five juror's choice winners were Jaruwat Boonwaedlom of
\nThailand with New Vision on Culture (oil on canvas); Benjamin
\nDayrit Elayda III of the Philippines with Valorized and
\nCommodified Curio (mixed media); Aung Myint of Myanmar with
\nHomage to Mothers (acrylic on shan paper and canvas); Mohammad
\nSuhaimi bin Tohid of Malaysia with Journey (mixed media); and
\nNguyen Quoc Huy of Vietnam with Liberation Road (lacquer).<\/p>\n
An exhibition of the works from this year's awards were put on
\ndisplay at the Bali International Convention Center in Nusa Dua,
\nBali, from May 9 to May 11. The exhibition will then move to the
\nASEAN Secretariat in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, from May 27
\nto June 8.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-artists-leave-asean-awards-trophy-less-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}