The exhibition Indonesia and the Amsterdam School – previously on display at Museum Het Schip – will travel between October 17, 2024, and January 11, 2025 to the Erasmus Huis in Jakarta, the cultural center of the Netherlands in Indonesia.
The architects and designers of the Amsterdam School were influenced by the art forms, culture, and architecture of Indonesia, then known as the Dutch East Indies. They were able to admire these in the Netherlands due to the Dutch colonial domination of the Indonesian archipelago. Numerous objects from Indonesia thus found their way into European museums and homes. The contact with the material culture of Indonesia helped shape the expressive forms and symbolism of the Amsterdam School.
During the same period, more and more Indonesians also came to the Netherlands. Most of them came to study. Among them was the Chinese-Indonesian architect Liem Bwan Tjie (1891-1966). After his studies, Liem worked at the office of Michel de Klerk, the inspiration behind the Amsterdam School. There, he contributed as a draftsman to De Klerk’s most famous buildings, including Het Schip and the Yellow Block in Amsterdam’s Spaarndammerbuurt. Liem thus contributed to the highlights of the Amsterdam School. With Piet Kramer, he worked on three villas in Bergen that unfortunately were lost to fire.
However, Liem yearned for more. After studies and adventures in Paris and China, he eventually returned to Semarang, his hometown on Java. There, he emerged as a leading architect. After Indonesian independence, his most productive period began. Liem contributed to the young nation by designing important projects, from government buildings, swimming pools, and offices to churches, convents, cinemas, and universities. His designs show a fascinating mix of modern architecture and elements from the Amsterdam School, Art Deco, and his Chinese background. According to him, he learned his attention to detail from Michel de Klerk.
The exhibition at Erasmus Huis Jakarta focuses particularly on the life and work of Liem Bwan Tjie. In addition to drawings and photographs, furniture by Liem that has never before been shown to the public will also be on display. Simultaneously, the English-language book Indonesia and the Amsterdam School: When Culture Crosses the Ocean will be published, a collection of contributions from authors on both sides of the ocean. A public program will accompany the exhibition.
The exhibition will be on view exclusively at Erasmus Huis Jakarta between October 17, 2024, and January 11, 2025.
