PROFILES

Cultural Engineer

By Elaine W. Ng

Engineers are problem solvers in the broadest sense. And for Wiyu Wahono, a mechanical engineer by training, the desire to think about the how and why of things is a major impetus behind his collecting of art.

It is likely that more people in the plastics industry have seen Wahono's collection than those in the art world. Unlike most collectors, Wahono—who stands out in flashy, fashion-obsessed Jakarta in his minimalist black trousers and white shirts—keeps most…