Outdoor gallery unveiled at the new Embassy site

A temporary outdoor art gallery was today unveiled on the wall surrounding the site of the new Australian Embassy in South Jakarta.

The gallery, called Tembok Seni Australia, stretches along a 400-metre section of the blue boundary wall around the construction site in Patra Kuningan.

The outdoor gallery currently displays 28 artworks created by Indonesian students in response to an invitation from the embassy. The students were invited to create a picture with one of the following themes: Australia - Indonesia Friendship, My Australian Friends, My Favourite Place in Indonesia and My Favourite Place in Australia.

The collection displayed on Tembok Seni Australia was selected from more than 175 paintings and drawings received from 29 primary and secondary schools. Most of the schools have an on-going collaborative relationship with an Australian school.

Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Greg Moriarty said he was delighted by the students’ and their teachers’ enthusiasm for the Tembok Seni project.

“There is a high standard of creativity and imagination shown in all of the art works that were sent to us, not just those on display,” the Ambassador said.

“I want to thank the schools and teachers who took part in this project and congratulate the students on their wonderful pictures. Choosing a representative selection to be hung on the wall was a challenge.

“I hope the students’ interest in Australia, through both their involvement in Tembok Seni Australia and their school’s partnership with an Australian school, continues to grow in coming years.

“There is much to be learned from one another as close neighbours to deepen our appreciation of our similarities and our differences,” he said.

Construction work at the 40,500 square metre site is due to be completed by August 2015, with staff due to move in early 2016. When finished, the Australia Embassy Jakarta will be Australia’s largest embassy complex in the world.

To see all of the art works submitted, please visit www.flickr.com/photos/tembok-seni.

Media enquiries:
Vicki Miller, First Secretary (Cultural) tel. (021) 2550 5260 mob. 0811 959 0304

Participating schools

1. MAN 4, Jakarta
2. MI Miftahul Ulum, East Java
3. MTs PB Roudlotul Mubtadiin, Central Java
4. SD Al Izhar, Jakarta
5. SD Santa Ursula,Jakarta
6. SDK Don Bosko 2, East Nusa Tenggara
7. SDN 1 Percontohan Ampenan, West Nusa Tenggara
8. SDN 4 Cilegon, Banten
9. SDN Menanggal 601, East Java
10. SDNBI Kota Semarang (SDN Sendangmulyo 04), Central Java
11. SMA Kartika Wirabuana 1, South Sulawesi
12. SMA Katolik Kesuma Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara
13. SMA Katolik Kolese Santo Yusuf, East Java
14. SMA Katolik Santo Petrus, West Kalimantan
15. SMA Muhammadiyah 1 Pontianak, West Kalimantan
16. SMA Santa Ursula, Jakarta
17. SMAN 17 Palembang, South Sumatera
18. SMAN 3 Yogyakarta
19. SMAN 5 Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara
20. SMAN Sumatera Selatan, South Sumatera
21. SMP Darul Ulum 1, East Java
22. SMPN 1 Galur, Yogyakarta
23. SMPN 1 Karangmojo, Yogyakarta
24. SMPN 1 Sampit, Central Kalimantan
25. SMPN 1 Surabaya, East Java
26. SMPN 12 Sungai Raya (BEP), West Kalimantan
27. SMPN 19, Jakarta
28. SMPN 2 Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan
29. SMPN 3 Ubud, Bali