Auction aims to help children's education

The economic and political crisis that has hit the country has also affected the lives of children, especially the poor. The increasing number of children dropping out of school has highlighted the crisis.

Many parties have tried many ways to raise money to overcome the problem but it has not been enough.

The City House Auction is staging Love HeArt, Charity for the Children in its attempts to help the less-fortunate. Part of the money raised from the auction will be given to the National Foster Parents Movement (GNOTA) and the Shekinah Stress and Drugs Rehabilitation Center, according to the press release.

The 120 oil, acrylic, mixed media, pastel and watercolor paintings, selected by a board of experts, will be displayed at the Menara Citibank in Pondok Indah, South Jakarta, on Thursday and Friday to give art lovers and collectors time to view the works before this weekend's auction.

Among the paintings are works from the late Sudjana Kerton, Popo Iskandar, S. Abdullah and Willem Gehard Hofker. Other noted painters, who were forgotten but their works still amaze art lovers, are Atmadi Asa (Tan Liep Poen) and Tarmizi.

Younger painters -- including H. Widayat, Jeihan, Djoko Pekik, I Made Djirna, Made Sukadana and Suwaji -- are also among artists whose works will be auctioned.

However, the organizers have promised that it would not be just an ordinary auction. Also included are works from the private collection of Indonesia's first president, Sukarno, himself an art lover and artist, including a painting by Ernest Dezenje.

Paintings among former vice president Adam Malik's collection will also be auctioned, including Ballerina by K. Hou Gard and Penari Balet (Ballerina) by Frezesil.

The Adam Malik Museum collection of Layang-layang (Kites) by Bagong Kussudiardjo, Penabuh Gendang (Drummer) and Kuda Lumping by Batara Lubis are also being offered for sale.

The auction itself will take place on Saturday and Sunday at the same venue as the exhibition and will be led by Tantowi Yahya, a noted TV presenter. -- JP