Seven years ago there was an idea: some of the collections of fine art paintings belonging to the government of the special territory of Jakarta (DKI Jakarta) that are now in the Fine Arts Museum and Ceramics (Museum Seni Rupa dan Keramik) will be removed into this building.
By Agus Dermawan T
Since last February there has been pro and con in the discussion regarding the existence of a Buddha Bar located on Jalan Teuku Umar no.1, Menteng, Jakarta. The existence of that elite restaurant was protested by Forum Anti Buddha Bar, because the restaurant uses the name of Budha as well as Budha statutes and images for decorations. The protest was supported by Mahabiksu Dutavira, the chairman of Majabumi. Mahabiksu says that Buddha Bar is a way of insulting a religion.
In the meantime, teens of observers take this matter seriously by writing various articles in magazines and newspapers. Form a social observer such as Eddie Kusuma who wrote in Suara Pembaruan (5 March 2009) up to Prof. DR. Komarudin Hidayat who wrote in Seputar Indonesia daily (30 March 2009). The leaders of various religions and of other circles agree that it is not appropriate to use religious names and symbols for labels in restaurants or bars.
Other than the problem of religious symbol, this case reminds us that such a cultural heritage building was initially allocated for arts and not for bar or restaurant. And, since 1920-s the community has called it Bataviasche Kunstkring building, or Lingkar Seni Batavia (Batavian Arts Circle) building, a building that gave shelter to the most prestigious institutions then.
The architect for this building was PAJ Moojen, and it was officially handed over by Governor General Alexander Willem Frederick Idenburg in 1914. It was an interesting building that was positioned as excellent (primadona) architecture in the neighborhood before people entered Menteng area (Entree Gondangdia). This building with art nouveau pattern was side by side with N.V. De Bouwploeg (that was often pronounced “boplo”), an area developing company that has now become a mosque, and also the building of Army Press Office. The address of Bataviasche Kunstkring building then was: Jalan Heutszboulevard no.1, Batavia.
As an art building, Bataviasche Kunstkring located in an area of 3.250 square meters, had met several prerequisites. It had three entrances because it was located besides the street of Teuku Umar, Cut Meutia and Cut Nya Dien.
It was located in a way that the public was easily interested to it. One of the managers of this building was Mrs. J. de Loos-Haaxman and she was known as a famous arts intellectual. She wrote reference books, such as Dagwerk in Indie and Verlaat Rapport Indie.
Maestro Work
There were quite a few important art program conducted in this building. One that the public remembers most is a painting exhibition of the world’s maestro’s works such as those of Pablo Picasso, Kees van Dongen, Van Gogh, Soutin, Marc Chagall, Campigli and Jan Sluijter, April 1937. Those paintings are the collection of P.A. Regnault. This exhibition conducted by Bond van Kunstringen in Nederlandsch Indie was a stunning to those who loved arts in Indonesia, although the natives (inlander) were so discriminated that they had difficulties going in.
A continuous program held was an exhibition of paintings of artists who were members of kunstkring who lived in many cities such as Bandung, Surabaya, Semarang etc. Exhibitions were conducted periodically and in phases in a pyramid model. The peak was the tentoonstelling bondscollectie phase that was a combination of the best works of the members of kunstkring from various regions. Bataviasche Kunstkring was very active when it was chaired by Jan Frank.
Usually fine artists that appeared in this building gained a good position in the history of the fine arts of Dutch East Indies. It was more so with those included in small groups, which was actually a special recognition, such as Tentoonstelling von werhen van Indische Kunst Schilder, December 1933, featuring C.L. Dake Jr, Emil Rizek, H.V. Velthuysen and M. Vervoort. Who does not know those famous names now? Ries Mulder, an educator of the Fine Arts Institute of Technology in Bandung, had once had an exhibition here on August 1941. A number of women of Dutch East Indies such as Frida Holleman, Carla Kemper and Elizabeth Rietveld also became famous from this building.
Works usually exhibited in Bataviasche Kunstkring were those of academics. The community of Dutch East Indies enjoyed it as a special reaction of elitist in nature. Bataviasche Kunstkring building then became a symbol of status. It is difficult to deny that the movement of the history of Indonesian fine arts was pioneered by Sudjojono, Agus Djaya, Harijadi S. through Persagi (Persatuan Ahli-ahli Gambar Indonesia/Association of Painting Experts of Indonesia, 1938), which was also motivated by the activity in this building, although some of the native arts community were “in opposition” relating to vision and social aspect.
Back to Arts
In 1942 Dutch retreated and Japan entered Indonesia. The emergence of Poetera (Poesat Tenaga Rakjat/Center for People’s Power) organization and Japanese arts Institution Keimin Bunka Sidhoso, was blurring the existence of Dutch arts buildings, which were then closed. The door was more tightly closed after the proclamation of Indonesian independence on 17 August 1945. The Bataviasche Kunstkring building was used fro the office of the Council of Islam (Majelis Islam), and then Immigration Office, and then was purchased by PT.Mandala Griya Cipta. During the 1998 riot, this building was damaged because it was used as an army post safeguarding Soeharto/Cendana family. Luckily during the era of Governor Fauzi Bowo, this “architecture sanctuary” (“cagar arsitektur”) building that keeps a history of cultural function (“sejarah fungsi budaya”) has been successfully renovated and sill maintains its originality.
After tracing the history, we can not deny that Bataviasche Kunstkring building surely belongs(more) to the art and not to those handling immigration affairs. It does not even belong to those having restaurant business. If art ever returns to this building, “destiny” and historical connection (benang merah) will revolve in a circle: what was born as an art house will be an art house, especially because Fauzi Bowo is known as a moderate governor having the predicate of main connoisseur, a genuine fine art lover. Jakarta has also Aurora Tambunan, deputy governor who has a bright and vast cultural vision. Many are convinced that DKI Jakarta high officers are processing a very wise solution to return Bataviasche Kunstkring building back to its historical role.
Seven years ago there was an idea: some of the collections of fine art paintings belonging to the government of the special territory of Jakarta (DKI Jakarta) that are now in the Fine Arts Museum and Ceramics (Museum Seni Rupa dan Keramik) will be removed into this building, because the Fine Arts Museum and Ceramics in Jakarta is located by the sea, the humidity could jeopardize the condition of the paintings. Will this good idea be implemented? It will not be a problem to have restaurants and ‘drinking places’ in the museum or gallery.
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