Ira Wibowo

+ABBA
I’ve loved them since I was a child growing up in Germany. At Christmas, we would drive from southern Germany to our grandparents’ place in Berlin, and we always had ABBA on. My mom and I would do the vocals of the two ABBA girls. Even my brother [actor Ari Wibowo] joined in. We shared a room, and on one side were his KISS posters and on the other were my ABBA ones. But he learned to appreciate my music, and I learned to appreciate his. I love the ballads; I think people tend to underestimate ABBA, but the lyrics are actually very complex. I’ve seen Mamma Mia 11 times, and I’m not done yet!

+ARTICHOKES
I love the taste. My husband says it tastes a bit like jackfruit and durian seeds: I’ve tried both and like them, and I guess they do taste a bit similar. Every time I go somewhere and they have artichokes I buy them, because they are not easy to get here. When I was pregnant with my two sons, I don’t know if it was a craving, but I really liked them then. I like them cooked simply, with salt. I just wonder why all my children like them too, because when I’m eating them they want some, too.

+TRAVELING
When I have a bit more in my piggy bank, I prefer to see the world than buy bags or shoes. My husband’s the same, so we just go. I love the different cultures, the people and food. I love Barcelona, for the people and the sights – the Gaudi architecture, the Park Güell, the Sagrada Familia and the “phantom of the opera” apartments [Casa Batlló]. In Indonesia, it’s still Bali. I know it sounds like, oh, sure, Bali, but for me it’s so beautiful, really paradise on earth.  

+PAINTING
My family has had this painting of Berlin, where I was born, since I was about two years old. We moved a lot – from Germany to here, back to Germany; in Germany we moved to the south of the country, and then came back to Indonesia – but that painting always came with us, even though it was a bit tattered at one point. When I got married, I asked for the painting to be my wedding gift, and now it is with us.

+FRIENDS & FAMILY
They’re very important to me, my rock and my foundation. I still have friends from primary school in Germany, and from my third year of junior high when I first moved here. As for my family, you can see how important they are because my brother lives next door.

+MUSICALS
I like to see musicals when I’m in London or wherever they’re showing. Sometimes Katon will come along, or he’ll have a coffee and take in the atmosphere while I go off to watch them. For me, musicals are the perfect combination of music and acting. I prefer West End musicals – I like Broadway ones, too, but sometimes they’re too modern, just trying to be different to be different. London ones are more old-fashioned and flowing.

+ROOM DIVIDER
This is a piece of furniture I really like. I found it in Bali and had it shipped here. It has photos of us at different stages of our lives: Katon and I when we were kids, our children and us now. It’s quite unique.

Bruce Emond
Photos by Adi Wahono

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