As a follow-up to the 2008 Jakarta Art Awards (JAA), the city government -- in cooperation with CV Pembangunan Jaya Ancol -- will showcase 82 works from the competition.

HOPE ON FIRE: One of the paintings featured in the JAA exhibit at Ancol Art Market. The painting, title "A Bit of Hope on Fire" (Sejengkal Harapan Terbakar), was done by Yun Suroso. (JP/Jeanette Tamara)

The selected pieces, including paintings and mixed-media works, will be on display until August 31 at the Ancol Art Market in North Jakarta, where many of the city's visual artists have opened galleries.

The JAA, part of the June celebration of Jakarta's anniversary, was a national visual arts competition involving 941 artists from all over Indonesia. The award program's theme was "the colors of Jakarta".

Eleven winners were chosen at this year's JAA: five for special prizes, five for best visual art work and one first-prize winner.

The judges for the contest included: artist Srihadi Soedarsono, Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo, developer Ciputra, Central Bank's Miranda Goeltom, artist Nyoman Gunarsa, curator Agus Dermawan, journalist Efix Mulyadi, art critic Suwarno Wisetrotomo and Koran Tempo's chief editor S. Malela Mahargasari.

Aurora Tambunan, head of the organizing committee, said the competition was meant to inspire Indonesia's visual artists.

First prize went to "Jakarta Hunts Rats" (Jakarta Berburu Tikus), in which rats are caught and tied up by some city inhabitants.

Suraji, the author of the work, said his painting concerned corruption. "In our society, the rat is a symbol of greed," he added.

According to art critic Suwarno, the criteria for grading artwork were visual strength, depiction of the theme and technique. "We looked at how visual artists used technique and materials as well as how far they developed their ideas using a particular metaphor," he said.

During the exhibition, visitors were asked to vote for their favorite work, with the winner chosen as the audience favorite.

Public involvement in the selection process was an attempt to show appreciation for public judgment in a democratic society, the committee said. It was based on the understanding that such a society is comprised of those with visual and critical abilities.

Begun under Fauzi Bowo, the JAA is the government's way of honoring the country's visual artists, Suwarno said.

He is very happy Jakarta has celebrated its birthday with art, an important way for a city to show its cultural heritage, he added.

"A city that gives its people room for expression is more humane and intellectual," Suwarno said.

Among the artworks' recurring themes were concerns about the environment and the depiction of Jakarta's new urbanized generation.

The first-prize winner received Rp 50 million (US$5,400). Award show organizer Tambunan said the award was meant to help improve the livelihoods of new visual artists.

"We want this competition to help our artists continue with their work while achieving economic stability," she said.

According to Suwarno, the judges felt Suraji's painting was a complete work. He also presented a strong personal viewpoint of an issue with current import, namely corruption.

The selection process this year was very tight, as the quality of this year's entries had improved, he added. Only 82 works were chosen from a pool of 3,452.

"All 82 works are very strong, with respect to technique and visual presentation," he said.

Many artists, visual and otherwise, continue to feel underappreciated by the government. Suwarno concurred, saying government appreciation was far from sufficient.

"They haven't understood how art can improve our country's image," he said, adding the private sector was mostly responsible for the preservation of Indonesia's artistic heritage.

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