Artwork portrayal on human civilisation wins the 2022 UOB Painting of the Year (Indonesia) award

Jakarta, Indonesia, 20 October 2022 – UOB Indonesia awarded the 2022 UOB Painting of the Year (POY) (Indonesia) award to Mr Farhan Siki, a 51-year-old artist from Yogyakarta, Special Region of Yogyakarta, for his painting titled Build, Destroy, Rebuild (The Modern Sisyphus). Mr Siki hopes that through his artwork, people can rethink their life purpose, reflect on past mistakes, and rediscover their path of life amidst the uncertainties and rapid changes around the world.

Build, Destroy, Rebuild (The Modern Sisyphus) Farhan Siki, 2022 UOB Painting of the Year (Indonesia)

Mr Siki was inspired by the process of geopolitical tensions destroying infrastructures and impeding social and economic growth, and the rebuilding process thereafter for the continuation of human civilisation, and the repetition of whole cycle again.

He said, “My artwork emphasises on the history of human civilisation and how the construction of feasible and comfortable living spaces has always been threatened by destruction also by humans. This is like the analogy of Sisyphus, a Greek mythology figure, who is cursed for eternity to constantly push a rock up the hill, only for it to roll down every time it neared the top. As a professional artist, I hope to remind others that life can be full of unprecedented changes, but it can also prepare us to find a meaningful purpose in life.”

Mr Siki’s artwork impressed the panel of UOB POY judges comprising Indonesia’s established art professionals, namely Dr Agung Hujatnika, independent art curator and lecturer at the Faculty of Art and Design, Bandung Institute of Technology; Ms Farah Wardani, art curator and Visual Arts Committee member of Jakarta Arts Council (Dewan Kesenian Jakarta); and Ms Syagini Ratna Wulan, a contemporary artist.

Commenting on the winning artwork, Dr Hujatnika said, “Using stencil print technique, the artist demonstrated his strong artistic concept to compose multiple layers of images that were repeatedly stacked to convey a message. He was also able to highlight the philosophical context, global events and everyday experiences in his surroundings through his artwork, to let the audience understand that the cycle of building, destroying and rebuilding is also present around them.”

As the winner of the 2022 UOB POY (Indonesia) competition, Mr Siki received a cash prize of IDR250 million. His artwork will go on to compete with the winning entries from Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand for the UOB Southeast Asian POY Award, which will be announced in November 2022. He also stands a chance to win a one-month residency programme at the renowned Fukuoka Asian Art Museum in Japan.

Emerging Artist Category: 2022 UOB Most Promising Artist of the Year (Indonesia)
In the Emerging Artist Category, Mr Revaleka, a 20-year-old artist from Bandung, West Java, won the 2022 UOB Most Promising Artist of the Year award for his painting titled Make a Wish II. He was inspired by an old photo of his family where the objects and colours may invoke nostalgic emotions from the audience. His artwork also questioned the intricate association between photographic imagery and realistic painting.

Make A Wish II Mr Revaleka, 2022 Most Promising Artist of the Year (Indonesia)

Mr Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia, who was also present as a Guest of Honour at the 2022 UOB POY (Indonesia) awards ceremony said, “Art has become a benchmark used to assess the progress of a nation. We are proud that in the midst of the pandemic, our creative Indonesian artists continue to share ideas and skills in ways that elevate their work. I hope that UOB Indonesia, through its UOB POY programme can continue to help promote Indonesian artists to the international level.”

Mr Hendra Gunawan, President Director of UOB Indonesia, said, “We are pleased to hold our flagship programme, the UOB POY competition, this year despite the pandemic. This gives us the opportunity to do right by our Indonesian artists by providing them an avenue to showcase their creativity and the vibrant and diverse Indonesian culture through art.”

“The competition aims to promote artists, giving them a chance to demonstrate their works not only in the local but also the international scene. We take great pride in our long-term commitment to open up opportunities for artists, and we hope to give recognition to more talented Indonesian artists. I congratulate this year’s winners for their achievements and I hope that they will continue to pursue their passion and achieve even greater success in their career in art.”

UOB Indonesia will exhibit all 37 finalist artworks of the 2022 UOB POY (Indonesia) competition, including the eight winning pieces, on level 6 of AKR Building (above Museum MACAN). The exhibition is open to the public every day from 20 to 30 October 2022.