A total of 296 painters from Indonesia and 40 countries around the world took part in the Whoosh International Cartoon Contest 2023, organized by the Whoosh Fast Train. The organizers have received 424 cartoon works and 97 comic works, the winners of which have been selected and held at Jimbaran Garden, Jakarta, Thursday (21/12/2023) evening.
Most of the award-winning painters come from Indonesia, but there are also some from China. The best works received by the committee, among others, came from Cuba, Iran, Romania and Italy.
The competition awards are divided into two categories, namely Cartoons and Comics, which include 2 first prizes, 2 second prizes, 2 third prizes and 20 excellence awards.
Secretary General of the Indonesian Cartoonists Association (Pakarti) said that this event was launched in Jakarta on November 6 2023, which was supported by the Indonesian China Fast Train (KCIC), the Indonesian Cartoonist Federation, the International Daily News Indonesia, and the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Indonesia (China Chamber of Commerce in Indonesia). “This activity is to appreciate KCIC through cartoons,” he said.
Meanwhile, PT KCIC’s Director of Project Management and Business Development, Allan Tandiono, said he was happy with this activity, because it could gather many cartoonists at the international level.
“This is not just building infrastructure, but encouraging a new lifestyle or new civilization. This is good soft diplomacy, where we can showcase that cooperation with China is not just a matter of business, not just technology, but there is cultural sharing,” he said.
Vincent Prijadi Purwono, a teenage painter with autism from Surabaya who was invited by the International Daily, won a special award. The Woosh cartoon of the Jakarta-Bandung High Speed Train that he made received praise from President Jokowi, and the painting is kept at the Presidential Palace. This time he created a cartoon specifically for the competition and received recognition from the judges.
Three well-known Indonesian cartoonists are on the jury panel, namely Toni Masdiono, a legendary senior cartoonist who currently lives in the city of Bandung; Beng Rahadian, senior cartoonist, lecturer and person in charge of the Jakarta Arts Institute’s Visual Communication Design Education Program; Thomdean, senior cartoonist, Kompas.com & Kontan.co.id cartoonist, winner of the 2022 PWI Adinegoro Award.
Institutions, companies and brands that support and sponsor this Comic Contribution and Award Contest, include the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia ( Indonesian Embassy), China Railway Group Limited, Power Construction Corporation of China, Indonesian Chinese Association (INTI), Indonesian Barongsai Sports Federation (FOBI), and Sinde Budi Sentosa.
Cartoon Category Winner- 1st Place: Agus Harsanta (Indonesia) IDR 15,000,000- 2nd Place: Munadi (Indonesia) IDR 7,500,000- 3rd Place: Roberto Castillo Rodriguez (Cuba) IDR 2,500,000
Comic Category Winner- First Place: Nana Maulana (Indonesia) IDR 25,000,000- Second Place: Dimas Rajendra Sadewa (Indonesia) IDR 15,000,000- Third Place: Liu Ke (China) IDR 5,000,000