Scott Merrillees, Reviewed by Dachlan Cartwright
Jokowi - what better buzzword these days to start any piece of writing on Jakarta. Hopefully Scott Merrillees present a copy of his recently published visual record of the history of Jakarta, (and its predecessor Batavia in nineteenth Photographs century (2000)), our new governor, for which baju kotak-kotak so many hopes are pinned.
"problem-solving, problem-solving ..." is how primary teachers introduce their students to the linear analysis of fairy tales. Then, sooner than later, we introduce educators, or should introduce creative thinking, holistic and lateral to problem solving, with the underlying assumption and inspiring that for every problem there is a solution .
What does this have to do with a review of a book is essentially a collection of old postcards? Come on, what is the most enormous problem Pak Jokowi must face? Yes, urban transportation in Jakarta. And what do we see on the cover of Scott's book? Not an old building, not a group exotically asked indigenous or settlers, but the "steam tram" equally exotic and ingenious, 1925. "... The trams were powered by compressed vapor which was introduced into the cylindrical metal chamber size on the front of each tram. it was preferable to burning coal in the tram because of the heat it would create in the tropical climate already Jakarta ... "(p168). So here on the cover we have this direct descendant of Stephenson Rocket position along what is now Jl. Gajah Mada, past dokkars and pedestrians in tropical whites, with the pilot proudly point on a sign promoting BOWLS. The problem was different then, but they solved with science and ingenuity. Now it seems clear that our new governor has the vision and cojones to research and implement solutions but also bold contemporary to our viral traffic problems.
From the interview with Bruce Emond Scott Jakarta Post Weekend we learn that Scott is a survivor of the Marriott bombing in 2009. Wounded in the body, but not in spirit, his love of Indonesia transcends the "idealism" of bombers (the flawed psychology was already exposed in 1907 by Joseph Conrad in the secret agent. )
room Kendisan Kusumaatmadja to Tempo is a haunting and personal reaction book from the perspective of a young man from the city, demonstrating that nostalgia is still what it was.
The location of almost every postcard is marked on the cards!
For a map lover like me, the inclusion of these old classics well detailed street maps alone is worth buying the book. Earth, spitting chips on
There are three annexes: "People, work and entertainment" with 66 postcards focusing more on people than places; "The sooner Photo Jakarta Postcards" including 32 examples of "Groet uit Batavia" of the 1890s; and a guide to the names of colonial streets and post-colonial equivalent
Researchers and librarians. enjoy the 62 books listed in the bibliography selected, which as good starting point as any to investigate the history of Jakarta and beyond at the relevant time.
Kendisan Kusumaatmadja in his Tempo part has inspired the device to select one of 460 postcards (. No 295) and subjecting it to atmospheric analysis. I will try to do the same with one of my favorites (No. 112) that shows the "seven well-dressed gentlemen enjoying popular reading room of the hotel". This is obviously an advertising postcard posed, from around 1910 to the former Grand hotel Java. Five of the "gentlemen "pristine in tropical whites, catching up with the newspapers, which would take weeks to arrive from Europe. Note the solar topee hat panama hat and boots. Another is reading what could be the latest novel by Louis Couperus, but is probably a bound copy of the equivalent of Readers Digest . A man, a naval officer navy or merchant by his shoulder, is outside. Check on the progress of the Panama Canal, or do the crossword? On the walls are a poster, photos of a steamship and a train, which could be a Rubens reproduction (it is not known) and which may be mounted a display of postcards, which would probably cause sleepless nights deltiologists more obsessive * Scott.
You will have your own favorites, when you buy this book, I invite you to do so. It is a tribute lovingly compiled a fascinating city and often misunderstood, by a man who spent countless hours in the heat and pollution so that he can effectively occupy the same space as topographic postcards. companies based in Jakarta, here's a piece of choice for your customer reception area, this is the gift for customers worldwide.
We started with a buzz word, so let's end with one another. Much of the credit for the exceptional quality of the layout and appearance of the book goes to the pioneering editor, Mark Hanusz, and his company, (synchronistically, as I started writing this review on 22 September) -. Equinox
* deltiologist -. You will have sussed that this has nothing to do with Mississippi Blues or wetland ecology, but refers to a practitioner of third hobby of collecting the most popular in the world (after the stamps and coins)
Greetings from Jakarta: Postcards of paramount 1900-1950 by Scott Merrillees published by Equinox (2012) is available from the gallery Bartele Rp.550,000. Call 62 21 719 0087 for your copy delivered to you free!
Scott welcomes relevant comments and other information as well as news of all other postcards Jakarta not appear in his book. Contact him at scott@greetingsfromjakarta.com.