In Fermentation of the Mind, nine old-style wooden desks are arranged in three rows, resembling a classroom. White fibreglass heads are mounted on stands and secured to each desk. Stepping on a pedal produces a distorted sound of chanting and causes the heads to gently nod in unison. This work marks the period in Heri Dono’s practice when he began to comment directly on politics, specifically on the efforts to control people’s minds through propaganda during the Suharto era in Indonesia. The installation also showcases Dono’s use of recycled electronics to introduce kinetic elements into his sculptures, which tend to take human or animal form and often have a playful quality.