On 12 December 2022, we finally opened the exhibition Dipl.-Ing. Arsitek: German-trained Indonesian Architects from the 1960s at Taman Ismail Marzuki in Jakarta.

The exhibition was opened in a solemn and cheerful ceremony. The families of the architects portrayed in the exhibition appeared in large numbers. After the speeches of the Berlin initiators and co-curators, Sally Below and Moritz Henning, the curators Avianti Armand and Setiadi Sopandi introduced the exhibition concept.

Ina Lepel, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Indonesia, and Diana Kusumastuti, Director General of Human Settlements, the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing, jointly opened the doors of the exhibition after their greetings.

From 12 December 2022 to 12 January 2023, the exhibition at Taman Ismail Marzuki gives an in-depth look into the careers of the selected architects. Historical documents and previously untapped archival materials allow for an intensive examination of the work of these architects against the backdrop of their training in Europe, particularly from Germany.

If you are in Jakarta, visit the TIM, it’s worth it! What you will see is anything but a normal architecture exhibition. The curatorial team makes you look at the person, at his ideas, his thoughts and his habits. Of course you will see architecture and buildings, but there are also many personal documents, which help us to get to know the people behind them.

All images: Martinus Setio