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Karina Tungari's colorful world of creativity
Indonesian artist Karina Tungari, who is based in Hamburg, Germany, recently received a promotional prize from the city’s agency for culture and media in the newly established category for comics.
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Cross section: Pictured is a selection of Karina Tungari's works, which can be found in various books, comic anthologies and online magazines. (Courtesy of Karina Tungari /-)
W
hen she was still living in Jakarta, Karina Tungari dreamed about traveling to faraway places and seeing the world. But she did not want to be just another tourist. Instead, she wanted to experience life in another country by fully immersing herself in new surroundings and a different culture.
With a degree in visual communication design at Trisakti University in Jakarta under her belt, she knew her parents would not be able to financially support her studies abroad.
“A family friend then told me about the possibility of becoming an au pair,” Karina recalled. “At the time, it was a fitting solution to fulfill my dreams, which was quite naïve, to be honest. I thought I just needed to get there first, and the rest would fall into place.”
This is how she eventually ended up in Hamburg, Germany, more than a decade ago.
Fast forward to today, and Karina has fully arrived. Over the past 10 years, she not only honed her skills as an illustrator and artist – she continued her studies at the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences – but she also took the time to think about her life’s journey.
These reflections are part of her book Ahh… Das Gras auf der anderen Seite ist nicht immer grüner (Ahh… The grass on the other side isn’t always greener), an autobiographical, illustrated essay, about her experience as au pair during her first year in Germany; her expectations compared to reality and all the ups and downs she experienced.
