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A little light and joy in darkness of death row

Myuran Sukumaran has been awarded his associate degree in fine arts, a cause for joy in his darkest days on death row.

His mentor and friend, Archibald prize winner Ben Quilty, announced news of the degree from Curtin University on Friday.

“I am one immensely proud friend,” Quilty tweeted.

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The celebrated war artist has been mentoring Sukumaran since 2012, and has become his confidant over the regular visits to Kerobokan jail.

There, Sukumaran is the leader in an art studio for his fellow prisoners, where classes give them skills for work after jail, in a supportive, drug-free environment.

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Sukumaran devoted himself to art on death row. Photo: AAP

The community that has grown around the art classes is devastated at the looming execution of “Master Myu,” and his fellow mentor, Australian Andrew Chan.

Part of that community is a cohort of Norwegian students who have a campus in Bali and collaborate with Sukumaran on art and philosophy classes.

Lecturer Oivind Klungseth Zahlsen says an event next month will celebrate Sukumaran’s art and his work with prisoners over the years.

To be held at Kuta’s Hard Rock Cafe on March 7, it will also auction some of the student’s paintings, with the proceeds sent back into the classes.

Prison authorities wish them to continue into the future and the project has also drawn the interest of researchers who want to replicate it in other Indonesian prisons.

Zahlsen says Sukumaran’s classes are so successful because he leads by example – displaying a special talent and a humility.

Past art auctions have raised thousands for the classes, but this one will be bittersweet for the Norwegian academic.

“I feel that killing the architect and admiring the building … it doesn’t feel right,” he says.

Zahlsen says he has witnessed amazing transformations in the prisoners.

“Most of all it’s identity creation – they can proudly say I am not a criminal, I’m an artist, or something else,” he says.

Indonesia is yet to set a date for the execution of Sukumaran and Chan, who remain in Kerobokan jail awaiting transfer to the prison island of Nusakambangan, where the firing squad has been heard training at night.

Bali chief prosecutor Momock Bambang Samiarso on Friday said more preparation was needed before the Bali Nine pair’s transfer, which would be Sunday at the earliest.

“We’re just counting the days,” he told reporters.

Lawyers argue President Joko Widodo rejected Sukumaran and Chan’s clemency without examining their reform since their 2005 arrest for attempted drug trafficking.

They plan to appeal their latest court loss, and have urged Indonesia not to execute the Australians in the meantime.

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