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WORLD Down Syndrome Day is celebrated every year on March 21. Started in 2012, the annual warning was created to raise public awareness about the genetic disorder of down syndrome (DS), which is experienced by many people around the world.
It was also created because there are still many people with down syndrome around the world who do not get the support they need. One of them, although there is a very minimal support from the Indonesian government, but for Diego Luister Berel did not give up to achieve his goals to become a painter known in the international world. He demonstrates resilience in the face of adversity, exemplifying an inner spirit that refuses to be constrained by perceived limitations.
The artwork of a young painter with “down syndrome” (DS), Diego Luister Berel, was recognized internationally by winning first place in a competition themed “Artfusion” at The Holy Art Gallery Exhibition, London as well as several successes in international competitions such as; The Finalist Award for Abstract Category 2022 at Art Show International Gallery, chosen by the International Juried Art Competition, Los Angeles, CA, USA. • World Youth Skills Day, @indonesiainlondon as Indonesian youths who have received international recognition at Globally-Renowned Accomplishments by Indonesian Youths for their achievements in their field of interest from 2021 to 2022. • Asia Art Show on the 26th-29th of August 2022 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia • Exhibited at Tokyo Para Art International exhibition, Tokyo, Japan. Diego’s paintings are eligible to be exhibited 13-17 Nov. 2024. • Arts Beyond Boundaries Exhibition at Pendopo Lobby the Apurva Kempenski Bali, 29 Nov-15 January 2025.
Diego Luister Berel, born in Jakarta on September 9, 2000, a painter with Down syndrome, creates artworks at his home in Jakarta. One of his works, “Balinese Penjor”, won the first prize in an Artfusion-themed art competition at The Holy Art Gallery Exhibition, London, in March 2022.
Strokes and strokes of bright acrylic paint fill the entire surface of the 80 cm x 80 cm canvas placed on the table. But Diego Luister Berel is not finished with his painting. With the help of his father, Edhie Rianto, and his art teachers, Harry Bernadi and Safrie Effendi. A young painter with Down syndrome, continued his creative work with enthusiasm in painting his work.
The 24-year-old pointed to a tube of acrylic paint with his chosen color. He asked his father to pour the paint over several areas of the canvas. Diego was ready with his two paint knives.
Diego tends to be left-handed. However, his hands were free and agile as he swept the paint of different colors across the canvas. These brushes and strokes create new shapes and colors. “Clouds….. it’s because they have blue and white colors,” said Diego in a strained and soft but gentle voice.
The second son of Edhie Rianto and Sandra Berel, Diego has been learning to paint since he was 11, under the guidance of a teacher at a school for children with special needs in South Jakarta. After changing schools several times, he felt he was ready to study there.
Painting is one of the subjects taught at this special school, along with music and physical education. From the results of the teacher’s investigation, Diego’s interests and talents stood out in the painting class.
Diego’s paintings have strokes and lines that capture the imagination of the viewer. Through the shapes and objects in the paintings, people seem to be brought into Diego’s world.
According to his mother, Sandra, he is often inspired to paint after seeing pictures, photos, videos and movies, especially while surfing the Internet. When he is inspired by something, he immediately puts it into a painting.
For example, the painting “Balinese Penjor” was made by Diego because he was fascinated by the beauty of Balinese culture through photos and broadcasts on social media. Meanwhile, the painting “My Cross in The Storm” was made by Diego after watching the movie “The Passion of the Christ” (2004).
Not only landscapes and natural beauty, Diego is also able to capture tragedy and sadness through one of his paintings titled “Atomic Bombings”. The painting was created after watching a movie about the atomic bombing of two cities in Japan by the United States during World War II.
Meanwhile, the painting ‘Bomb Blast’ was made by Diego a week before the suicide bombing at the Sarinah Building in Jakarta on January 14, 2016. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Diego expressed his feelings and understanding about the pandemic through a painting titled ‘To Express of Coronavirus’.
Several works also show Diego’s religious side, such as ‘Via Dolorosa’, which was inspired by a series of events around Easter. There is also a painting ‘Stairway to Heaven’, which Diego created after seeing two religious’ holidays, Eid al-Fitr and Easter, take place in the same month, April 2023.
Contest
Last year, the painting ‘Balinese Penjor’ won the first prize in an art competition themed ‘Artfusion’ at The Holy Art Gallery Exhibition, London. In this competition, Diego sent five paintings, all of which made it through the initial curation stage to be exhibited virtually. The jury decided that the painting ‘Balinese Penjor’ won the first place, beating the works of hundreds of other participants from all over the world.
“We were very grateful when the five paintings we sent to Diego passed (the curation process) and were exhibited virtually. We didn’t expect that one of his paintings would be declared the first winner,” said Sandra.
Diego also has participated in many competitions and painting exhibitions at home and abroad, such as Malaysia, the United States and Japan. Some of them are painting exhibitions with Malaysian painters and painters from other countries at the Royal Chulan Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.
The second child of two siblings, his success in painting competition started with winning the first place in the SMPLB-SMALB National Student Painting Competition in 2018. His painting is titled “Lamaler”, an area in East Flores famous for its traditional whaling ritual. The paintings will be among those brought to London to be exhibited for a week from June 10-16, 2022.
In addition to competing and exhibiting, Diego is actively collaborating with other artists. Some of them are the musician Ananda Sukarlan and the painter Muklay. The collaboration has been done in the context of raising funds for underprivileged children with special needs. The latest exhibited in Arts Beyond Boundaries Exhibition at Pendopo Lobby of the Apurva Kempenski Bali, November 29 – March 15, 2025.
Diego is very prolific in painting. Not only on canvas, he also immortalizes his imagination and creativity in painting on a variety of media such as tote bags, t-shirts, cushion covers, flower vases, cups, even on the surface of his father’s electric guitar. Now Diego joined MATALESOGE hospitABLElity Academy to train his independence, social skills and communication there. Also see his website: https://diegoberel.com/ [traveltext.id]
