As one of Indonesia’s most prominent art competitions, the UOB Painting of the Year is UOB’s continuous commitment and support to the art world. UOB Indonesia launched the 13th UOB Painting of the Year on 4th May 2023.
This competition is part of the selection program that will send the best ‘Painting of the Year’ from Indonesia to compete in the Southeast Asia region level. UOB Indonesia is bringing the theme of “Indonesian artists’ readiness to embrace opportunities in ASEAN’.
Whilst opening the competition, UOB Indonesia also held an interactive discussion with the country’s rising and prominent artists. This panel was aimed to push artists that have international aspirations to expand their knowledge through the global art community and explore the diverse perspectives on art through differing urban culture, history and tradition.
During the discussion, Farhan Siki, winner of UOB Painting of the Year 2022 (Indonesia) in the Professional Artist Category, along with Meliantha Muliawan, who won the same award on 2021; shared their experiences on how the UOB POY competition played a role
important in providing opportunities in seizing opportunities in ASEAN.
After winning the competition, Farhan Siki held an international solo exhibition for the first time at Linda Gallery, Singapore in December 2022. Meanwhile, Meliantha Muliawan has undergone a rigorous selection process and met the requirements for taking part in a residency at the Fukuoka Museum of Asian Art in Japan, which began in May 2023.
The Competition
This year’s identity design for the 13th UOB Painting of the Year competition is inspired by the work of last year’s UOB Southeast Asian Painting of the Year winner, Dystopia by Thai artist Chomrawi Suksom. The visuals form a growing ball symbolising the world that experiences constant change and renewal. This is in line with the Bank’s long-term commitment to continue to thrive and stay relevant and do what is right for society.
This also alludes to UOB’s aim to build the future of ASEAN, as the pre-eminent competition will be expanded its reach and launched in Vietnam this year.
The 13th UOB Painting of the Year (Indonesia) competition officially opened from 4th May 2023 until 15th August 2023. This competition is open to all citizens and permanent residents in Indonesia. There will be two categories, one is the main category for professional artists and the second category is for newcomers whose debut works are allowed to participate in this competition, the main winner will receive the grand prize of 55 million rupiah with the title Most Promising Artist of the Year.
The artworks can be submitted digitally via UOBandArt.com. More details and terms in regards to the competition can also be found on that website.
The panel of judges that will assess this competition include; Melati Suryodarmo (Chairman of the Jury), a performing artist with 20 years experience with local and international exposure; Dr. Agung Hujatnika, Independent Curator and Lecturer at the Bandung Institute of Technology; And Heri Pemad, Creative Director, Sarinah Art District Jakarta, founder of Art Bali and Art Jog (The largest Indonesian contemporary art event in ASEAN).
Winners of the 13th UOB POY (Indonesia) award will be announced on 10 October 2023 and will compete with the winners from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam for the UOB Southeast Asian Painting of the Year which will be announced on 8 November 2023 at the Victoria Theatre, Singapore.
In addition to the cash prizes, one winner from five countries this year can participate in a one-month residency program at the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Japan to encourage them to broaden their horizons by exploring the arts and culture of the host country.
