What happens when a world-traveling comic artist returns to the place that once changed his creative life? You get a cross-continental reunion of art, memory, and cultural soul-searching. This June, French illustrator Joël Alessandra lands back in Indonesia—and this isn’t just another art tour. It’s personal.

To mark 75 years of France-Indonesia diplomatic relations, the Institut français d'Indonésie (IFI) is pulling out all the stops. And who better to headline this creative celebration than a comic artist whose sketchbook once captured the heartbeat of Indonesia?

If you’re into graphic novels, visual storytelling, or just want to see your country through the eyes of a globe-trotting artist—you’ll want in on this.

Back in 2014, Alessandra joined an artist residency in Indonesia. That trip became the heart of a beautifully raw, indie-published book: “Kompilasi Komikus: Carnet de résidences en Indonésie.” Think part comic, part travel diary, part cultural love letter. It peeled back the layers of Indonesia—not with tour guide clichés, but with sketches of real life, real people, and the silent magic between them.

“His work doesn’t just draw a place—it remembers it,” says an IFI spokesperson. “And in remembering, it invites others to see it anew.”

Now, over a decade later, Alessandra returns. From June 12–22, 2025, he’s setting off on a 4-city tour: Jakarta, Bandung, Medan, and Denpasar — bringing with him his latest works, stories, and open sketchbooks.

The tour kicks off at Institut Kesenian Jakarta (IKJ) with a public talk, then moves to Bentara Budaya for the “Graphic Memoir” exhibition. Expect everything from live sketching sessions to deeply personal storytelling about the places and faces that shaped his art.

But the real gem? The tour’s finale at Bali Arts Festival (PKB), inside the Pasifika Museum — a poetic full circle for an artist who first discovered Bali through a creative lens.

“This isn’t just about comics,” Alessandra says. “It’s about memory, identity, and how we carry places with us, even when we leave.”

Whether you're a design student, an indie art fan, a hidden sketchbook hoarder, or just someone who’s felt transformed by travel — this tour is a rare chance to witness how a country becomes a muse.