Rina Ciputra was considered a figure having done a lot to improve the relationship of Italy and Indonesia in arts. Rina Ciputra has shown the commitment, attention and managed to promote two countries’ artists since a long time ago. According to Rina Ciputra, the exhibition “Beyond The East” is a platform serving as a connector between Indonesian artists and the global audience. Furthermore, it is because the world of arts and Indonesian contemporary artists are not quite well known in Italy. The artists whose works are exhibited in Rome  are Agus Suwage, F.X. Harsono, Yuli Praytno, Melati Suryodarmo, Mella Jaarsma, Heri Dono, Made Wianta, Eko Nugroho, Entang Wiharso, Ugo Untoro,  Titarubi, Astari Rasyid, Arya Pandjalu, S. Teddy Darmawan, Budi Kustarto.

On the award she received, Rina said that the exhibition involving 15 Indonesian artists in Italy is the first. Prior to that, several artists from Indonesia like Entang Wiharso, Agus Suwage, etc also joined exhibitions by galleries.

“There lies difference in museums and galleries. Exhibition in museums are usually sponsored. I have with me 15 artists to go to Italy and we are officially invited to join the exhibition in Rome. This is for the first time, Indonesian artists are joining exhibitions in the Italian government-owned museum and I was helped by an Italian curator once staying in Bali, Dominique Lora,” she said in the middle of the awarding.

Rina added, Dominique Lora possesses the ideas and she chose the artists. More than that, Lora managed to negotiate so that Indonesian artists are allowed to participate in exhibitions there. “This is such a breakthrough,” she stated.

The meaning of the award itself to Rina is a big honor. “Once I received the award, I have to preserve what I have worked on and initiate another idea.”
Before this, Rina Ciputra already saw several Italian artists to get to know them better so that one day if they are to visit Indonesia, they will choose Ciputra Artpreneur Center as the exhibition site.”

“The best moment at the time is I managed to have 15 Indonesian artists with me to exhibit in Rome. To me, it is an honor to have such a rare opportunity.”

Apart from Rina Ciputra Sastrawinata, Adi Satrya Sulisto received Ordine della Stella d’Italia Classe  Ufficiale, an award given as the appreciation for improving the bilateral ties between the two countries. In the meantime, Arwin Rasjid received Ordine della Stella Classe Cavaliere in business sector. The reception was attended by a number of ambassadors in Jakarta and the other invites.