PASADENA, California--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Internationally acclaimed designer, Raul Rodriguez, is celebrating his 500th float design, with the Republic of Indonesia’s float in the 2012 Tournament of Roses Parade®.
Indonesian officials will honor Raul at a ceremony Dec. 28 at Fiesta Parade Floats where the float is being constructed. They will present him with a ceremonial keris (Indonesian sword) naming him a “Goodwill Ambassador for Indonesia” and a traditional outfit from Sumatra, which Raul will wear when he rides the float on parade day, January 2, 2012.
“We are very proud and pleased to be Raul’s 500th float,” said Sapta Nirwandar, Vice-Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy. “We have a long relationship with Raul. He has traveled extensively throughout Indonesia and has captured the essence of our incredibly diverse nation with his designs. He is able to convey the many adventures awaiting a visitor to Indonesia: the lush and rugged landscapes of our thousands of islands, our unique and exotic animal and plant life, and our fascinating cultures.”
Raul created his first Rose Parade float at the age of fifteen. He has won more awards than any other designer in the history of the Parade.
A classically trained artist in drawing and painting, Raul was raised in East Los Angeles, studied at the Art Center School of Design, and graduated from Cerritos College, and California State University Long Beach. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts from the University of Redlands.
For the Indonesian entry in the 2012 Rose Parade, Raul has designed a two-unit float that features a Sumatran princess in a gesture of a traditional welcome dance, and a stately Garuda, the mythical bird-like creature that is Indonesia’s national symbol.
The Republic of Indonesia was an annual participant in the New Year’s Tournament of Rose Parade from 1990 to 1996. Their stunning visual floats, dancers and artists celebrated the various large islands and provinces of Indonesia: Sumatra, Sulawesi, Java - West Timor, Kalimantan (formerly Borneo), and the Maluku Islands (or better known as Moluccas, the original Spice Islands).
January 2, 2012 will be no different, as audiences experience a bit of the wonder with the exotic destination of Indonesia thanks once again to the talents of Raul Rodriguez.
More information: www.indonesia.travel
The Indonesian Ministry of Tourism & Creative Economy invites everyone to visit this most diverse nation. There is something for everyone from the highest luxury retreat to rugged eco-adventure travel. Indonesia is the third largest democracy in the world, with a national motto of Unity in Diversity. It has a recognized tolerance and acceptance of many religions and beliefs, even as it is the largest Muslim country in the world (by population). It has hundreds of distinct ethnic cultures, each with their own dance, textiles, music, visual art and ceremonial traditions.