The Strange Mountains Archive is a space designed to explore and strengthen the dialogues between archival materials and various archiving strategies of queer South East Asian communities and their diasporas. Posing questions of archiving itself, the collection is curious about the topics of (self-)preservation, knowledge transfer, and collectivity despite multiple political and social barriers.
It holds a growing repository of knowledge, containing photographs, projects, documents, and other materials from regional activists and NGOs focused on gender and sexuality. The archive includes erotic and activist-related magazines from the Schwules Museum Berlin, alongside literature, newspaper clippings, and publications that shaped the Young Birds project. Additionally, materials gathered through conversations with local archivists and an open community call, such as zines, personal items, and videos, provide insights into the experiences and transformations of queer life. The materials reflect solidarity that transcends national borders, bypassing the East-West divide.
As an archive-in-exhibition, it offers a place of encounter, reflection and engagement to further activate multi-layered storytelling and dialogues on (community) archiving and art production.
(A) Strange Mountain TV
Strange Mountain TV shows a compilation of works that use filmmaking as a medium of archiving. The compilation captures activities in the chosen community, travels, relationships with elders, queer traces in cinema, reflections on life, and archives themselves. It opens up the question of self-archiving and self-exposure: What is the danger of the visible? How do artistic practices allow the protection of self and community? Despite everything, the documentation of one’s own life holds profound significance as a way of inscribing oneself into the world. Let’s take the camera into our own hands!
A1
My Gender is Human
Pondok Pesantren Waria Yogaykarta, Tamarra, Rully Mallay, Shinta Ratri, Ragil Huda, Kendal White, Dona Sagitta, Pandu Bagas, Ariel Victor Arthanto, and David Bryan Esch
2014
Single-channel video, 3:24 min
Note from the editor, Ragil Huda: “This film began as footage of research interviews and was later reimagined as a way to archive and share insights within my LGBTQ+ community and beyond. Submitted to the PLURAL+ 2014 Video Youth Festival, which was organized by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), it placed in the top 63 out of nearly 200 entries worldwide—a testament to its potential impact. Though it didn’t receive an award, the project marks an important step in my journey as a cultural practitioner. As my first community film, it reflects both an early stage of my growth and the constantly evolving discourse, with some knowledge and understanding gained from today’s discourse.”
Courtesy of the artists
A2
Nusaqueer Diaspora
Insan Larasati, Ribka M. Pattinama Coleman
2024
Single-channel video, 0:56 min
Nusaqueer Diaspora, a platform for the Southeast Asian queer community focused on the Indonesia diaspora, fosters connection through events and online spaces. This Nusaqueer Diaspora x U? Festival video showcases past gatherings with artistic footage, anonymized to protect community members’ safety and privacy.
Courtesy of the artists
A3
nothing: không có gì
Xuân Hạ
2015
Single-channel video, 5:00 min
A vacation trip. Images of the road leading to the North. The sound of silence. A hybrid short film blending documentary and storytelling. This short film serves as the director’s diary, chronicling a trip she took with her girlfriend from the South to the North. It reflects on perception and ownership, conveyed through the film’s bilingual title in Vietnamese and English. The title Không có gì (nothing) is taken from the famous slogan “Không có gì quý hơn độc lập tự do” (nothing is more precious than independence and freedom). The removal of the rest of the slogan, along with the film’s focus on the relationship between humans and the surrounding world and the notion of possession, unfolds through various cinematic techniques: shots that reveal only fragments of the body, frames within the screen, the separation of sound from image, speech from faces, and the use of texts on a black background without sound.
Courtesy of the artist
A4
there is always something to learn
Phương Moon
2024
Single-channel video, 1:37 min
Comment of the artist: “I won’t be here for long — a reminder not to take time for granted. The worries of the older generations about the future can be heard, alongside their wish for more presence and connection. The video captures the intimacy of a family dinner and portrays my visit to Hà Nội, where I depict my grandparents (ông bà ngoại). It conveys a sense of home through food and moments of togetherness.”
Courtesy of the artist
A5
It’s All Because of a Katoey
Ledger Group
1959
Single-channel video, 12:53 min
Made around 1954, this progressive silent comedy is the oldest existing Thai film to feature a ‘katoey’, a pre-LGBTIQ term referring to a trans woman or an effeminate gay man. The film was reactivated as part of an exhibition at Haus der Kulturen der Welt in June 2023, curated by Sarnt Utamachote, and the 34th International Queer Film Festival in October 2023, co-curated by Sarnt Utamachote and Ragil Huda, through accompanying live music by shasti, a featured artist in this exhibition, and sound artist Kei Watanabe.
Courtesy of Thai Film Archive
A6
one who hears the cries of the world
Thảo Hồ
2023
Three-channel video, 4:40 min
Narrated from the perspective of a speaking archive, “the heart of the museum,” the film follows the protagonist in her wanderings through shelves, internet archives, and artistic productions in search of traces of Vietnamese (diasporic) queer lives. Traversing through images of queer lotto shows, spiritual dances, a radio show called “Windows of Love” for sexual health consultation, historic entanglements of the Vietnam War, and the first openly gay candidate running for Vietnam’s National Assembly, the tensions between societal deconstruction, empowerment, and normalization of queer life and presence become apparent. This video work was created during Hồ’s own research in the archive of the Schwules Museum Berlin in 2022.
Courtesy of the artist
(B) Magazine Rack
The magazine rack showcases a collection of zines, catalogs, and publications exploring themes of collectivity, activism, queer life, art, cooking, rest, sexuality, belonging, archives, solidarity, language, and more. The collection consists of contributions from the curators’ personal archives, private donations, a community appeal, zine exchanges, and both online and offline archival research, especially at the A Queer Museum Hanoi and Indonesia Queer Archive. It contains zines from the BOOM Zines Archive, Queer Museum Hanoi, DAMN* Berlin Archive, and Queer Indonesia Archive, as well as publications from non-profit organizations and art exhibitions. Stories from diverse regions and exchanges among activists, such as the publication Mutating Kinship Lab, which was initiated by Ariel Orah Williams and Ming Poon, or the Collection of Myanmar’s Unstraight Stories, collected by Nhung Dinh, Tharko, Da Tha Na, and Francis George, document dialogues between Southeast Asian activists in the regions and the diaspora, crossing the boundaries between different migration paths and historical backgrounds. Other publications, such as Gaya Nusantara and Vanguard, reflect Western and Southeast Asian dialogues.
(C) Archive Cabinets
What is sacred, what is protected? What is locked away in the archive cabinet? Visitors will find literary, personal, and religious artifacts, as well as archival materials from the archives of Schwules Museum. On display are traditional Indonesian headdresses made by members of the Islamic boarding school and study group Pesantren Waria Al-Fatah, run by the trans community. The five handmade Javanese hair clips, with their floral designs, represent Javanese rituals that connect spirituality to nature through natural elements like flowers. Dee Dungeon’s personal items reflect his experience in an Islamic boarding school. A letter from 1998 to Manfred Baumgartner, a co-founder of Schwules Museum Berlin, from an Indonesian activist named Wahjoe, who visited the museum, is one of the archival items that inspired this exhibition. It symbolizes the spirit of queer solidarity across national borders. A farewell banner from Kukasina Kubaha’s family, presented at her farewell dinner, stands as a testament to emotional support from afar. The volume of poetry by Ngô Xuân Diệu, published in the 1940s, is the centerpiece of this exhibition.
The archive cabinets also feature a Lingling-o necklace, loaned by Alvin Collantes, symbolizing spiritual balance and protection in pre-colonial Philippine rituals, and a traditional Sin skirt, loaned by Vanasay Khamphommala, reflecting cultural identity and the intricate artistry of Lao textile weaving. Both items will be worn by the artists in their performances during the exhibition, bringing these cultural symbols to life. Books, catalogs, and archive boxes on the shelves provide essential research materials, offering deeper insights into the histories and narratives that shape this exhibition.
C1
Kopiah Magetop
Yellow-gold with crystal crown
Undated
Symbolizes performance and sacred art
Courtesy of Dee Dungeon
C2
Gendang Rapai
Dark brown drum
Undated
An instrument tied to communal practices
Courtesy of Dee Dungeon
C3
Topeng Klono Suwandono
Red mask out of wood
Undated
Storytelling mask depicting Javanese legends
Courtesy of Dee Dungeon
C4
Topeng Klono Gunungsari
White masks out of wood
Undated
Masks depicting Javanese legends
Courtesy of Dee Dungeon
C5
Javanese floral fabric pieces
Undated
Crafted by members of Al-Fatah, Indonesia’s trans-led Islamic boarding school and study group during one of their workshops
Courtesy of Rully Mallay
C6
Traditional batik fabric
Undated
Crafted during a workshop conducted at Al-Fatah
Courtesy of Rully Mallay
C7
Letter from Wahjoe to Martin Baumgartner
1998
The letter is addressed to Manfred Baumgartner, one of the co-founders of the Schwules Museum. In the letter, the Indonesian activist Wahjoe writes about his visit to the Schwules Museum’s library (still at Mehringdamm during that time), the May Indonesian riots in 1998, and his hopes to meet again soon.
Courtesy of Schwules Museum Berlin
C8
Gửi hương cho gió
Ngô Xuân Diệu
1967
The volume of poetry gửi hương cho gió by Ngô Xuân Diệu laid the basis of the Young Birds Project. It was originally published in 1945, one year before the outbreak of the French-Indochina War. The poetry was emblematic of Vietnamese youth during these turbulent times, yearning for change and freedom from French colonial governance. This edition, published in 1967, was kindly loaned to us by queer German-Vietnamese filmmaker Hồng Anh Nguyễn from her personal archive. Nguyễn has also drawn inspiration from Xuân Diệu’s poetry for her own collection of writing entitled khat, which can be found in the magazine rack of this exhibition.
Courtesy of Hồng Anh Nguyễn
C9
Diverse books
Courtesy of Sarnt Utamachote
C10
Diverse folders, boxes and catalogs
Ranging from articles on Ngô Xuân Diệu, mountains, spirituality and mandalas to queer theory, the white gaze, and reflections on the history of the Schwules Museum Berlin
Courtesy of the curators
C11
Lingling-o necklace
Undated
Brass pendant
A pre-colonial Philippine symbol of protection, balance, and the fusion of masculine and feminine energies
Courtesy of Alvin Collantes
C12
Sin (traditional Lao skirt)
2024
Cotton
Sin (traditional Lao skirt), an expression of cultural identity and the skilled artistry of Lao textile weaving
Courtesy of Vanasay Khamphommala
C13
Farewell Banner
2021
Polyester
Comment of Kubaha: “Gifted by my family at my farewell dinner, this banner carries well-wishes for my studies in Germany and reflects Thailand’s connection to textiles, often used for sentimental messages during life transitions.”
Courtesy of Kukasina Kubaha
C14
Magazines from Thailand and a Sketch
1994–2024
Paper
Four magazines from Thailand (titles: Marakot, Weekend for Men, Midway, Male Weekends) from the 1990s that the artist Natthapong Samakkaew discovered with the support of Jessica Walter, archive team member, during his research in the archives of the Schwules Museum Berlin. These archival materials inspired his artworks which can now be seen in this exhibition. One of Samakkaew’s first sketches for this project can be seen next to the magazines.
Courtesy of Schwulen Museum Berlin and Natthapong Samakkaew
(D) Table
Who do we talk to? With whom do we establish and maintain collectives or build archives? This station is dedicated to coming together. In March 1999, the exhibition “Gap Vietnam” opened in the Haus der Kulturen der Welt in Berlin. Vietnamese artists from diverse countries met there, including Truong Tan, who is considered the first openly gay artist from Vietnam. Salon Natasha was also part of this exhibition. It became a meeting point for artists, journalists, and curators and served as a space for conversations and discussions within the exhibition. Art and cultural institutions, such as the nổ cái bùm festival and the workshop Case(S) Study about Queer and Feminist Archives at the Goethe-Institut Hanoi in Vietnam, both of which coincided with the research phase of this exhibition in summer 2024, offer a space for local and international exchange. Art projects also offer an opportunity for the collaborative creation of archives. The artists and archivists Visàl J. Kim and Charmaine Poh create their own archives, which visually engage with questions of collectivity, belonging and queerness.
D1
Salon Natasha - Gap Viet Nam
1999
Salon Natasha, founded in Berlin in 1990 by Natasha Kraevskaia and Vu Dan Tan, was a place for artists and intellectuals, offering a space for experimental, non-commercial art. Located in their home in Hanoi, it was one of the few independent venues free from government control, playing a key role in promoting contemporary Vietnamese art. The photos show Salon Natasha as part of the exhibition space of Gap Vietnam and the curator of the exhibition, Michael Thoss, talking with some of the artists, among them Truong Tan.
Courtesy of Natalia (Natasha) Kraevskaia and Asia Art Archive
D2
Case(S) Study about Queer and Feminist Archives
Goethe Institut Hanoi and A Queer Museum
2024
Photographs of the event. A workshop hosted by Goethe-Institut Hanoi and A Queer Museum (Nhung Đinh, Thảo Linh Đinh) entitled Case(S) Study about Queer and Feminist Archives as part of the A Queer and Feminist Archive project, that explores archiving methods and preservation strategies and creates a platform for discussing challenges in preserving queer stories. For this, archivists Sidhi Vhisatya (Indonesia / Queer Indonesia Archive), Thảo Hồ (Germany / co-curator of Young Birds, HU Berlin), Đinh Nhung (Vietnam / A Queer Museum) were invited to a panel discussion facilitated by transgender advocate Chu Thanh Ha (Vietnam / IT’S T TIME). The conversations show that, despite the different national contexts, questions around queer archiving were similar to each other and that sustainable transnational dialogues are essential.
Courtesy of Goethe-Institut Hanoi and A Queer Museum
D3
Nổ Cái Bùm 2024
2024
Photo-documentation of the festival at which Lưu Bích Ngọc, one of the translators of the exhibition, and Thảo Hồ were invited to curate a screening with Vietnamese diasporic films featuring works by Duy Nguyễn, Koa Phạm, Trà My Hickin, Thuỳ-Trang Nguyễn, and Ái-Như Võ. Nổ Cái Bùm 2024 was a series of art events that traveled within the cities of Đà Nẵng and Hội An to various locations: the cafe, the beach, the neighborhood, art studios, community spaces, and cinemas. It was co-organized by A Sông, MORUA, and Symbioses and invited various artistic practitioners from all over Vietnam. This year’s theme was tập thể (dục) / Collectivity-in-(act)ion. Inspired by the Spirit of Friendship Project, an initiative that has been archiving long-standing collaborations between artists since 1975, the curators have revisited the theme of friendship as the basis of collectives. The festival explored questions of collectivity beyond the boundaries of region, nation, and identity, and the meaning of art in everyday life.
Courtesy of Nổ Cái Bùm (curators: Xuân Hạ, Red, and Ngo Thanh Phuong) and the photographers Mood Food, Peanus Creative, Mr. Light Production, Tong Khanh Ha, Mat Bet and Trong Di
D4
How Much Does a Peace of Mind Cost?
Visàl J. Kim
2023
Photo series, part of ïnbe_tween, a creative sanctuary and photo archive exploring the complexities of fragmented identity. As a queer person with roots in Cambodia and East Africa, raised in the Global North, and shaped by over a decade in Latin America, the artist grapples with yearning for belonging, the struggle for self-acceptance, and the weight of expectations from different cultural contexts. Originally part of Visál J. Kim’s exhibition How Much Does a Peace of Mind Cost? (2024), the series explores the emotional toll of navigating multiple conflicting worlds, questioning the sacrifices made in search of belonging and self-acceptance. Through this work, the artist aims to create a space for dialogue and reflection on the complexities of identity in a globalized world, particularly for those who exist at the intersections of marginalized communities.
Courtesy of the artist
D5
How They Love
Charmaine Poh
2018–2019
Parts of a photo series documenting queer feminine identity in Singapore using photography and performance to explore desire and self-representation. The protagonists engage with gender roles and matrimonial tropes, juxtaposing heteronormative histories with queer futurity. Projected onto the backdrop are their parents’ wedding portraits, a visual reminder of the heteronormative histories that have shaped many LGBTIQ people’s lives, and a juxtaposition to the possibilities they are in the midst of creating. In creating new imagery of queerness that echoes Jose Esteban Muñoz’s idea of queer futurity, the series is an archive of narratives that have long been relegated to the margins. The process of engagement is in itself a form of collective world-making and resistance-forming, blurring the lines between performance and the everyday.
Courtesy of the artist
(E) Seats
When we think of archives, we often picture a cold and isolated space. Here, the seating area invites you to linger and share, evoking the warmth of a living room where stories come alive through shared exploration. Inspired by the A Queer Museum Hanoi, founded by Nhung Đinh in 2015, which is both an archive, a community space, and a home, this station is intended to be a place of coming together. The books and photo albums are there for visitors to browse through and are intended to evoke the familiarity of a living room where stories are told. At the same time, we ask ourselves: where and by whom is knowledge produced, housed, and passed on? Who has access to it? In schools, at universities, in archives, in activist circles, and on the streets, in exhibitions and art, in our communities, on the dance floor? Where do we find ourselves?
Thai-born artist Natyada Tawonsri presents works rooted in personal history, cultural criticism, and communal storytelling. Their works, including comics and diary entries, reflect identity, belonging, and the nuances of diasporic experience. The photo albums show images of Al-Fatah, an Islamic boarding school for the transgender community founded in Indonesia in 2008, documentation of the Cabinet exhibition in Hanoi in 2015, photos of the curators’ research trips for this exhibition, postcards from the Malaysian activist group Seksualiti Merdeka, community events, demonstrations, and organized gathering places in Berlin. One thing is certain: We are here, and we are involved.
E1
Al-Fatah Islamic Boarding School
Undated
27 photographs documenting the boarding school
Courtesy of Al-Fatah Islamic Boarding School Archive and Rully Mallay
E2
Postcard “Rainbow Massacre”
Seksualiti Merdeka
2010
Postcard
An evocative representation of resilience and defiance
Courtesy of Pang Khee Teik
E3
Postcard “3 Short Plays About Sexuality“
Seksualiti Merdeka
2009
Postcard
Celebrating artistic storytelling and exploration of identity
Courtesy of Pang Khee Teik
E4
Postcard “Arts for Grabs”
Seksualiti Merdeka
2008
Postcard
Highlighting collaborative efforts between art and activism
Courtesy of Pang Khee Teik
E5
Postcard “Battle of the Sexes”
Seksualiti Merdeka
2011
Postcard
Reflecting the dynamic discourse around gender and societal norms
Courtesy of Pang Khee Teik
E6
Booklet “Together Life Gets Better”
Seksualiti Merdeka
2010
Booklet
Emphasizing community support and shared hope
Courtesy of Pang Khee Teik
E7
Booklet “Seksualiti Merdeka: Queer Without Fear”
Seksualiti Merdeka
2011
Booklet
A powerful reminder of the movement’s call for visibility and courage
Courtesy of Pang Khee Teik
E8
Exhibition booklet
Gap Vietnam (HKW Berlin)
1999
Original exhibition booklet of Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW) that was found in Hồ’s late grandmother’s home
Courtesy of Thảo Hồ
E9
B The Cowboi
Natyada Tawonsri
2021
15 double pages, painted with acrylic gouache
Natyada’s B The Cowboi follows B revisiting their hometown, reflecting on identity, space, and resilience. Inspired by the song “Be The Cowboy” by the singer Mitski, it responds to violence against Asian women* and the search for belonging.
Courtesy of the artist
E10
NATALOG
Natyada Tawonsri
2024
7 pages, drawn in a nuuna brand book
In NATALOG, Natyada Tawonsri combines drawn diary entries to reflect on identity and memory. Featured in Shedding:::Selves, with queer East/Southeast Asian artists, including Weixin Chong, Yifan He, Megumi Ohata, Kianuë Tran Kieu, Sayang, Natyada Tawonsri, Noam Youngrak Son, and Xinyu XuXX.
Courtesy of the artist
E11
Matriarchy on Wheels
Natyada Tawonsri
2022
8 pages, drawn on the Procreate app, published by Distanz Verlag
Published by Distanz Verlag, Matriarchy on Wheels by Natyada Tawonsri appears in Cutes, a bilingual (English/Arabic) anthology of queer and trans comics. This project, led by Samandal and Nino Bulling, captures queer and trans experiences through diverse styles. Featuring contributions from Lebanon, Germany, Singapore, and beyond. Participating artists are Aki Hassan, Bär Kittelmann, Barrack Rima, Bilge Emir, Joseph Kai, Michel Esselbrügge, Mloukhiyyé Al-Fil, Natyada Tawonsri, Nino Bulling, Nour Hifaoui, Nygel Panasco, and Romy Matar.
Courtesy of the artist
E12
Diverse Photo Albums
2015-2024
Documentation of the Cabinet exhibition in Hanoi in 2015, photos of the curators’ research trips for this exhibition, community events, demonstrations, and organized gathering places in Berlin
Courtesy of the artists, curators and collectives
(F) Audio
The audio station contains self-reflections on the topic of memory, resistance and queerness by Duy Nguyen, hany tea and HIỀN ĐIÊN, excerpts of a conversation between Tran Van Thang and Antonio Cerez on the first known queer party in Hanoi in the 1990s, and a conversation on archives between Nhung Đinh, Thảo Linh Đinh and Thảo Hồ. The conversation partners come together in the archive, at the radio station (THF Radio), on the dance floor, in their own homes and in the vastness of the ocean.
F1
The Sea That Swallows
Duy Nguyễn
2024
Audio, 2:23 min
Nguyễn’s project, The Sea That Swallows, is an essay and homage to the Vietnamese boat people refugees who fled their country after the war. It specifically aims to explore the psychological impacts of migration through multidisciplinary art practices (video, installation, photography). This poetry is part of a larger body of work.
Courtesy of the artist
F2
Archive Talk
Nhung Đinh, Thảo Linh Đinh, Thảo Hồ
2024
Audio, 15:00 min
In February 2024, Nhung Đinh (A Queer Museum Hanoi), Thảo Linh Đinh (ba-bau AIR), and Thảo Hồ met at THF Radio Berlin to talk about Nhung Đinh’s publications Chỉ Bàn Lộn, a collection of Vietnamese slang on queerness and sexuality, accessibility, the lack of resources for archives, the collective library at ba-bau AIR, and general questions about archiving everyday life.
Courtesy of the artists
F3
A letter on queer complexity
hany tea
2024
Audio, 3:38 min
This letter explores the complexities of queerness and the struggle of not feeling “queer enough.” The speaker reflects on how desires and attractions can challenge their sense of identity, ultimately concluding that queerness is not defined by who we love or desire but by how we resist heteronormative structures and embrace fluidity. Queerness is expansive, messy, and ever evolving, allowing space for contradiction, exploration, and freedom. In this, we are reminded that our worth and belonging are not bound by rigid expectations.
Courtesy of the artist
F4
Conversation on the Fantasy Party
Tran Van Thang, Antonio Cerezo
2014
Audio, 15:00 min
Tran Van Thang was part of the gay scene in Hanoi and now lives in Berlin. He speaks with Antonio Cerezo, the Mexican actor and husband of filmmaker Heiko Kalmbach, about the gay (party) scene in Hanoi in the 1990s, especially the Fantasy Party. Topics are contacts with the police, western influences, and free self-expression in the “underground.” The conversation was documented in the studio of the artist Veronika Radulovic in Berlin, which contains a rich archive of Vietnamese art.
Courtesy of the artists and Veronika Radulovic
F5
oceanic tides, machinic flows
Charmaine Poh, Thảo Hồ
2023
Audio, 15:00 min
In their intimate e-mails, Charmaine and Thảo let their thoughts float in multiple directions, touching on topics such as the resettlement of Vietnamese boat people in Palestine, Daoist thought as queer infinity, the East Asian femme-presenting techno-body, and fish tanks. The conversation originally took place during a public workshop of the ERC-project Tales of the Diasporic Ordinary, has been adapted for a radio show, and shortened for this exhibition.
Courtesy of the artists
F6
SỰ KỲ LẠ
HIỀN ĐIÊN
2024, Whole – United Queer Festival
Audio, 1:55:00 min
growing up in a country far from your roots/ assimilated and identities put on you/ starting to remember/ with your heart pas la tête/ rewiring s l o w l y / stripping off old skin/ Breaking Cracking Losing Shape/ rồi một lát nữa/ ready to liberate / nguồn gốc are there/ have always been/revealing themselves / which you’ve never seen
Courtesy of the artist