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Hotel Indonesia traffic circle bids farewell to Getah Getih
The weatherworn bamboo of Getah Getih has been stored in Ragunan, South Jakarta.
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The Getah Getih installation was taken down on Wednesday over fears that it may collapse. (kompas.com/David Oliver Purba)
T
he Jakarta Forestry Agency dismantled a bamboo art installation called Getah Getih at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle, Central Jakarta, on Wednesday night.
Agency head Suzi Marsitawati said on Thursday that the decision to disassemble the artwork was made because the bamboo had become brittle.
“Because the bamboo turned rickety due to weather. Hence, some of the braids of the bamboo have come apart. [We] worry it might collapse,” she said.
The dismantled bamboo installation is being stored in Ragunan, South Jakarta.
“We will pick the good [bamboo] to be used for bamboo houses,” she told The Jakarta Post, adding that the bamboo could also be used in parks.
Joko Avianto, a West Java-born artist, was the mastermind behind the artwork. Getah Getih refers to the red-and-white flag of the 13th century Javanese Majapahit kingdom that became the country’s national flag.
The 5.5-meter-tall artwork worth Rp 550 million (US$39,577) was installed last year to celebrate Independence Day. The artwork was held up by 73 bamboo stilts, symbolizing 73 years of Indonesian independence. The shape symbolized unity.
