Tokyo, July 5th 2026 — Isradina Paricha, a student of the Performing Arts and Visual Arts Master’s Program (PSPSR), Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), participated as a presenter at the Asian Studies Conference Japan (ASCJ) 2026, held on July 4th – 5th 2026, at Sophia University, Tokyo, Japan.
Isradina at the conference, joined the panel “Engendering Relevance, Moving Beyond Present State: Critical Perspectives on the Cultural Heritage of Indonesia” and presented her research entitled “Curator’s Paradox: Reviving Collection Narrative and Re-reading the Bibis Museum in Bangunjiwo in a Post-colonial Perspective.”
The research examined the Bibis Museum in Bangunjiwo, focusing on challenges in the preservation and curatorial practices of cultural heritage. The relocation of collections into museum spaces and their display in vitrines may separate objects from their original social, historical, and cultural contexts, potentially causing them to be perceived merely as static artifacts.
The postcolonial perspective shows the study approached the Bibis Museum as a space with the meaning of cultural heritage that can continue to be negotiated. Efforts to reactivate the collections are pursued with strengthening narratives, engaging local communities, and exploring possibilities for artistic intervention to rebuild connections of objects, spaces, artists, and communities.
Isradina’s participation in ASCJ 2026 contributed in expanding academic discourse on museums, curatorial practices, and the preservation of Indonesian cultural heritage. Her participation also provided an opportunity for knowledge exchange and the development of international academic networks, and also introducing an Indonesian perspective on contextual, inclusive, and participatory approaches to cultural heritage management.
Writer: Isradina
Editor: Arfikahi