Nuarta wants to build Kuta memorial

JAKARTA: Renown sculptor Nyoman Nuarta wants to build a memorial in Kuta, Bali, in remembrance of the Oct. 12 terrorist bomb attacks that claims the lives of more than 180 people from all over the world.

Nuarta, a Balinese who lives in Bandung, West Java, said the monument would feature the identities of all the victims. He is working out the design and will come up with an outline in a week.

"It will need about six months to build the monument," he told journalists in Jakarta on Wednesday. He said he had already secured government support for his plan.

Nuarta was in the U.S. when the devastating blast occurred and rushed back home upon hearing the news. So strong is his wish to build the monument that he said he would finance the project himself if the government would not.

Nuarta is well-known for his gigantic statues. Among his works is the Garuda Wisnu monument near Jimbaran resort, south of Denpasar, which is under construction. --JP