Filipino Esquilo wins ASEAN arts award

JAKARTA (JP): In a ceremony attended by Indonesian First Lady Tien Soeharto here yesterday, Filipino Alfredo Esquilo was celebrated as winner of the ASEAN Arts Award 1995.

Esquilo's oil-painting, Ritwal, beat over 2,600 other entries from six countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to collect the US$10,000 prize along with a certificate from Mrs. Tien Soeharto and a trophy.

Held at the ASEAN Secretariat building, yesterday's presentation ceremony was also attended by Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas, ASEAN Secretary General Ajit Singh and Mrs. Susrinah Sanyoto Sastrowardoyo, who chairs the Indonesian Fine Arts Foundation.

The award presented yesterday represents the only region-wide competition which involves six-separate competitions in six ASEAN member states before finally culminating in the ASEAN Arts Award.

The second winner was an oil painting by Nawin Biadklang of Thailand titled Female Display for Sale. Biadklang won an $8,000 cash award and a trophy.

Third place went to Indonesian Effendi for his Balbos-Kania III, while Singaporean Wong Yean Yean and Filipino Ferdinand Doctorelo came fourth and fifth respectively.

The winning entries will be exhibited at the ASEAN Secretariat and later at TRESORS 1995 -- the Third International Fine Art and Antiques Fair in Singapore from Sept. 15 to 20.(mds)