Fermentation of the Brain. 2015
Fibreglass, electronics, lights and timer

Heri Dono’s paintings and installations merge imagination and Indonesian folk traditions with politics and modern art. Installed at Kalba Kindergarten, Fermentation of the Brain (2015) features nine old wooden desks and benches arranged in three rows resembling a classroom. Via recycled electronics activated by pedals, two white fibreglass heads affixed to the benches nod in unison. The installation is an explicit commentary on education as propaganda during Suharto’s dictatorship (1967–1998) in Indonesia.
(Text at the exhibition. © Sharjah Art Foundation)