Painter Amri gets doctorate

Painter Amri gets doctorate

YOGYAKARTA: The Yogyakarta State University (UNY) awarded on
Thursday an honorary doctorate to well-known batik painter Amri
Yahya in recognition of his promotion of batik arts, his
dedication to the arts, and his outstanding works.

UNY is the first Indonesian university to bestow an honorary
doctorate on the artist.

The late expressionist painter Affandi received a similar
award from the National University of Singapore.

According to Suyanto, rector of UNY, the honoring of Amri
Yahya was part of the university's commitment to upholding
national education and character-building.

Muhammadiyah chairman Ahmad Syafii Maarif, noted poet Taufiq
Ismail, Yogyakarta governor Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, and South
Sumatra's governor Rosihan Arsyad, as well as the members of the
university's academic council, were in attendance at the
ceremony.

"The style of Amri's paintings has inspired many artists since
the 1970s. His works have also been internationally acclaimed. A
large number of his works have joined the collections of world
figures," said Suminto A. Sayuti, the dean of UNY's School of
Arts and Languages.

Amri, who was born in Sukaraja, South Sumatra on Sept. 29,
1939, said that he had never dreamed of receiving such an award
during his life. (23)