Hotel Indonesia's history filled with art

Hotel Indonesia's history filled with art

By Ida Indawati Khouw

In the early years of Hotel Indonesia, one of Jakarta's most
important landmarks, the hotel dealt very much with art. The
hotel will celebrate its 38th anniversary on Aug. 5. This 49th
article on old and protected buildings in Jakarta highlights the
hotel's commitment to promoting the arts.

JAKARTA (JP): Hotel Indonesia (HI) in Central Jakarta may have
lost its position as the best international class hotel in the
country since many new ultramodern hotels have been built in
Jakarta, Bali and other provincial capitals.

But one thing Indonesians won't forget about the hotel is its
commitment to the promotion of the arts. Works of arts can be
seen throughout the old hotel, giving testimony to its years of
support.

The moment one enters the hotel reception, ones eyes are
greeted by statues, paintings, mosaics and reliefs created by
Indonesian artists from the early years of the country's
independence.

The arty atmosphere is attributed to former president Sukarno,
who was an avid art lover. He supervised every stage of the
hotel's construction from 1959 to 1962.

Particularly unique are bronze statues scattered around the
hotel's gardens and pool -- all of them featuring nude women in
various postures.

"I think the inspiration came from Sukarno who, as everybody
knows, had a legendary eye for women," said sculptor Arsono, who
was involved in designing the hotel's mosaics in 1961.

The hotel improved the economic life of artists, who at that
time had no fixed source of income.

"By just becoming the assistant of (sculptor) Gregorius
Sidharta who was in charge of making of the hotel's mosaics, I
could buy a bicycle and bought my mother new clothing," Arsono
recalled.

Sweet recollections of the hotel's contribution to the arts
also come from performing artists.

"HI even had an art and culture department in which (film
director) Teguh Karya was a staff member," said Henky Solaiman,
film star who once belonged to Teguh's Teater Populer.

Once a month the theater performed on the Bali Room stage,
playing several world class plays like Caligula and Anton
Chekov's Swan Song.

"It was during that time that talented artists emerged, like
Tuti Indra Malaon, Slamet Rahardjo, N. Riantiarno and others,"
Henky said.

The theater was transformed into a film industry after the art
and cultural department was dissolved.

Since the hotel's establishment, other high rise buildings
have been erected along Jl. Thamrin and surrounding areas that
have "sunk" the glory of the hotel.

Swamps

Located in the heart of the capital, fronting the Selamat
Datang (Welcome) statue, funding for the hotel came from the
US$223.08 million war reparation from Japan, which occupied the
country between 1942 and 1945.

The area where Hotel Indonesia was built used to be swampy,
inhabited by wild animals and covered by plants and trees.

The construction of the multi-storied hotel, which
accommodated contingents of the Fourth Asian Games here in 1962,
attracted American senator Robert Kennedy to directly witness the
building construction.

Said to be Indonesia's pride, the hotel was constructed by
Indonesian construction company, PT Pembangunan Perumahan,
although foreign architects and consultants were also involved.

The architects were American couple Abel and Wendy Sorensen
and the consultants were from Japan.

"At that time, we really learned from the foreign experts on
how to build," said Arsono.

Originally, the hotel had a T shape so that guests could enjoy
the city's panorama from every room.

Modern equipment was furnished, including 156 spotlights with
dimmer devices in the annex Bali Room convention hall, whose
walls could be moved automatically.

The hotel featured international standard lounges, convention
rooms, coffee shop, restaurants and an Olympic-size swimming
pool.

The hotel had a worldwide market and was advertised in
newspapers in the United States, such as the New York Herald
Tribune and the New York Times, with the motto "Hotel Indonesia,
dramatic symbol of free nations working together."

The hotel was officially inaugurated by Sukarno on Aug. 5,
1962. The first guest was a representative of the Rockefeller
Foundation named Allen Altwelt, who came to the hotel by becak
(three-wheeled pedicab).

New rooms and facilities were continuously added as the hotel
also became the place where the government's important meetings
were held.