Yogyakarta's arts students win the Nokia Art Awards

JAKARTA (JP): Five students of the Yogyakarta Arts Institute (ISI Yogyakarta) were named winners of the Nokia Art Awards for Indonesia yesterday and will represent the country in the coming Asia-Pacific Nokia Art 2000 in Korea next January.

The winners of the awards, organized by Nokia Mobile Phones, are Deni Rahman (Heaven Cup), Tulus Rahadi (Bermain Dengan Picasso,Playing with Picasso), Deskhairi (Kisah Dalam Tidur, Tales from the Sleep), Wahyu Gunawan (Aktor Tak Kenal Musim, Actors With No Seasons), Dadi Setiyadi (Tentang Masa Pendudukan Mahluk Asing, Alien Invasion Period).

The Indonesian Nokia Art Awards, held annually, is aimed at seeking fresh talents in the art world. This year's competition received 402 entries collected between Aug. 8 and Sept. 25.

The jury members, comprising noted art critic Jim Supangkat, Debra Yatim, painter Astari Rasyid and Suwarno Wisetrotomo, lecturer at ISI Yogyakarta, selected 20 finalists and later chose the best five, as announced yesterday at the National Museum.

The theme for this year's competition is "Playground of Your Imagination".

Shaun Colligan, general manager of Nokia Mobile Phones Indonesia, said during a recent visit to The Jakarta Post that Nokia is committed to enhance art development around the world.

"We want to invite young people in the Asia and the Pacific regions to explore their creativity and to express their aspirations through the works of art," said Colligan.

The best five works will be included in the Asia-Pacific Nokia Art Awards along with 70 others finalists from 14 countries in the region in January 2001.

Winners of the Asia-Pacific region will receive US$8000, a Nokia cellular phone and scholarship programs from Parson School, the United States and the University of Arts and Design, Helsinki, Finland.

Works of the finalists of the Indonesian Nokia Art Awards is currently being displayed at the National Museum here through Nov.5. (raw)