Riduan Tomkins: A world-renowned Kiwi artist with an Indonesian connection

Riduan Tomkins, a New Zealand painter of international acclaim, lived in Indonesia from 2001 until he passed away in Jakarta on 8 September 2009.  To view some of Riduan's recent works, please follow this link to the image gallery.

When he first came to Indonesia, Riduan was a guest artist at Jakarta Institute of Art.  He then founded the Central Kalimantan Cultural Collective, a non-profit organisation.  Recognising the needs and great potential of local artisans and artists, he led an initiative to establish a cultural centre and Fine Arts programme at the University of Palangka Raya in Central Kalimantan.

Riduan Tomkins was born in Dorset, UK, in 1941.  He studied at The Royal College of Art in London.  After he moved to New Zealand he became visiting Senior Lecturer and then permanent Senior Lecturer in Painting at the University of Canterbury’s School of Fine Arts between 1986-1996.  He is credited with influencing a generation of prominent New Zealand artists.  He became a New Zealand citizen during this time.  On leaving New Zealand, Riduan Tomkins taught in Ontario, Canada and at the Slade School of Fine Arts in London before moving to Indonesia in 2001.  His work has been exhibited throughout the world from London to Toronto – including at the Museum of Modern Art, New York.

Following Riduan Tomkins’ death in 2009, the New Zealand Embassy in Jakarta held about 50 of Riduan Tomkins’ art works in safe custody while the necessary legal processes regarding his estate were administered.  The estate has kindly agreed that we may display digital copies of this significant collection on the Embassy’s website.