ITB Lecturer Named a Nominee for World’s Best Botanical Illustrator
BANDUNG, itb.ac.id – Botanical Illustration remains amidst the rapid technology advances in botanical identification. An ITB lecturer in Forestry Engineering Study Program, Dr. Ichsan Suwandhi, S.Hut, M.Si, proves it by being named as world’s best 30 botanical illustrator on The 2018 Margaret Flockton Award. The award is a prestigious award for the best botanical illustrators in the world that focuses on the preservation of botanical illustration as substantial tool in botanical identification and science. Dr. Ichsan’s work is the one and only that comes from Indonesian illustrator. His work was displayed in an exhibition in Maiden Theatre, Sydney, Australia on 21st April – 6th May 2018 along with other best botanical illustrations in the world.
Botanical Illustration is a visual art that depicts parts of plants for the purpose of simple identification to learn the scientific name of the plants. Before current information era and recent advanced camera technology, botanical illustration is a substantial plant identification tool. A good botanical illustration requires high accuracy drawing. Key features that determine the plant’s scientific name should be depicted clearly and proportionally. Dr. Ichsan’s work fulfills all criteria to receive the award. He has been drawing botanical illustration for 10 years. Previously, he kept his previous works only for himself as his hobby or displayed them only in local exhibition. He actively imparts his botanical illustration prowess during Plants Taxonomy Laboratory Practice, Forestry Engineering Study Program.
Dr. Ichsan is the only Indonesian on the list. He presents the award for the advance of research especially toward plants and for Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB). “This is for ITB. I am happy to win this award, hope this will trigger other lecturers and students to also gain achievement.” He said. He also hopes there will be successor in botanical illustration so that it will be long-lasting. He thinks, even though photography technology and plant identification has advanced, illustration is still the fastest and easiest identification tool to use in forest and thus needs to be long-last.
Reporter: Nur Faiz Ramdhani (Forestry Engineering 2015)
Photos: Dr. Ichsan Suwandhi, S.Hut, M.Si
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