
Artwork #10: "Eastern Indonesia and Its Challenges in Realizing Equal and Inclusive Education"
By Hilda Restiawati
This painting represents the struggle of communities in Eastern Indonesia in facing the challenges of realizing equal and inclusive education.
At the center of the painting, a child from an indigenous Papuan tribe stands atop a honai—a traditional house symbolizing deep cultural roots and the strength of local communities. The feathered headpiece and a face full of spirit reflect a strong identity that is preserved amidst the tide of change.
Behind the child, various symbols of education—books, numbers, letters, and icons of knowledge—float in the sky, illustrating the dream of a more educated world. However, the gradient in the background, transitioning from blue to orange, represents the gap: blue symbolizing hope, and orange reflecting the harsh realities and ongoing challenges.
A figure of an adult raising the Indonesian red-and-white flag from atop a simple platform symbolizes the tireless spirit to bring equal education to even the most remote corners of Eastern Indonesia. Challenges such as limited infrastructure, difficult geographic access, and lack of educational resources are depicted by a small island surrounded by a vast sea—isolated yet striving to build a bridge to the future.
The lower part of the painting, filled with vibrant marine life—fish, coral, and aquatic plants—represents the immense natural wealth of Eastern Indonesia. Ironically, this rich potential is often not accompanied by parallel human development through education. The fragile wooden ladder stands as a symbol of how steep and vulnerable the journey toward equal and inclusive education truly is.
This painting invites us to understand that the struggle for education in Eastern Indonesia is not merely about teaching and learning. It is also about preserving identity, breaking through limitations, and fighting for the fundamental right of every child to dream and to build a better future.