JAKARTA.- Art Stage Jakarta, organiser of the Award for Authenticity, Leadership, Excellence, Quality, Seriousness in Art has presented 13 Awards to significant players across the spectrum of Indonesia’s art scene. The award recognises and acknowledges their tremendous talent, passion, commitment and contribution to the Indonesian art world. Winners were judged and selected by 100 to 200 recognised individuals from the Indonesian art scene. The awards for Best Artist, Best Young Artist, Best Curator, Best Young Curator, Best Gallery, Best Young Gallery, Best Art Institution, Best Exhibition, Best Collector, Best Young Collector, Best Art Publication, Life Achievement Awards and the Bhinneka Award were presented at a Gala Award Ceremony at the Institut Francais d’Indonesie.
“I would like to congratulate all the winners of the 13 award categories. who have truly deserved the recognition of their peers in the Indonesian art scene. We all share the same big engagement, to foster, support and promote Indonesian art. Therefore we have to do everything to develop and strengthen its scene, its eco system. Strong, serious and professional actors and infrastructures are the necessary basis for a success. The Award for Authenticity, Leadership, Excellence, Quality and Seriousness, in short, the ALEQS, is a significant, internationally recognized, spectacular art award that is purely quality driven. It will have a big public impact that will be an important contribution to reach our common goal to promote Indonesian art. The Indonesian Award for Authenticity, Leadership, Excellence, Quality, Seriousness in Art is indeed a unique award in Indonesia as well as internationally. Inaugurating in Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s most dynamic contemporary art scene, the Award will be expanded to the whole of the region in the following year. With this Award, ART STAGE Jakarta is truly blazing a trail for Indonesian art at home and abroad,” says Lorenzo Rudolf, Founder and President, ART STAGE Jakarta.
The Best Artist award was presented to Melati Suryodarmo. The award recognises the best artist based on professional practice for art conceptualisation, creation and participation in promoting contemporary art through different activation. Melati Suryodarmo is a visual artist who focuses on performance and the body as main mediums in her practice and has been an artist since the 90s.
The Best Young Artist award went to Aditya Novali. This award recognises the best artist under the age of 40. Aditya Novali is a young conceptual artist that has been making his mark in recent years.
The Best Curator award was awarded to Enin Supriyanto. This award is presented for the best practice in curation and exhibition presentation as well as leading activism in promoting the art scene by uniting different artists, galleries and artworks. Enin Supriyanto is one of Indonesia’s leading independent curators who’s influence has been significant in the development of many young artists in the country.
Best Yong Curator was presented to Grace Samboh. Similar to the Best Curator Award, this award recognises a curator under the age of 40. Grace Samboh is a constant and important presence in the Yogyakarta art scene and has worked to help develop the art scene there over the years.
The Best Gallery award went to ROH Projects. This award recognises the dedication of a gallery that actively promotes the art scene through sophisticated and abstractly thoughtful public exhibitions involving different artists and art mediums. ROH Projects was founded in 2012 with a focus on providing a platform for emerging artists with alternative practices as well as showing more developed artists in a nuanced and intellectually sound manner.
Best Young Gallery was also presented to ROH Projects. Like the Best Gallery award, this award recognises a young gallery that has been in operation for less than five years but is already a significant force in the art scene.
The Best Art Institution was awarded to IVAA (Indonesian Visual Art Archive). This category acknowledges the important role that the art institution plays and was awarded to IVAA, a non-commercial art institution that was established in 2007 in Yogyakarta.
Best Exhibition was presented to 17/71: Goresan Juang Kemerdekan, Pameran Koleksi Seni Rupa Istana Kepresidenan Republik Indonesia, 2-30 Agustus 2016 (Kurator: Mikke Susanto & Rizki A. Zaelani. Didukung oleh Galeri Nasional Indonesia, Sekreatriat Negara R.I., BEKRAF, Mandiri Art). The award is presented to either a non-commercial or commercial art institution that has realised a significant curated exhibition of international level for public view.
The Best Collector award was given to Haryanto Adikoesoemo. This award was created to acknowledge a collector who possesses a track record of acquisition and is active in the promotion of the art scene through different forms of engagement. Haryanto Adikoesoemo is a prominent collector who is the founding force behind the upcoming Modern and Contemporary Art (Museum MACAN) in Nusantara.
Best Young Collector went to Tom Tandio. This award was presented to a collector under 40 years of age who similarly possesses a track record of acquisition and active in the promotion of the art scene. In 2011 Tom Tandio initiated indoartnow, now widely known as the "information center" and online documentation of various Indonesian art activities. Since then he gone on to showcase his collections internationally and has appeared in the 40 Under 40 Asia Pacific of young collectors list in international art magazine Apollo.
Best Art Publication was awarded to Martin Suryajaya Judul Buku: Sejarah Estetika: Era Klasik Sampai Kontemporer Penerbit: Gang Kabel dan Indie Book Corner, 2016 and S. SudjojonoJudul Buku: Cerita Tentang Saya dan Orang-orang di Sekitar Saya Penerbit: KPG, Jakarta & S. Sudjojono Center, 2017. The award acknowledges the importance of art publications in the Indonesian art scene.
Life Achievement Awards were presented to Jim Supangkat, Sunaryo and Ir. Ciputra. The awards were presented to a curator, artist and a collector who have dedicated many years to the development and growth of the Indonesia art scene.
Finally, the Bhinneka Award was awarded to Jatiwangi Art Factory. This socio-politically significant award recognises the art scene’s commitment to advancing unity and togetherness of the society in Indonesia and honours an institution that has made a strong commitment to this through their acts in the art scene. The seriousness of the Bhinneka Award is underscored by the fact that the selection of the winner was carried out by a separate jury of six prominent individuals from the art and cultural political sphere. Jatiwangi Art Factory, which has been organised by Arif Yudi and his friends since 2005, is a breakthrough of the wall of exclusivity of contemporary art in Indonesia. With their choice of place of art activities, methods, and various forms of events, they directly include all elements of society in the area of Jatiwangi (Cirebon, West Java) in “making art”.
