A roundabout: Blooming mementos, towards monument

A roundabout: Blooming mementos, towards monument is a research showcase by Perkumpulan Tanda Hubung Indonesia (Hyphen—), commissioned by Jim Thompson Art Center for The Shattered Worlds: Micro narratives from the Ho Chi Minh Trail to the Great Steppe. Showcasing works of Arie Syarifudin, Basoeki Abdullah, chitarum, Edhi Sunarso, Ki Tjokrowasito, Kustiyah, Nadiah Bamadhaj, Nasikin Ahmad, Paduan suara Dialita (Dialita choir), Paduan suara Lembaga Kebudayaan Rakyat (LEKRA choir), Siti Ruliyati, and Viroj Chiam-Chirawat.

This showcase is part of Perkumpulan Tanda Hubung Indonesia (Hyphen—)’s research trajectory titled The planet from where we stand. Departing from the 1955 Asian-African Conference (Bandung Conference), we revisit the event not as a static moment in history, but as a living site of inquiry. We trace what remains, what has been exaggerated or erased, and what is yet to come. While the conference is often celebrated as a symbol of global solidarity, without critical reflection, it risks being reduced to mere nostalgia. Strikingly, no official group photograph of all the delegates, only silent floral arrangements appear again and again, bearing quiet witness to the occasion. From the quiet presence of mementos and monuments, we drift through histories that are deeply entangled, between nations, ideologies, and the memories that continue to shape our understanding of the present.

Research, curatorial, and book team

Editor Perkumpulan Tanda Hubung Indonesia (Hyphen—)
Writers Andri Setiawan, Grace Samboh, Rachel K. Surijata
Designer Arie Syarifudin

Published by Perkumpulan Tanda Hubung Indonesia (Hyphen—)

in conjunction with
A roundabout: Blooming mementos, towards monument
as part of
The Shattered Worlds: Micro narratives from the Ho Chi Minh Trail to the Great Steppe
3 April – 6 July 2025