Asian art traditions

Asian art exhibition: Two Asias, Two Europes at the Duolun Museum of Modern Art

2005-10-31T02:05:00.000-08:00

Two Asias, Two Europes: An International exhibition of Contemporary Art
Nov. 4, 2005 - Dec. 28, 2005, Shanghai Duolun Museum of Modern Art

The Shanghai Duolun Museum of Modern Art is pleased to present Two Asias, Two Europes, an international exhibition of contemporary art to be launched on Nov. 4, 2005. The exhibition will showcase the latest works of 37 top artists from 14 countries and regions in Asia and Europe in order to present what “Two Asias” and “Two Europes” really means from the view of contemporary art.

Two Asias, Two Europes, theme statement of chief curator Gu Zhenqing

How were the definitions of Asia and Europe made? How do the two continents define each other?

Asia and Europe these two continents boast ancient civilizations, whose evolutions have created a number of art, literature and philosophy systems - varied in styles but mutually correlated - and left a huge and profound impact on man’s life. The present progress of globalization has promoted the codependency between the different political and social mechanisms under different cultural backgrounds. To face the common challenges, people are intensifying the close cooperation and prompting common interests.

The attitude towards Asia agrees with the attitude towards Europe; rather, the issue of Europe and that of Asia are two angles of the same issue.

In 2004 the worldly known outbursts of warfare in Asian region like the counter-terrorism war in Afghanistan and Iraqi war, which took the form of civilization conflicts, are in essence the challenges posed by unilateralism against the post-war world order. With NATO’s eastern expansion, borders between east and west Europe have been wiped out. In the view of Conservatives, the continent is separated into the old and the new- since the days of the old Europe passed away, the future will be a stage for new bloods. In Asia, a continent yet more multicultural, the confrontations between socialist and capitalist camp have been gone as a memory. Does this bring into being a new order? The diversity of culture and the religious frictions hinder the coming of the new order in Asia. In this new century global attention is caught by two Asias, one with rapid growth and the other with sluggish development, even going backwards; the increasing gap between the two will return this continent to public focus and discussion.

The museum establishment, censuses and maps, in the wake of the modern nationalism, come to serve as efficient tools to enhance the cultural self-identification and clear the heterogeneous culture formation. The spontaneous fusion of cultures has been replaced by the political discourse of cultural exchange, a demand raised among nations, and moreover, the exchange patterns bring forth conflicts of civilizations. People of the past would never handle, in the name of cultural exchange, those overseas goods with attached exoticism that was absorbed by the local society years after its introduction. Hence, the detailed analysis reveals the formation of modern European civilization, influenced by the Asian counterpart, contains elements of many other cultures. Regarding the modern Asia, there has been an evident trend of studying or even copying the western culture and institution since the cultural migration. Therefore, the two Asias refer to the Asia per se and its mirror in the histories and social realities of the European countries while the two Europes relate to the very continent and a Europe fancied by the asian countries during the course of their imitation towards the real one.

Rather than the further legalization of orientalism, existing classification and consented plan, the “Two Asias and Two Europes”, through the persistent investigation of two continents’ histories and realities, has made clear the dazzling plural forms of Asia and Europe. Melting away the agreed borders, it brings once again the Europe and Asia to a perilous predefined stage, a zone of uncertainty.

By driving the artists to a worldwide platform in which neo-conservatism prevails, the international contemporary art exhibition Two Asias and Two Europes will form a forum where the contemporary art under the global context can be experienced as a down-to-earth imagination or a rehearsal. Though the globalization progress carries unilateral forces, it is semi-cooked and sees possibilities of any kind. And the future relies on what we are about to doing instead of its current status.

Exhibited European and Asian artists:
Belgium: Wim Delvoye, Koen Vanmechelen
China: Qu Yan, Jin Jiangbo, Song dong, Shen Shaomin, Song Tao, Xu Tan, Yue Luping, etc.
France: Emmanuel Biger, Nina KovachevaฃซValentin Stefanoff
Germany: Alexander Steig, Christianne Oppermann, Dieter Jung, Echardt Westermeier, Harro Schmidt, Susanne Knecht, Susanne Winterling, Timm Ulrichs, Ursula Neugebauer
Holland: Tiong Ang
Japan: Miwa Yanagi
Korea: Jeon Joon-Ho, Lee Han-su
Norway: Marianne Heske, Mette Tronvoll
Poland: Artur Daniel Grabowski, Izabela Gustowska, Jacek Jerzy Staniszewski, Konrad Jakub Kuzyszyn,Slawomir Sobczak, Tomazs Wendland
Singapore: Sookoon Ang
Sweden: Annik Larsson
Taiwan, China: Peng Hungchih, Yao Jui-chung,Vincent J.F. Huang
Thailand: Manit Sriwanichpoom
U. K.: Roger Bourke

Chief Curator: Gu Zhenqing; Co-curators: Harro Schmidt, Tomazs Wendland
Art Director: Shen Qibin
Assistant Curator: Pan Huimin, Yue Luping
Public Relation: Zhao Song
Project Director: Wang Chunshan, Sheng Shanyuan, Bao Zhengyuan

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Asian art Traditions Unbound at the Asian Art Museum

2005-10-25T02:28:00.000-07:00

Traditions Unbound: Groundbreaking Painters of Eighteenth-Century Kyoto
December 3, 2005–February 26, 2006, Part I: December 3, 2005–January 8, 2006, Part II: January 11–February 26, 2006

Eighteenth-century Kyoto saw the blossoming of an urban culture of richness, diversity, and originality, in which Japanese art works of the highest quality were produced. The remarkable range of styles that Kyoto embraced in this period is the result of creative transformation and tasteful commercialization of the courtly arts, the selective adaptation of foreign styles from China and the West to traditional Japanese painting, and fearless recognition of the individuality and originality hidden in the minds of artists.

Traditions Unbound: Groundbreaking Painters of Eighteenth-Century Kyoto is a two-part exhibition featuring 61 painted screens, sliding door panels, and scrolls by eight innovative artists who lived in or were active in Kyoto during the eighteenth century. The artists showcased--Watanabe Shiko, Ike Taiga, Yosa Buson, Maruyama Okyo, Goshun, Nagasawa Rosetsu, Soga Shohaku, and Ito Jakuchu--are considered novel because their fresh images and independent spirits are clearly manifested in their paintings.

These artists relentlessly pursued new styles, techniques, and visions by disregarding traditional artistic norms. Contemporary art critics regarded them strange or odd (ki), its meaning can be extended to include “individualists,” “expressionists,” even “eccentrics.” In the end, the painters succeeded in expressing themselves in startling new images.

The artworks on view in Traditions Unbound are borrowed from prestigious museums and private holdings in Japan as well as the United States, and seven works are designated by the Japanese government as Important Cultural Properties or Important Art Objects.

Please note: The artworks in this exhibition are divided into two separate installations. The first grouping of paintings is on view December 3, 2005 through January 8, 2006. The second grouping is on view January 11 through February 26, 2006. The galleries will be closed on Tuesday, January 10 to accommodate the installation of the second grouping.

Organized by the Asian Art Museum, the Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan, and the Kyoto National Museum.

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Asian art exhibition: Tokyo – Berlin / Berlin – Tokyo, Mori Art Museum, Tokyo

2005-10-12T02:29:00.000-07:00

Tokyo – Berlin / Berlin – Tokyo, A Tale of Two Cities
Exploring a Mutual Fascination that Has Shaped the Art and Culture of Tokyo and Berlin for Over a Century
Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, 28 January (Sat) – 7 May (Sun) 2006

A joint project and exhibition planned by the Mori Art Museum, Tokyo and the Neue Nationalgalerie, Berlin is to be shown in Tokyo from January 28 to May 7, 2006 and in Berlin from June 7 to October 3, 2006. This exhibition examines for the first time the cultural contacts between the two capitals from the end of the nineteenth century until now, a time in which both cities have become established as centers of avant-garde art and literature.

The exhibition combines fine art, nihonga, prints, design, architecture, film, photography, video and computer art borrowed from leading German, Japanese and other public and private collections. The installation at the Neue Nationalgalerie, with its close link to Japanese architecture in Mies van der Rohe’s design, will echo the proportions and style of traditional Japanese art. The exhibition in Tokyo will fall within the remit of the Germany in Japan year 2005-2006 and presents an entirely new view of the development of modern Japanese art, photography and architecture

Japan’s interest in Berlin begins with the Die-Takeuchi Mission to Europe including Berlin in 1862, the employment of German technical specialists and the first students it sent to the Humboldt University during the latter half of the nineteenth century; more than six hundred Japanese students had studied there before the First World War. From the 1880s Berlin architects Hermann Ende and Wilhelm Bockmann were in Tokyo designing official buildings for the Japanese government and their Ministry of Justice (1887) can still be seen. On return to Berlin they incorporated a number of “exotic” Japanese elements in their designs for the Berlin Zoo.

For Berlin, the capital of German Impressionism, Expressionism, New Objectivity and Bauhaus, the abstract qualities of Japanese art and architecture, were both an inspiration and an ideal that extended far beyond the ‘fever for Japan’ of the nineteenth century to encompass an aesthetic of simplicity and fitness for purpose that have been an inspiration to many leading artists, architects and designers from the 1920s to the present.

At the turn of the century, fascinated by the exoticism, elegance and craftsmanship of Japanese art and design, Berlin artist Emil Orlik and japanologist Fritz Rumpf came to Tokyo to take a closer look. At the same time Japanese artists like Kobayashi Mango traveled to Berlin where they found out about western methods of painting and ways of seeing. In architecture too, the proportions and structural methods of traditional Japanese architecture strongly influenced Berlin modernist architects of the 1920s and 1930s including Walter Gropius, head of the Bauhaus, Erich Mendelsohn, Mies van der Rohe and Bruno Taut. Taking refuge from the National Socialists Taut lived in Japan from 1933 to 1936 and stayed for a time in Tokyo where he wrote his famous book on Japanese art and architecture “Ich Liebe die Japanische Kultur” [I love Japanese Culture].

Paris was traditionally regarded as the art capital of the world yet we can now also see that Berlin also played a vitally important role in Japan’s cultural development. In 1914 the avant-garde Berlin gallery Der Stürm held a seminal exhibition in Tokyo and during the chaos that followed the end of the First World War a number of young Japanese artists led by Murayama Tomiyoshi moved between Tokyo and Berlin participating in the Dada movement as well as in experimental theatre, dance and architecture. Murayama’s MAVO group was extremely influential in establishing modernism in Tokyo. German Expressionist film also made a considerable impact in Tokyo at this time as did the “New Photography” of the mid and late 1920s. FIFO, the Film and Photo exhibition that had previously been shown in Stuttgart and Berlin traveled to Tokyo in 1931.

During the dark years of dictatorship and militarism during the 1930s and early ‘40s the best art in both cities is marked by a sense of freedom and resistance. After the devastation of war both cities had to struggle to rebuild their fabric and create their own “economic miracles” and artists had to find new ways of working that were not compromised by the past. Split between East and West Berlin became a divided city; the west favored abstract art often on an American or French model, the East produced more heroic realistic work influenced by Soviet Socialist Realism. Clear cultural links were again established in the Subjektiv Fotografie of the mid-1950s and the Fluxus movement at the beginning of the 1960s that brought together a number of German and Japanese members.

In Tokyo the exhibition will end by concentrating on the diversity and vitality of the Berlin art scene today. In Berlin the ground floor of the Neue Nationalgalerie will be devoted to an equally stimulating display of the contemporary Tokyo scene.

The following German and Japanese artists will be represented in the exhibition:
Akasegawa Genpei, Hijikata Yoshi + Murayama Tomoyoshi, Ishimoto Kikuji, Kawabata Ryushi, Kawara On, Kishida Ryusei, Kitadai Shozo + Otsuji Kiyoji, Kon Wajiro, Okamoto Taro, Saito Yoshishige + Otsuji Kiyoji, Takizawa Mayumi, Tamamura Hokuto, Teshigahara Sofu + Otsuji Kiyoji, Tsuchiura Kameki, Yamada Mamoru, Yamaguchi Bunzo + Yamaguchi Eichi, Yamaguchi Katsuhiro + Otsuji Kiyoji, Yamawaki Iwao, Max Beckmann, Marcel Breuer, David Burliuk, Hermann Ende ＆ Wilhelm Böckmann, Raoul Hausmann, Erich Heckel, Hannah Höch, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Ludwig Meidner, Erich Mendelsohn, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, Wilhelm Morgner, Max Pechstein, Hans Poelzig, Horst Strempel, Bruno Taut, and many others.

An international team of specialists has prepared the exhibition and a fully illustrated catalogue will be published in Japanese and German editions.

A supporting program of films, performances, lectures and symposia will be held in connection with the exhibition.

Organizers: Mori Art Museum; SMB, Neue Nationalgalerie, Berlin; Asahi Shimbun
Under the Auspices of the Embassy of The Federal Republic of Germany in Japan
Supported by: Tokyo Broadcasting System, Inc.; Toei Company
Additional support by: Committee for 2005/2006 Deutschland in Japan

Curators: Berlin: Angela Schneider, Gabriele Knapstein, Andres Lepik and Tokyo: David Elliott, Nanjo Fumio, Hirose Mami, Kataoka Mami

For more information, contact the Mori Art Museum:
Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-6150 Japan
Tel: 03-5777-8600

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Asian art gallery in Northern Thailand: the Nan Riverside Art Gallery

2005-10-07T01:55:00.000-07:00

Founded by a famous Thai artist to promote Northern Thai artists

Nan Riverside Art Gallery was founded by Winai Prabripoo, a famous Thai artist, with the objective to give experienced and emerging Thai artists residing in Northern Thailand the opportunity to present their works outside the Thai art capitals of Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

Located on the banks of the Nan river (on Thawangpha road, kilometer 20 between Muang and Thawangpha districts), the off-the-beaten tracks gallery is nested in a gorgeous landscape of mountains and water.

Originally constructed as Winai Prabripoo’s residence and art studio, the building was later developed to accommodate a gallery, presenting both his paintings created during the last 22 years and other Thai artists creations. Most works presented are from modern Thai artists, and include abstract and semi-abstract creations from great Thai art masters.

Whether you are a serious Asian art collector or curious to learn more on Thai contemporary art, a visit to the Nan Riverside Gallery is highly recommended, not only for the quality selection of paintings on show, but also for the gorgeous and serene landscapes and the beautiful buildings combining teak wood and river polished stone.

Location and opening hours
The Gallery is easily accessible by road transportation form the City of Nan, and opened Wednesdays to Sundays from 10.00 am to 5 pm.

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Asian art Gallery in Bangkok: La Lanta

2005-10-03T03:23:00.000-07:00

Connecting to art

La Lanta was founded with the objective to introduce art into people’s everyday life, whether art skills, art images or other art media and art experiences.

La Lanta values the talents of Thai and international artists. They are an active promoter of Asian arts and their activities range from organizing paintings and sculptures exhibitions by Thai and Asian artists to offering art workshops and promoting licensed art prints from international artists.

They regularly showcase exhibitions, in their gallery as well as other locations in Thailand, to present and promote Thai artists and other Asian creators, both emerging and established talents. Among the emerging Thai artists they represent are: Viroj Rattabajamcharoen, Wiwat Nantirak, Chaiwat Kamfung and Alonkorn Siprasert.

La Lanta also offers an extensive collection of licensed fine art prints of international and Asian artists, as well as custom framing services and various art related items such as ready-made frames, books and notebooks.

True to their mission of connecting people to art, they organize different art classes, led by experienced Thai art teachers, for beginners as well as more experienced painters. Art classes are offered every week throughout the year and new attendees can join at anytime. To encourage a better learning experience, classes are limited to 5-8 attendants per session.

La Lanta art gallery is conveniently located in downtown Bangkok at the All Season Place Retail Center on Wireless Road.

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Asian art gallery in Singapore: HeinArt Gallery

2005-09-28T02:36:00.000-07:00

Bringing art closer to the people in Singapore

HeinArt Gallery opened in April 2004 with the mission to bring art closer to the people.

They firmly believe that education and sharing are important elements in bringing art to the people. They also believe strongly in supporting new and up-coming Singaporean artists and encouraging Asian art new talents to pursue their creative passions.

The artworks presented by HeinArt are contemporary Singaporean art and other Asian artworks in oils, acrylic, watercolor, sculptures and ceramics.

HeinArt Gallery started with participation at ART Singapore, the contemporary Asian art fair at the SUNTEC Convention Centre, and has held numerous exhibitions at its gallery since then.

Among the Singaporean and other Asian artists recently exhibited at the art gallery are the painters Tiong Tian Tong, Chen Chong En and Tay Bak Chang; Singaporean sculptors Ken Kua and Lim Guan Huat; and Singaporean ceramic artists Ya Chye and Ken Kua.

Location and opening hours:

HeinArt Gallery at Chinatown Point is located next to the historic district of Kreta Ayer in Chinatown, and at the fringe of the Central Business District and in close proximity to Raffles Place, the financial hub of Singapore. There is an underground car park and the Chinatown MRT station is just besides the building.

The gallery occupies an area of 800 square feet of display space, designed in a minimalist and friendly interior style.

It is opened everyday except Mondays, from11 am to 7 pm.

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Asian art news: Regional judges announced for 2006 Sovereign Asian art prize

2005-09-26T03:45:00.000-07:00

The Sovereign Art Foundation has confirmed six judges for the 2006 Sovereign Asian Art Prize giving representation from around the region.

Judges for the 3rd annual Asian art prize are now confirmed as Ark Fongsmut (Thailand), Dr Alice Guillermo (Philippines), Claire Hsu (Hong Kong), Fumio Nanjo (Japan), Dr Gao Shiming (China) and Enin Supriyanto (Indonesia).

These highly acclaimed judges will bring the broadest possible expertise across the region to find the best of Asian contemporary art and provide critical insight to and understanding of the regions best works.

The Sovereign Asian Art Prize invites the regions best artists to compete for the first prize of US$25,000. Those who make the shortlist of the top 30 best works will enjoy an exhibition in a major public space in Hong Kong and perhaps other cities around the region. Later an auction and gala dinner will be held in association with Sotheby’s in Hong Kong with all proceeds going to assist the charitable work of the foundation.

The Sovereign Art Foundation would like to thank Cathay Pacific Airways for sponsoring the flights for the judges and the prize-winning artist to come to Hong Kong.

For more information: tiffany@sovereignartfoundation.com

2006 Sovereign Asian Art Prize Judges’ biographies

Ark Fongsmut (Thailand)
Born in 1964 in Bangkok, Thailand, Ark received his BA and MA in Political Science from Chulalongkorn University in 1986 and 1989 respectively. He began his career in curatorship in 1996 at Baan Chao Phraya Gallery, a non-profit art space, before taking up an MA course in Fine Art Administration and Curatorship at Goldsmiths College, London in 1999. His curatorial practices play with the diverse meanings of art space both inside the gallery and public space. His previous art projects amongst others include The Month of Photography Bangkok 2 at ten art spaces in Bangkok, Present Perfect at Bhirasri Institute of Modern Art (the dilapidated art centre), the Thai- Filipino Artists Exchange Project, etc.

Besides working as a curator at Bangkok University Gallery, Ark also teaches Visual Art Administrations at several leading universities such as Chulalongkorn University, Mahidol University, Silpakorn University, Thammasat University and is a feature writer for magazines, newspapers and art catalogues.

Dr Alice Guillermo (Philippines)
Alice Guerrero-Guillermo studied at the Universite d’Aix-Marseille in France where she obtained her doctoral degree in Philippine Studies. In 1976, she won the art criticism award of the Art Association of the Philippines. She has written widely on art, culture, and politics, and has read papers in numerous local and international conferences.

In 1995-96, she did research in postmodernism in Japanese art under a Japan Foundation Fellowship. In 1999 she was awarded the distinction of Centennial Honoree for the Arts (Art Criticism) by the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Among her books are Image to Meaning , a collection of critical essays and reviews which won the Gintong Aklat Award and Protest/Revolutionary Art in the Philippines 1970-1990, an art-historical dissertation which won the UP Chancellor’s Award for Best Book. She is also co-author of Tanaw, Perspectives on the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Painting Collection. Dr. Guillermo has taught in the Art Studies Department of the College of Arts and Letters, University of the Philippines where she is now Professor Emeritus.

Claire Hsu (Hong Kong)

Upon graduating with a MA in History of Art from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Claire moved back to Hong Kong in December 2000 to co-found the Asia Art Archive. As its first executive director, Claire has overseen all aspects of setting up the Asia Art Archive, from fund-raising, communication and marketing to develping the database, website and physical archive.

Claire is committed to raising awareness and understanding of contemporary Asian art and developing Hong Kong as an importat centre for visual art.

Fumio Nanjo (Japan)

Fumio Nanjo (b.1949) is currently the Deputy Director of the Mori Art Museum, Tokyo. He is also an art critic and a lecturer at Keio University, Tokyo.

Nanjo has organized numerous exhibitions and his main achievements include: commissioner of the Japan Pavilion at the Venice Biennale (1997); commissioner of the Taipei Biennale (1998); member of the jury committee of the Turner Prize by the Tate Gallery (1998); co-curator of the 3rd Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (1999); member of the selection committee of the Sydney Biennale (2000); director for the Japan Pavilion at EXPO 2000 in Hanover; artistic co-director of the Yokohama Triennale (2001); a selector of Artes Mundi Prize in Wales, UK in 2004. He has also been appointed artistic director of the first Singapore Biennale.

Advisory positions include: vice president of Association International des Critiques d' Art (AICA); board member of Comité International des Musées d'Art Moderne et Contemporain (CIMAM). Also involved in selection committees of several art awards and artist-in-residence programmes, including the 51st Venice Biennale (jury member of the Leon d'Or Prize).

Dr Gao Shiming (China)

Gao Shiming is an associate professor in the Department of Criticism and Art History as well as the Executive Director of the Center of Visual Cultural Research at the China Academy of Art. His main research interests are the intellectual history of art, visual culture research, curatorial practices, and his recent curatorial projects include serving as assistant curator to the 2004 Shanghai Biennale and executive curator of an investigative project, Edges of the Earth: Migration of Contemporary Art and Regional Politics in Asia. Dr Gao is an active contributor to various publications, journals, and exhibition catalogs.

Enin Supriyanto (Indonesia)

Enin Supriyanto studied at the Fine Art and Design Department in 1984 at the Bandung Institute of Technology in Indonesia moving on to work as an Art Director and then Creative Director for an advertising agency in Jakarta. Enin also currently serves as guest curator for Bentara Budaya Jakarta, a cultural centre in Jakarta. Exhibitions he has curated include “Search and Changes: The Works of Mochtar Apin”, Edwin’s Gallery, Jakarta (2006), “Equatorial Heat” at the Sichuan Art Museum in China and “The Olympics, Celebrating Humanity”, at the Nadi Gallery. Enin also participated in the Asia-Pacific Triennale of Contemporary Arts, Queensland Gallery of Modern Art as a writer and guest speaker.

Enin has also worked as an editor for “Bentara”, a monthly art and culture special section of Kompas, the largest daily newspaper in Jakarta. His major publications as a writer/editor include: “Perjalanan Seni Lukis Indonesia, dari Koleksi Bentara Budaya” (Short History of Indonesian Modern Art from the Collection of Bentara Budaya) and “Setengah Abad Seni Grafis Indonesia” (Half a Century of Indonesian Modern Printmaking).

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Asian art traditions: Chinese calligraphy exhibition: the Poetic Mandarin

2005-09-18T21:34:00.000-07:00

The poetic Mandarin, Chinese calligraphy from the James Hayes Collection , 23 September - 27 November 2005, Art Gallery of New South Wales

In late imperial China the art of calligraphy became the most esteemed of all the arts. This exhibition and accompanying publication reveal a very personal journey of collecting. For James Hayes, serving in the Hong Kong government in the 1970s and '80s, calligraphy became not only a source of pleasure and satisfaction but also a wonderful insight into the style, manner and machinery of government in Qing dynasty China (1644-1912).

Acquired over four decades, the James Hayes Collection wonderfully illustrates the great tradition of Chinese calligraphy and the Art Gallery of New South Wales is indebted to James Hayes for donating this wonderful collection to the Gallery. The exhibition, The Poetic Mandarin, comprising 47 calligraphic works ranging from the late Ming to early 20th century, acknowledges this unique contribution to the Gallery's Asian art collection.

"The art of calligraphy in China is far more than the mere act of writing. It is an art of revelation, through meaning, interpretation, emotion, imagination and the sheer physical flourish of the brush and ink." Edmund Capon, director, Art Gallery of New South Wales.

The calligraphic works on show were composed by scholar-officials, or scholar-mandarins, many of whom were members of the esteemed imperial Hanlin Academy and notable calligraphers, painters, poets and philosophers. Some were more important as high officials than as calligraphers, but such was the aura surrounding high office in the elite culture of the Qing period that their brushwork was still in demand.

Many of the scrolls are couplets. The unique form of the Chinese couplet comprises two narrow pieces of paper or silk, usually hung either side of a large painting or doorway. The couplets, taken from classical poetry or contemporary literary works composed by the calligraphers can be appreciated for their literary, scholarly and aesthetic values. It was common practice to send them to friends or relations on such occasions as marriage or birthday, or as condolences to families of deceased persons.

The accompanying publication includes essays by Edmund Capon, director, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Dr James Hayes and Dr Liu Yang, curator, Chinese Art, Art Gallery of New South Wales.

For more information:
Art Gallery of New South Wales
Art Gallery Road, The Domain, Sydney
(02) 9225 1744 or recorded information (02) 9225 1790
National Toll Free 1800 679 278

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contemporary Asian art gallery: Thavibu Gallery

2005-09-14T01:27:00.000-07:00

An art gallery for quality contemporary Asian paintings

Thavibu Gallery’s objective is to promote contemporary art, particularly from Thailand , Vietnam and Burma , hence the name Thavibu Gallery.

The emphasis is on young and upcoming Thai artists, Vietnamese artists and Burmese artists whose works express and communicate the imaginative aspects of their culture and reflect concerns that range broadly from the spiritual and aesthetic to the social and political. The Gallery also carries some other artworks, mainly from Asian countries.

Thavibu Gallery regularly organizes exhibitions, both in their premises and at other venues in Bangkok. Among the latest contemporary Asian artists presented are: Burmese artists Aung Kyaw Htet, Aung Kyaw Tun, Myint Swe, and U Lun Gywe; Thai artists Warawut Intorn, Teerayut Inkaew, Thaweesak Srithongdee, Kritsana Chaikitwattana, and Therdkiat Wangwatcharakul and Vietnamese artists Trinh Tuanand Nguyen and Thanh Binh.

Further fulfilling its mission to promote knowledge in contemporary Asian art, Thavibu Gallery also published three Asian art books: Flavors - Thai Contemporary Art by Steven Pettifor, Trinh Tuan - Lacquer Paintings, and Dinh Quan - Lacquer Paintings.

Location and opening hours:

Thavibu Gallery is conveniently located in the Silom business district at the Silom Galleria shopping center.

The modern Asian art Gallery is open Tuesday to Saturday: from 11 am to 7 pm and on Sundays from 12 am to 6 pm.

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Asian art gallery: the Sombat Permpoon Gallery

2005-09-12T04:05:00.000-07:00

Founded to support Thai artists

Founded in 1982, Sombat Permpoon Gallery is one of Thailand leading promoters of Thai artists, both experienced masters and emerging talents.

Sombat Wattanathai, the owner originally started with a small venue and later on, opened 4 branches in luxury hotels in Bangkok.

Accumulating more than 10,000 Thai art pieces over the years, Sombat Wattanathai ultimately decided in 1995 to open a larger venue, spacious enough to display large numbers of these artworks simultaneously. The Sombat Perm Poon Gallery was inaugurated in a large 6 story building located in the heart of Bangkok.

The showcased collections include traditional and modern paintings as well as sculptures by Thai artists, both established artists and those of the new generation.

Location
The Thai art gallery is located downtown Bangkok, a short walk from the nearest sky-train station and provides as well a large parking for visitors.

The gallery is open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., including holidays and weekends.

address: 12 Sukhumvit Soi 1 (Ruenrudee), Klongtoey Nua, Wattana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand.
Telephone: +66 2 254 6040-6

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Asian art: Forbes Symposium - Scientific Research in the Field of Asian art

2005-09-07T03:24:00.000-07:00

Freer Gallery of Art September 29–October 1, 2005

Studies of the Sculptural Arts of Asia Using Scientific Methods

Papers which report the results of recent analytical or technical studies of works of art representative of the sculptural traditions of Asia are being sought. As with previous Forbes symposia on scientific research in the field of Asian art, it is hoped that the papers will show the impact of the use of scientific methods of study on broader questions of a technical, historical, or art historical nature. The theme is not intended to be limited to pure sculpture; a study on the sculptural aspects of other works of art would be a viable topic.

Speakers should plan on a 25-minute presentation and submit a final manuscript (3000–4000 words) at the time of the symposium to enable publication to proceed in a timely way. Funding to offset speakers travel expenses will be available. The language of the symposium is English.

Registration
There will be no conference fee, but advance registration is necessary.

For More Information:
Forbes Symposium 2005/DCSR
Freer Gallery of Art/Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Smithsonian Institution, MRC 707
P.O. Box 37012
Washington D.C. 20013-7012, U.S.A.
Email: dcsr@asia.si.edu

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Asian art: Asian sculptures

2005-08-31T00:02:00.000-07:00

Modern Asian sculptures are breaking away form the traditional oriental iconography.

Explore our Asian bronze sculpture gallery and discover the, modern but unmistakably Asian, creations of Asian sculptors at: sculptures

Asian art: Thai figurative paintings

2005-08-30T03:23:00.000-07:00

Inspired by Buddhist art and Thai mural paintings, today’s Thai figurative paintings are sought after by Asian art collectors.

Playing with vivid colors and styles, contemporary Thai artists are revitalizing Thai traditional paintings.

Explore our Thai figurative paintings collection at: Thai figurative paintings

Asian art: modern figurative paintings

2005-08-30T03:21:00.000-07:00

Figurative contemporary art is one of the richest trends in Asian art.

Peruse our gallery of Asian modern figurative paintings to discover the eclectic styles and diverse inspirations of contemporary Asian artists at:modern figurative paintings

Asian art traditions: Orientations - September 2005

2005-08-24T01:31:00.000-07:00

The world first learned of Tibet and the Dalai Lama through diplomats and adventurers who were privileged or brave enough to journey there. With the tumultuous events of the mid-20th century, this exotic view has been transformed. Although the Dalai Lama has become one of the potent symbols of our time, little is known about the institution that he represents and the
lineage he belongs to.

`The 14 Dalai Lamas: Tibetan Reincarnations of Bodhisattva' re-presents the first significant study of these topics. Urs Haller and curator Martin Brauen introduce this Zurich exhibition. Per Sorensen explains how the Dalai Lama's lineage was established and Kimiaki Tanaka discusses how it was represented in thangkas. Michael Henss traces the process in which photography transformed visual representations of the Dalai Lama from an icon to a `real' person.

Material amassed by early travellers to Tibet forms an important part of the Asian holdings at World Museum Liverpool. Emma Martin describes new displays which show such holdings to their best advantage. Eldon Worrall sheds light on the importance of the China Trade to Liverpool.

As the art market continues its bullish run, we report on auctions from Hong Kong, Paris, Stuttgart and London. With the start of autumn, we introduce a new season of gallery shows and fairs. In the commentary, Kimberley Te Winkle discusses some of the pressing issues that Chinese auction houses face.

About Orientations:

Orientations, the essential magazine for collectors and connoisseurs of Asian art. Informative, lavishly illustrated, superbly produced and printed on high-quality art paper, each issue is a collector's item in itself. In its pages, you will find:

* Well-written articles presenting new ideas and original research
* Special thematic issues focusing on a museum or one subject
* Interviews with and profiles of leading specialists and collectors
* Reviews of auctions fairs and dealers' exhibitions
* Commentaries on topical issues and controversies

Founded in 1970, Orientations initially catered to those interested in Asian culture and travel. A decade later, sensing growing interest in the arts of the region, its publishers were convinced of the need for greater coverage of the field. The aim was to bring together the often disparate communities of collectors, dealers and scholars, providing a more comprehensive picture of the Asian art world and a forum for mutual exchange.

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Asian Art Museum: program highlights, Oct-Dec 05

2005-08-21T20:10:00.000-07:00

Fang Zhaoling: A Life in Painting
October 1–November 13, 2005

This Hong Kong artist is widely recognized in Europe and Asia for her refreshingly “naive” style and direct approach to traditional Chinese painting, as well as for her politically charged subjects, such as war and peace, the Vietnamese “boat people,” and the environment.

A group of Fang Zhaoling’s paintings, recently added to the museum’s collection as a gift from the artist’s children, comprises the first retrospective of her work in the U.S. Organized by the Asian Art Museum.

Traditions Unbound: Groundbreaking Painters of Eighteenth-Century Kyoto
December 3, 2005–February 26, 2006

Eighteenth-century Kyoto saw the blossoming of an urban culture of extraordinary richness, diversity, and originality, in which art works of the highest level were produced. The range of styles that Kyoto embraced in this period is remarkable.

That range is the result of creative transformation and tasteful commercialization of the courtly arts, the selective adaptation of foreign styles from China and the West to traditional Japanese painting, and fearless recognition of the individuality and originality hidden in the minds of artists.

This exhibition showcases some of the most impressive paintings produced in Kyoto in this period. They are selected from collections of prestigious museums and private holdings in Japan as well as in the United States.

Please note: The artworks in this exhibition are divided into two separate installations. The first grouping of paintings is on view December 3, 2005 through January 8, 2006. The second grouping is on view January 11 through February 26, 2006. The galleries will be closed on Tuesday, January 10 to accommodate the installation of the second grouping. Organized by the Asian Art Museum.

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New book: Asian art at the Norton Simon Museum

2005-08-19T02:01:00.000-07:00

Asian art at the Norton Simon Museum volume 3: art from Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia

This illustrated book completes a three-volume series cataloguing the Asian art collection at the Norton Simon Museum. The volume includes some 180 religious artworks from Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Burma and Laos, as well as Ban Chiang pottery and rain drums.

Stone and metal sculptures from Cambodia and Thailand are an area of particular strength in this collection. A substantial introduction to the volume provides pertinent information about the cultural milieu that inspired the creation of these artworks.

Each individual object is then illustrated - some with more than one image - and discussed in detail in the catalogue section of the book. While some of the masterpieces may be familiar to scholars, the vast majority of these outstanding works are published here for the first time.

Author: Pratapaditya Pal
Publisher: Paragon Asia
Available at ASIA BOOKS

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Asian art exhibitions at the Queen’s gallery in Bangkok, August

2005-08-17T03:37:00.000-07:00

Japanese–Thai Art Exhibition, August 4 – 28, 2005

An art exhibition by 80–100 Japanese novice artists is to be held to celebrate the 72nd birthday anniversary of Her Majesty the Queen and to promote good understanding and a cultural exchange between Thailand and Japan.

The exhibition is to be hosted by World Art and Culture Exchange (WAC) and Finesse Co. of Japan. The exhibition will display more than 500 works, consisting of oil painting, modern oil painting, traditional Japanese painting, calligraphy, sculpture, ceramic, paper patching in Japanese style, wood carving and handicrafts.

Thai art Exhibition on the Occasion of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s 50th Birthday, August 9 – September 25, 2005

To celebrate the 50th birthday anniversary of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, the Faculty of Painting, Sculpture, and Graphic Arts of Silapakorn University is holding an art exhibition in HRH honour.

The works in this exhibition are from Silapakorn’s own faculty members such as Chalood Nimsamer, Prayad Pongdam, Rung Therapijit, Ittipol Tangchalok, Nontiwat Chantahapalin, Panya Vijinthanasan, Amarit Chusuwan, Sakarin Kreaoon, Wiranya Duangrat and Parichat Supapan.

All are highly regarded as veteran among artists and people in the artistic society. Some of the works are donated by the artists to Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn as national treasures.

The 27th Bualuang Exhibition of Thai Paintings, August 18 – September 25, 2005

The 27th Bualuang Painting Contest 2005, hosted by the Bangkok Bank Foundation, has been well received as ever among Thai artists. This year, the number of entrances for the competition is overwhelming.

The Thai art competition has been recognized as one of the most prestigious of its kind. It’s also renowned for its continuous supports to the traditional Thai painting. This year, the prize of Bualuang Gold Medal has been increased to Baht 200,000 and the Bualuang Silver Medal to Baht 70,000.

The winning pieces belong to 3 categories: Thai traditional painting, semi-traditional painting and contemporary painting. They will be exhibited along with the 61 selected pieces during an exhibition held from August 11 to September 25.

To learn more on future Asian art exhibitions, visit Asian art news

Asian art museum: activities in September 05

2005-08-15T04:33:00.000-07:00

Performances, demonstrations, & activities at the Asian art museum in September 05

Asia Alive: Chinese Muslim Calligraphy
Friday–Sunday, September 9–18, Noon–4:00 pm, Samsung Hall, FREE with museum admission

Observe master calligrapher Haji Noor Deen Mi Guangjiang demonstrate Arabic calligraphy from China. Haji Noor Deen’s demonstrations often interweave Islamic characters and writing style with Chinese style brushwork.

Asia Alive: Filipino Textile Weaving
Friday, September 9–Sunday, September 18, daily except Monday, noon–4:00 pm, North Court, FREE with museum admission

Observe textile weavers from the Philippines as they demonstrate the art of creating traditional regional designs using natural fibers. A weaver since she was 10 years old, Ganay Legal Delikan of the T’boli tribe of Lake Sebu, Southern Mindanao will weave from abaca fiber, also known as Manila hemp. Nelia Rogano from Kalibo, capital of Aklan, began weaving at the age of 13. She will weave very fine piña (pineapple) cloth, which is usually made into elegant Filipino national wear such as saya, the classical long skirt for women and Barong Tagalog, the formal upper garment for men. Both artists will showcase the weaving of iconic textiles representative of and unique to their native regions.

Mandalas
Thursday, September 8, 7:00 pm, Samsung Hall, $5 members, $10 general (includes museum admission)

Experience Murray Spalding Dance Company’s stunning performance inspired by the interrelated forms of a mandala (Tibetan mystic diagram of the universe used as an aid to meditation).

Arkiteknik Filipino American Fashion Show and Celebration
Thursday, September 15, 6:30–8:30 pm, Samsung Hall

In this evening celebration featuring a fashion show, Filipino delicacies, and art, Arkiteknik, a lifestyle movement that honors Filipino American artistry, will launch its visual arts coffee table book and DVD, showcasing a collection of images, poetry and “fusion fashion,” designs that combine luxurious Southeast Asian fabrics with modern Western sensibility. Co-sponsored by the Philippine Consulate General San Francisco.

Traditional Japanese Woodblock Printing Lecture/Demonstration
Sunday, September 25, 2:00–3:30 pm, Samsung Hall, FREE with museum admission

The Adachi Institute of Woodcut Prints will demonstrate the printing of a replica of Hokusai’s masterpiece, “The Great Wave off Kanagawa” using the same techniques employed more than 700 years in Japan. Co-sponsored by the Consul General of Japan and the Japan Foundation.

Thai Art contest

2005-08-08T03:44:00.000-07:00

The Office of Contemporary Art and Culture of the Ministry of Culture of Thailand is organizing an art competition to support the December 2004 tsunami victims as well as to use the winning original work of art in a commercial production project.

The “Andaman Identity'' contest is opened to six categories: leather carving, jewelry, batik on clothes, souvenirs, painting, and photography. Both Thais artists and foreign artists and can participate by submitting their work between August the 18th to 23rd at the Ministry of Culture, Bangkok, or at the Central Festival Department Store located in Phuket.

For more information, contact: +662 2 422 8838.

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Asian art tradition: SAM presents: Singapore Art 1955-1965

2005-08-05T02:18:00.000-07:00

A Heroic Decade: Singapore Art 1955-1965

A Special Showcase in Commemoration of Singapore’s 40th Year of Independence
The Singapore Art Museum
28 July to 20 September 2005, Galleries 1.5 & 2.5, Curator: Ahmad Mashadi

A critical phase in Singapore’s history, the 1950s was a period of conflicting optimism and anxiety. It was also the most intense period of practice for some of the most important artists in Singapore - artists such as Chen Chong Swee, Georgette Chen, Chen Wen Hsi, Cheong Soo Pieng, Chua Mia Tee, Lai Foong Moi, Lim Cheng Hoe, Lee Boon Wang, Lim Hak Tai, Lim Yew Kuan, Liu Kang, Tan Tee Chie and others.

Borne out of personal necessities and convictions and drawing from a diversity of cultures and experiences, they produced powerful works that pulse with a resonating energy, proclaiming the arrival of a new artistic era. The visions of these artists ruptured into the complex social setting - conflating, intertwining, colliding and confronting one another.

To commemorate Singapore’s 40th year of independence, the Singapore Art Museum presents an exhibition Singapore Art 1955-1965, supported by a catalogue and a series of talks. The exhibition will feature significant works from the Singapore Art Museum collection as well as those from private collections rarely seen by the public.

For enquiries, call 6332 3220.

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Asian art book: Spiritual journey: sacred art from Musée Guimet

2005-08-03T03:47:00.000-07:00

Highly recommended and a must-have for any Asian art collectors and academic library, this volume is one of the most lavish produced book on the permanent collection of the Museum of Asian Art-Guimet, filled with stunning photographs of 240 Asian art creations.

Spiritual journey: sacred art from Musée Guimet, offers a breathtaking journey from Central Asia – Afghanistan, India, and the Himalayas (Tibet and Nepal) to Easternmost Asia (China, Korea and Japan) and to Southeast Asia (Burma, Thailand, and Cambodia).

A book like this has not been done for decades and it is very refreshing to see the collections being presented in such an elegant format. Accompanying texts, edited by curators of the individual sections, provide the most up-to-date scholar references on the Asian art subjects and periods presented.

Spiritual journey: sacred art from Musée Guimet
Author: Jarrige & Gies
Publisher: Paragon Asia
Available at ASIA BOOKS

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Asian art traditions: Art treasures from Vietnam, Museum of Asian Art-Guimet

2005-07-28T03:23:00.000-07:00

Art treasures from Vietnam: Champa sculpture (Vth – XVth Centuries), Museum of Asian Art-Guimet, 12 October 2005 – 9 January 2006

The exhibition:

This exhibition aims to introduce the general public to a major aspect of Vietnam’s artistic heritage, by bringing together the greatest collections of Cham art in the world: the collections of the Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh-Ville museums in Vietnam, and that of the Guimet museum. Added to these collections are sculptures preserved on the My Son site (in the province on Quang Nam), which has now been included in the list of 2World Heritage sites, as well as works kept at the Museum of Natural History/Guimet Museum in Lyon and the Reitberg Museum in Zurich.

This exhibition has been organised in a spirit of affirmative cultural collaboration between Vietnam and France, the Cham Museum of Da Nang and the Guimet museum.

In conjunction with this event, a restoration workshop for sculptures in the Cham Museum of Da Nang has been established. This workshop adds to the efforts Vietnam has made in recent years to restore, and raise the profile of, the country’s cultural heritage. Under the aegis of the French School of Asian Studies (EFEO), this workshop has already undertaken many restorations.

The masterpieces:

Strangely under-acknowledged, Champa art is in fact one of the major expressions of the ancient arts of South East Asia. Less well documents and protected that its Khmer cousin, this art form has given rise to works of originality and great sensitivity, amongst which the cultural heritage of ancient India has been totally assimilated. This essentially sacred art form reflects the religious concepts of Champa, oscillating between Buddhism and Brahmanism.

The great masterpieces will unfold the establishment and evolution of Cham sculpture from its origins – in about the 5th century – to its swan song – in the 15th century – before its gradual decline leading to the disappearance of Champa (19th century).

The principal Cham styles will be illustrated by a representative collection of stone and bronze sculptures, but also by a selection of plate and ritual objects made of precious metal, most of which (96 pieces) are being displayed for the first time.

The unique wealth of the Guimet museum’s photography collections about the ancient arts of Champa (the Charles Carpeaux collection) allows the main Cham sites to be evoked by high-quality prints going back to the beginning of the 20th Century.

For more information:
National Museum of Asian Art-Guimet
6, place d'Iéna
75016 Paris
Information: +33 1 56 52 53 00
© National Museum of Asian Art-Guimet

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Asian art traditions: Museum of Asian Art, Ionian Island, Greece

2005-07-26T03:45:00.000-07:00

The Museum of Asian Art (the only one in Greece) was founded in 1927 when Gregorios Manos donated 10.500 items of his private Asian art collection. Staring from 1974, the museum that originally mainly presented works of Chinese and Japanese art, enriched its collection through other private donations with items from central Asia.

The most renowned items of the Museum of Asian Art collection include:

- Statuettes from China, dated to the T'ang dynasty (7th-8th centuries A.D.).
- Bronze ritual vases (Chueh) of the Shang Dynasty (130-1028 A.D.).
- Part of a Samurai armour of the Han Dynasty from Japan (206 B.C.-202 A.D.).
- Masks of the No Theatre from Japan, dated to the Edo period (1614-1868).
- Japanese screens dated to the Edo period (18th century).
- Hindu wood carving of the 17th-19th centuries.
- Greek-Buddhist sculptures of schist from the Indian province of Gandhara., dated to the 2nd century A.D.
- Wood-cuts of Kitagava Utamaro from Japan, dated to 1753-1806.
- Chinese porcelain vases of the green group (with "famille verte" decoration), dated to the K'ang-hsi period, 1662-1722.

Location: Kerkyra 49100, Ionian Island, Greece
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday: 08.30-15.00, closed on Monday

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Asian art book: Modernity in Asian Art

2005-07-21T00:18:00.000-07:00

This book deals collectively with the history of modern art in Asia and is based on papers presented at the conference on Modernism and Post-Modernism in Asian Art held at the Australian National University in 1991.

The preface by Virginia Spate and the introduction by John Clarke are original analyses on cross-disciplinary issues, and are followed by essays on China, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan and the Philippines. The contributors are drawn from these parts of Asia as well as Australia, Europe and North America.

Modernity in Asian Art, ed. John Clark (University of Sydney)
Publisher: Wild Peony
ISBN: 0 646 1477 3 0; 1993
350 pp. Softcover: AUS $37.50.
Includes 167 photographic reproductions.

Wild Peony specialises in English-language publications on Asia, and Asia-West cross-cultural literary writings.

Wild Peony Pty Ltd (Book Publishers) ABN 52 002 714 276
PO Box 636, Broadway (Sydney) NSW 2007, AUSTRALIA
Tel: (612) 9660 6793; Fax: (612) 9660 8167

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Asian art tradition: The Asian Civilizations Museum Singapore

2005-07-19T04:36:00.000-07:00

Tasked with the mission to connect Singaporeans to their ancestral cultures, the Asian Civilizations Museum was established in 1993 as one of the three National Museums under the National Heritage Board. It began operations in 1997 at the old Tao Nan School Building with two thirds of its galleries featuring Chinese civilization and culture.

Since Dec 2000, its display focus at the Asian Civilizations Museum, Armenian Street has shifted to one showcasing the eclectic Peranakan Chinese culture, with fine collections of Peranakan silver, porcelain and jewelry. Many small scale exhibitions on Chinese connoisseurship have been put up and there is an ongoing program of changing special exhibitions.

Currently, plans are in the pipeline to convert the 4,005 sqm building at Armenian Street into a boutique museum focussing on Peranakan connoisseurship.

The new flagship of the Asian Civilisations Museum at Empress Place Building opened on 1 March 2003. This new museum located next to the historic Singapore River showcases the museum’s prized collections in ten thematic galleries, which includes recent acquisitions as well as artefacts inherited from the historic Southeast Asian ethnographic collection of the former Raffles museum.

ACM, Empress Place is the first museum in Singapore to approach a historical collection with an unconventional use of modern technology which takes visitors on a journey to discover 5000 years of Asian civilisation and culture, spanning the regions of China, Southeast Asia, South Asia and West Asia. The unique presentation and steeped educational focus promises a museum experience like no other for both the young and the old.

Opening Hours for ACM Empress Place and ACM Armenian Street: Mondays 1pm to 7pm, Tuesdays to Sundays 9am to 7pm, Fridays Late Nights 9am to 9pm
For enquiries call: 6332 7798 (Empress Pl.), 6332 3015 (Arm St.)
Admission Charges:adults S$3.00, Senior Citizen/ Student S$1.50

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Asian art traditions: Nezu Institute of Fine Arts, Tokyo

2005-07-15T02:18:00.000-07:00

In 1940, Kaichiro Nezu Sr. founded the Nezu Institute, which had its opening the following year. The core of the museum's collection consists of those Oriental art objects assembled by the founder during his lifetime. It includes works of Asian art from different periods: paintings, calligraphy, sculpture, ceramics, textiles and archaeological materials, as well as objects in lacquer, metal, wood and Buddhist art in particular are known world-wide for their rich variety and high quality. The collection's Chinese bronzes of the Shang and Zhou dynasties are also of international renown.

Mr. Nezu Sr. was a man of truly catholic tastes: his ancient Chinese bronzes, with their masculine beauty, reflect an aesthetic far removed from the subdued world of tea. Mr. Nezu, who adopted the acronym "Seizan" (Blue Mountain), became interested in the tea ceremony at the age of 50, during his 1909 trip to America.

Not only did he become involved in the practice of tea, he also became an enthusiastic collector of tea utensils. Objects which he collected for use in the tea ceremony include Chinese paintings of the Song and Yuan dynasties: especially famous among these is the ink painting "Fishing Village at Dusk", attributed to Muxi. Among the tea-related works we also find Chinese calligraphy, Chinese celadon ware used as flower vases, Japanese iron kettles - one bearing a design of pine and plum trees, dating to the early 16th century - a tea caddy nicknamed "Matsuya Katatsuki Chaire","Kiseto ware incense box in cintamani shape", two Korean tea boles of the Yi dynasty, knows as "Shibata Ido" and "Minomushi," and numerous other masterpieces.

Buddhist and Shinto paintings in this collection are also widely known for their diverse themes, as well as for their superb quality. Especially important are the "Kongokai Mandara with eighty-one deities", and Shinto paintings from the Kamakura through the Muromachi period among them the famed "Nachi Waterfall".

The Nezu Art Museum has also been fortunate in becoming the beneficiary of several distinguished private collectors whose collections are known for their unique works of art. The Akiyama collection, donated to the museum in 1975, is noted for its selection of calligraphy by the monk Ryokan and for its Korean ceramics of Koryo and Yi dynasties.

The Kobayashi collection, given to the museum in 1981, is famed as a comprehensive grouping of paintings indispensable to the fundamental understanding of ink painting of the Muromachi period. The Fukushima collection, donated also in 1981, consists of arts and crafts of more recent periods. All of these newly granted works have enriched and broadened the scope of the museum's holdings.

At present, the museum collection numbers more than seven thousand object, seven of which are designated as National Treasures. The museum did suffer a setback during World War II, when its exhibition gallery, other buildings and tea house were destroyed in 1945. In 1954, the main gallery space was rebuilt ; in 1991, an additional gallery was constructed in the adjoining space, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the museum's opening, and shares with seven tea houses a garden compound of 21,627 square meters.

How to get to the Nezu Institute of Fine Arts:: the Museum is located south of route 246. Public transit routes include the nearby Omote-sando underground station and Minami-Aoyama 6-Chome bus stop.

Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday : 9:30-16:30. Closed on Mondays(except National Holidays),days following National Holidays, and during the Year-end and New Year's period.

Admission fees: adults 1,000yen, students 700yen. Reduced fees are available for groups of over twenty people.

For more information:
NEZU INSTITUTE OF FINE ARTS
6-5-1, Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku
Tokyo 107-0062, JAPAN
TEL: 81-3-3400-2536
FAX: 81-3-3400-2436

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Asian art traditions: Buddhism and art

2005-07-11T03:12:00.000-07:00

Asian art traditions have been largely influenced by Buddhism. From Buddha paintings to Buddha sculpture, the Buddhist doctrine still inspires Asian art creators.

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Asian art traditions: Asian art museums

2005-07-06T03:29:00.000-07:00

Asia economic developments and the growing need for preserving traditional Asian cultures as well as showcasing the new Asian artistic trends, have recently contributed to the creation and development of numerous Asian art museums worldwide.

Learn more about Asian art museums worlwide and plan you next Asian art museum visit: Asian art museums

Asian art traditions: The Asian Art Museum Collection

2005-07-03T23:57:00.000-07:00

Ongoing exhibition, In a New Light: The Asian Art Museum Collection, Asian Art Museumof San Francisco

More than 2,500 extraordinary works from the museum’s renowned collection are displayed in its new galleries. Together these works constitute a comprehensive introduction to the major cultures of Asia. Immense Indian stone sculptures, intricately carved Chinese jades, vibrant Korean paintings, mystical Tibetan thangkas (ritual paintings on cloth), serene Cambodian buddhas, richly decorated Islamic manuscripts, and colorful Japanese kimonos are just a few of the treasures on view.

About the Asian Art Museum collection:

The museum’s collection galleries—featuring more than 2,500 artworks uniquely presented along common themes—offer a comprehensive introduction to all the major cultures of Asia. Winding through all the gallery are three major themes: the development of Buddhism (because Buddhism is one of the few cultural phenomena that is [or was] important in most Asian countries, and because our collections of Buddhist art are uniformly strong); trade and cultural exchange, to emphasize how important trade, and the movements of pilgrims, travelers, and of course armies, have always been in the spread of artistic ideas and techniques; and local beliefs and practices, to show the importance of indigenous ideas, and also how international phenomena like Hinduism or porcelain-making, are adapted to local conditions.

The galleries feature regularly scheduled rotations of the museum’s collection, offering visitors a chance to view more objects. In the average calendar year, approximately 3,000 objects will be presented. The Asian Art Museum is one of the few museums that have undertaken the collaborative effort of presenting its collection as a comprehensive whole, using standard nomenclature and introducing themes and storylines that are echoed and repeated throughout all of the museum’s collection galleries. The integrated endeavor was a result of coordinated effort from the museum’s curatorial team, and included consultation with noted historians, art historians, religious studies scholars, and anthropologists to ensure that the presentation was in line with current academic thought. The comprehensive presentation also aimed to make the collection comfortably accessible, providing a rich experience to all museum visitors—from novice to connoisseur to scholar. The museum’s unique presentation of its collection is supported by a substantial grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Avery Brundage Collection:

Approximately 53% of the objects in the museum’s collection were donated by Chicago industrialist Avery Brundage in the 1960s, serving as the impetus for the museum’s founding. His contribution includes some of the museum’s most celebrated objects—including a gilt bronze Buddha dated 338, the oldest known dated Chinese Buddha in the world, often cited as a textbook-example of Chinese Buddhist art.

Collection Highlights (listed in order of the layout of the museum’s galleries):

South Asian Art
● A comprehensive collection of South Asian stone sculpture, particularly Buddhist works from the birthplace of Buddhism.
● A strong collection of Sikh art – the Asian Art Museum was the first museum in the Western hemisphere with a gallery devoted to Sikh art.
● Temple sculptures, reliefs, bronze images, jades, miniature paintings, and wood carvings, reflecting the major trends in all major religions of South Asia over a 2,000 year period – Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, Sikh, Jain.

The Persian World and West Asia (Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan)
● Ceramics from the Neolithic period to the 19th century, Luristan and Islamic bronzes, miniature paintings and manuscripts.

Southeast Asian Art (Cambodia, Thailand, Burma, Laos, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia)
● A sizeable collection of stone and bronze material from Angkor Wat.
● The second most important collection of Thai paintings outside of Thailand.
● A comprehensive collection of Thai ceramics, a representative survey of Thai sculpture, a collection of krises (daggers) from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand, and other furnishings and ritual objects.
● The cultures of Indonesia, Burma, Vietnam, and the Philippines are represented through sculpture, textiles, jewelry ceramics, terra-cotta works, and paintings.

The Himalayas and the Tibetan Buddhist World
● Paintings, major groups of stone, dry lacquer, bronze sculpture, Bhutanese textiles, and rare Tibetan scrolls from the Shalu and Ngor monasteries.

Chinese Art
● Encyclopedic collection of Chinese ceramics and porcelain that provides a survey of the entire history of the art form in China (4,500 years), including representations from every time period and every major kiln throughout China.
● The collection of nearly 300 Chinese ritual bronzes, some nearly 3,000 years old, is considered the best outside of Asia.
● A comprehensive Chinese jade collection that spans 6,000 years of history – from the Neolithic period to the present.
● A formidable collection of Chinese Buddhist art encompassing stone sculpture, paintings, and bronzes.
● Paintings and calligraphic works range from the 10th to 20th century.
● Textiles and Chinese lacquers and objects made of cloisonné, ivory, bamboo, glass, and horn round out the collection.

Korea
● The best and most comprehensive collection of Korean art outside of Korea.
● The collection is especially noted for its Goryeo dynasty celadons and rare unglazed stonewares from the Three Kingdoms period (57 BCE to 668 CE) and Unified Silla period (668 to 935 CE).
● An all-encompassing grouping of paintings that range in style from courtly, scholarly, Buddhist to folk.
● Lacquerware, and textiles complete the collection.

Japanese Art
● Rare painted scrolls and screens, ceramics from the 3rd millennium BCE to the present, major Buddhist sculpture, and superb decorative arts and textiles.
● With the recent gift of the Lloyd Cotsen Collection of Japanese Bamboo Baskets, the museum holds the largest and most notable collection of this craft outside of Japan.

Contemporary Asian art
Over the past ten years, the museum has made a concentrated effort to include contemporary art in its exhibition programs and in its acquisition pursuits. At its new home, the museum’s special exhibition program includes a consistent schedule of exhibitions featuring works by contemporary artists. The goal is to contribute to an international dialogue about art in our own age and to an understanding of what defines or distinguishes the art being produced by Asians and Asian Americans. The museum has also begun to acquire contemporary works and will continue to make an effort to do so.

For more information: Tel (415) 581-3500
Location: 200 Larkin Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Hours: The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with extended hours Thursdays until 9:00 PM. Closed Mondays.

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Asian art traditions: Angkor Wat Exhibition at the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum

2005-06-28T03:03:00.000-07:00

World Heritage - Angkor Wat Exhibition, Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, 03 July - 28 August 2005

In the thick forest of Cambodia a series of grand ruins, the heritage of Asia, stands as a remnant of the dream of a dynasty that prospered for some 600 years. In the early 9th century, the great Khmer dynasty came into being, embracing Buddhism and Hinduism. The Khmer kings were deified and many kings such as Jayavarman VII, constructed Angkor Wat and a number of other temples as well as decorative sculptures wishing for the prosperity of their reign and of the capital.

Delicate and elegant Khmer sculptures are mainly made of stone and blue copper and represent the beliefs of people of the time. It is called as “art of prayer” and reflects the people’s awe of nature and wish for peace.

The exhibition shows some 80 pieces from the precious collection of the National Museum in Cambodia. Many of them have been brought to Japan for the first time. Each piece conveys the glory of the Khmer dynasty.

This event is organized by Fukuoka Asian Art Museum in collaboration with the National Museum of Cambodia, PhnomPenh.

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Asian art traditions: The inner life of the Buddhas hidden treasures, Guimet Museum

2005-06-26T03:04:00.000-07:00

The inner life of the Buddhas hidden treasures, National Museum of Asian Art-Guimet, 25 May – 31 August 2005

To stage a revision of the Musée Guimet’s Korean Buddhas, playing with colour, perspective, movement and even the inner journey: such has been the risk superbly carried off by Rodolphe Gombergh. With photos, pictures and large screen video projections, this event at the Musée Guimet is a world premiere (25 May-31 August 2005).

Rodolphe Gombergh takes this opportunity to develop the studies and creations exhibited at the Pompidou Centre in 1996 - “the first known home” - in journeying from there to an unknown world, Korea, through Buddhism.

Suspended between Creation, Culture and Study, this fresh approach demands fresh vision. The poetic and playful process reveals the inner life of the Buddhas brought back by Charles Varat in 1888 following a mission on behalf on the Ministère français de l’Instruction Publique et des Beaux-Arts (French Ministry of Education and Fine Art), a mission which aimed to reveal Korean culture and identity to France and Europe. The exceptional sculpture collection housed in Paris, ranging from the Koryo period (11th-12th centuries) to the Choson epoch (end of the 18th century) has collated for study a coherent body of work in which Art, Science and Creativity come together in images of astounding beauty.

This event uncovers hidden treasures which the statues were concealing, awaiting the day when one would understand how to see them. It also enables the viewer to go beyond superficial appearances to the heart of Buddhist thought, revealing the infinity of parallel worlds. For the first time, an inner journey is possible and reveals itself to be rich in discoveries both enthralling and unexpected.

Virtual images of the real world, 3-D images and animations: this outstanding event will complete the Korean Spring begun on 16 March by the Guimet museum’s exhibition “The Poetry of Ink: the lettered tradition in Korea” and followed by a cinema series. After a classical approach of exquisite Neo-Confucianism, Korea’s heritage is here viewed in a different light, with freedom and yet rigor, while also giving rein to an almost polyphonic approach showing the erosion of the boundaries between Art and Creation, Science and Research, the Show and the Game. Changing the color, changing the perspective, leads one to see, and to see differently….

For more information:
National Museum of Asian Art-Guimet
6, place d'Iéna
75016 Paris
Reception: +33 1 56 52 53 00

© National Museum of Asian Art-Guimet

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Asian art traditions: Paintings and Japanese prints exhibition at the Guimet Museum of Asian Art

2005-06-22T03:03:00.000-07:00

Masterpieces from the Ota Memorial museum of Art, Paintings and Japanese prints, National Museum of Asian Art-Guimet, 6 July – 15 August 2005

The exhibition is organised by the Guimet museum, the Ota MeMorial museum of art and NHK promotions.Co-organised by the Japanese Embassy in France, the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Association of the Japanese Citizens of France, with the support and help of the French Embassy in Japan and the Japanese Cultural Centre of France.

To mark its 25th anniversary, the Ota Memorial museum of art has chosen to lend a portion of its collection of Japanese prints for the first time, to the Guimet museum. In choosing France as the sole recipient of the collection, the museum wished to highlight: « France’s renowned tradition in the field of Japanese prints, as well as its cultural pre-eminence » declared Seiji Nagata, the chief conservator of the Ota Memorial museum and scientific advisor for the exhibition.

Although small in size (barely 800 m2), this museum boasts 12,000 catalogued items, from the famous to the less known, illustrating the art of Ukiyo-e – images from the Floating World – which all provide points of reference for works on Japanese history of art. In both the richness of the collection and its symbolic character, the development and range of Japanese prints are represented here from the genre’s beginnings onwards.

Around 150 works – the majority from the 18th and 19th centuries – will be exhibited this summer for six weeks only, due to their fragility and extreme photosensitivity. Besides 81 prints, about 50 painted scrolls, decorated fans, and several illustrated manuscripts will also feature. These paintings and engravings, never before seen outside their native country, will offer a unique perspective on the great masters, amongst whose company are numbered: Hishikawa Moronobu, Suzuki Harunobu, Kitagawa Utamaro, Tôshûsai Sharaku, Katsushika Hokusaï, and also Utagawa Hiroshige …

All painted depictions of Japanese customs and scenes from contemporary urban life evoke and refer to the former capital of Edo in both their rural and, of course, urban representations. Ukiyo-e first appeared in Kyoto in the first half of the 16th century and developed in this city until the middle of the 17th century. During this time, the population was continually increasing and many fields, including that of printing, were marked by change (Moronobu: first painter to have both signed and set his seal on his works). Thanks to the use of wood-engravings, which allowed a sort of mass production to take place, ukiyo-e enjoyed a special status in the artistic world during the Edo era, and came to endure until the modern period.

The production of engravings touched up with colour by hand gave way to the process of colour printing with the use of several sections of engraved wood. Towards 1765 these engravings even seemed to have achieved multi-colour, thanks to the technical advances provoked by the fashion for illustrated calendars: these images are called nishiki-e, or brocade images. Many different colours were used, as well as a high quality, thick parchment made from blackberry bush bark.

Suzuki Harunobu, a popular artist of his time, produced very delicate portraits of female beauties by using this technique and applying an innovative style. At the opposite end of the spectrum, the prints of the expressive faces of the kabuki actors, sometimes caricatures heavily influenced by Sharaku, are to be highlighted for their boldness and rarity. In the 19th century the two grand masters, Utagawa Hiroshige and Katsushika Hokusaï, specialised in landscapes, the former filled with evocative charm and the latter with a more dynamic inspiration.

Today only the Torii school, whose alumni produce the posters for Kabuki theatre, can lay claim to following the tradition bequeathed by the Ukiyo-e masters of long ago.

For more information:
National Museum of Asian Art-Guimet
6, place d'Iéna
75016 Paris
Information: +33 1 56 52 53 00

© National Museum of Asian Art-Guimet

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Asian art: Montpellier International Biennial of Contemporary Chinese Art

2005-06-20T02:37:00.000-07:00

1st Montpellier International Biennial of Contemporary Chinese Art, 17 June-02 October 2005

MC1, an unprecedented Biennial

This Biennial is the first of its kind organized outside of China and dedicated exclusively to the work of contemporary Chinese artists.

It will take place in Montpellier, a city with both a long history of exchange with China and a certain cultural audacity: the visual arts are one of the priorities of this 2001-2007 municipal administration.

Organized by a team of Franco-Chinese experts directed by José Frèches, Chief Curator, the MC1 Biennial aims to introduce the visitor to the almost surrealist world of contemporary Chinese art, which has been sustained by the extraordinary context of openness and economic development the country has seen in recent years.

Armed with an increasingly rich visual vocabulary, these artists are often critical of a society whose values they do not always share. At the same time, they are forced to adapt to a national art market that has yet to reach maturity. By its sheer force, contemporary Chinese art is erupting onto the international scene and sometimes redefining it in the process.

For the past year and a half, José Frèches’ team visited 12 Chinese cities and met nearly 400 artists, studio by studio. At the end of this meticulous talent hunt, 36 artists were retained for the official competition. These artists, from Peking, Shanghai, Chengdu, Nanjing, Wuhan, Hangzhou, Canton and Yang Jiang (in the remotest parts of a China as innovative as Pollock or Warhol’s America) will share their outlook, their imagination, their talents and their energy. They are expected June 17th, for the opening of the exhibit.

This, the first MC1 Biennial, literally bursts at the seams. In addition to the works exhibited outside, on the Charles de Gaulle esplanade and the Place de la Comédie, MC1 will occupy 6 exhibition halls including the Pavilion du Musée Fabre, the Carrré Sainte-Anne, the Château d’O, the Médiathèque de Pignan as well as two spaces opened for the first time to the public: the Chapelle de la Miséricorde and the former Ecole de Pharmacie, baptized “Panacea” for the occasion. MC1’s presence will be felt throughout the region.

The Prizes for the MC1 Biennial

MC1 Biennial will offer the following prizes to artists in the Official Selection:
- The Grand Prize
- The Special Jury Prize
- The Discovery Prize

The laureates of these prizes will be chosen by an international jury presided over by Jean-Hubert Martin, director of the Kunst Palast Museum in Düsseldorf. The selection process aims to give awarded artists the same visibility in international art circles as that enjoyed by American or Anglo-Saxon artists.

For more information:
MC1 Commissariat General
12 rue Andre Barsacq, Paris, France
Tel: +33 (0) 1 53 09 21 14

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Asian art: Mahjong – Contemporary Chinese Art from the Sigg Collection

2005-06-16T00:06:00.000-07:00

Mahjong – Contemporary Chinese Art from the Sigg Collection at the Fine Arts Museum Berne, 13 June-16 October 2005

A world first

The exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts Berne shows larger groups of works from the unique Sigg collection for the first time. It provides a fascinating overview of an exceptionally dynamic art scene and a living encounter with the Middle Kingdom which is developing at an extraordinary pace.

The exhibition will be enlivened by many special events (performances, lectures on the cultural, historical and social background and on contemporary architecture in China, film and video program etc). From the international angle, this first presentation of the Sigg collection is a milestone in the Western confrontation with contemporary Chinese art.

An important catalogue published by Hatje Cantz-Verlag contains an interview with the collector, essays by the curators, explanations and analyses of the individual works together with a general introduction to the socio-political and artistic development of China in the past three decades.

An Asian art exhibition in 12 chapters

Mahjong, from which this exhibition takes its title, is a Chinese national game which has deep roots in tradition and has developed today into one of the most popular online games.

The exhibition, like the game itself, encourages participants to discover relationships and gives access to the culture and life of modern China. The exhibition provides an overview of a quarter of a century of Chinese avant-garde art (1979–2004) and surpasses anything seen up to now in density and quality.

To make it easier for visitors to find their way round the exhibition, it is structured into twelve manageable themes corresponding to the collector’s own centers of interest:

1. Icons of the seventies vs. icons of the eighties
2. Mao and the cultural revolution
3. Power play
4. Myths and legends
5. Individual vs. society
6. Consumerism
7. Contemporary life
8. City versus countryside
9. Tradition revisited
10. Chinese perspectives on Western art
11. Writing as painting
12. The body as a medium

The collector and the artists

Uli Sigg, a Swiss national, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Ringier Group, has taken a keen interest in China and its culture since the late seventies. In 1980, he established the first joint venture between China and the West. He was Swiss Ambassador to Peking from 1995 to 1998.

Today, Sigg remains active in China and also plays an important role in Chinese art circles as an intermediary, promoter and patron of the artists, in addition to his activity as a collector.

Since the early days of Chinese contemporary art in the late 70s, Uli Sigg has closely followed the scene in that country. With his wife Rita, he became the first person to build up a systematic collection of Chinese art works. Their collection ranges from avant-garde works that have now acquired classical significance to works of great immediacy from every medium: paintings, drawings, sculpture, photography, video, installations, and performance.

With around 1,200 works by 180 artists, the scope and standard of this collection of Chinese contemporary art are unrivalled.

Chinese artists on show
Ai Weiwei, Bai Yiluo, Cao Fei, Chang Qing, Chang Xugong, Chen Guangwu, Chen Lingyang, Chen, Shaoxiong, Chen Wenbo, Chen Xiaoyun, Chen Zaiyan, Ding Yi, Dong Wensheng, Du Jie, Fang Lijun, Feng Mengbo, Fu Hong, Geng Jianyi, Gu Dexin, Gu Wenda, Gu Xiaoping, Guang Tingbo, Guo Wie, Hai Bo, He An, He Yuncheng, Hong Hao, Hong Lei, Hu Xiaoyuan, Huang Yan, Huang Yongping, Ji Dachun, Jiang Zhi, Jin Feng, Jin Jiangbo, Kan Xuan, Li Shan, Li Songsong, Li Wen, Li Yongbin, Li Zhanyang, Liang Shaoji, Lin Yilin, Lin Tianmiao, Liu Jianhua, Liu Rentao, Liu Wei, Liu Wie, Liu Xiadong, Liu Ye, Liu Zheng, Lu Hao, Lu Qing, Luo Brothers, Luo Hui, Ma Desheng, Ma Liuming, Mao Yan, Meng Huang, Miao Xiaochun, Pan Dehai, Pu Jie, Qi Zhilong, Qiu Shihua, Qiu Xiaofei, Rong Rong, Sha Yeya, Shao Yinong & Mu Chen, Shen Shaomin, Shi Chong, Shi Guorui, Shi Jinsong, Shi Xinning, Shi Jing, Shi Yong, Song Dong, Song Tao, Song Yongping, Sui Jianguo, Sun Guoqi, Sun Yuan & Peng Yu, Wang Du, Wang Guangyi, Wang Jianwei, Wang Jin, Wang Jinsong, Wang Keping, Wang Mai, Wang Ningde, Wang Qiang, Wang Qingsong, Wang Shilong, Wang Xingwei, Wang Yin, Wei Dong, Wei Guangqing, Weng Fen, Wu Yunhua, Xia Xiaowan, Xiang Li Qing, Xiao Yu, Xie Nanxing,
Xu Bing, Xu Yihui, Xu Zhen, Xue Song, Yan Lei, Yang Maoyuan, Yang Mian, Yan Pei Ming, Yang Shaobin, Yang Zhenzhong, Yin Xiuzhen, Yin Zhaoyang, Yu Youhan, Yuan Xiao Fang, Yue Min Jun, Zeng Fanzhi, Zhan Wang, Zhang Huan, Zhang Peili, Zhang Xiaogang, Zhao Bandi, Zhao Nengzhi, Zheng Guogu, Zhou Changjiang, Zhou Tiehai, Zhou Xiaohu, Zhu Fadong, Zhuang Hui.

Information:
Kunstmuseum Bern, Hodlerstrasse 8–12, 3000 Bern 7
T +41 31 328 09 44
F +41 31 328 09 55

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Asian art traditions, exhibitions: Tibet: Treasures from the Roof of the World

2005-06-15T04:14:00.000-07:00

Tibet: Treasures from the Roof of the World, June 12–September 11 2005, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco

The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco presents Tibet: Treasures from the Roof of the World—a landmark exhibition showcasing nearly 200 rare treasures from Tibet never exhibited before in the Western world.

Drawn from the Potala Palace and the Tibet Museum in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, they offer an unprecedented glimpse into the legendary winter and summer palaces of the Dalai Lamas. For the first time, museum visitors will see the finest examples of Tibetan sculpture, painting, textiles and Buddhist ritual objects, as well as beautifully crafted objects made for nobility.

These works reveal both the religious underpinnings of this culture and the exceptional nature of the arts used in its service. The artifacts were used by the Dalai Lamas and their courts in lavish ceremonies and daily rituals in Lhasa, the fabled city of the “roof of the world” and the spiritual center of Buddhism.

The exhibition is presented in four thematic sections: History and Culture of Tibet; Ritual Objects; Paintings, Sculptures, and Textiles; and Daily Life of the Tibetan Nobility.

Organized by the Bowers Museum of Cultural Art, Santa Ana, California in collaboration with the Bureau of Cultural Relics, Tibet Autonomous Region; the Potala Palace; and the Tibet Museum.

For more information: Tel (415) 581-3500
Location: 200 Larkin Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Hours: The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with extended hours Thursdays until 9:00 PM. Closed Mondays.

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Asian art book review: "Asian art"

2005-06-12T21:01:00.000-07:00

Asian art, by Berenice Geoffroy-Schneiter - A visually stunning tour of the artistic achievements of asian civilization, Asian Art highlights the greatest works of the Orient.

Spanning an eclectic range of imagery, from the aesthetically classic to the intrinsically modern, Asian Art introduces the reader to the subtle beauty of Japanese screen painting, the elegance of Chinese calligraphy and the sensuality of Indian goddesses.

The author, an archaeologist, historian and writer, has studied and traveled throughout the Far East. Her choice is an instructive and useful lesson in the finest of those arts, providing us with clear and simple ways to identify them.

Sumptuously illustrated, Asian Art deserves a place in every art lover’s and collector’s library.

200 pages, 9 1/2 x 11 1/4", 150 color and b/w photographs, Hardcover, Jacket
Publisher: Assouline
ISBN: 2 84323 365 8

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Asian art books

2005-06-06T03:29:00.000-07:00

From the newest development of Chinese contemporary art to the classical Buddhist murals of Pagan, discover more on Asian art traditions and recent developments with the following selection of Asian art books at: Asian art books

Asian art traditions: Thai art

2005-06-04T03:01:00.000-07:00

From the origins of Thai art to the birth of Thai modern art and Thai contemporary paintings, learn more on Thai art traditions and recent development by reading Thai art texts resources at the following link: Thai art

Asian art traditions: exhibitions on view at the UMMA, June-July 2005

2005-06-02T21:10:00.000-07:00

The Enduring Art of the Korean Potter, through July 24

No Asian art traditions captures the history and soul of Korea, or the inventive genius of its craftsmen, as well as Asian art ceramics. It was also in ceramics that Korean artists were at their most innovative, developing wares that were eagerly sought after in neighboring China and Japan.

This exhibition, which marks the debut of UMMA's newly acquired Hasenkamp-Nam Collection of Korean art, presents a visually stunning array of Asian art earthenware, stoneware, and porcelain spanning two millennia.

Paisley and Peacocks: Woven and Embroidered Textiles from Kashmir and the Punjab, June 25–October 16

This Asian art traditions exhibition brings together two very different but equally striking styles types of Asian traditional textiles from the Indian subcontinent, both of which are artisanal traditions rapidly disappearing from the modern world: Kashmiri shawls, woven at the foot of the Himalayas from the finest and softest wools in intricate paisley patterns; and boldly embroidered women’s head coverings from the rural villages of north India.

Kashmiri shawls, originally once made for Mughal princes, are treasured for their beautiful patterns, warmth, and lightness. By the late eighteenth century their market had expanded to include the fashion-conscious women of Napoleonic France and Georgian England.

By contrast, the embroideries textiles of the Punjab—a region that spans northern India and Pakistan—were made by village women for their own use, working in silk floss on rough homespun wool cotton.

Long unknown in the West, Asian tribal textiles such as these are rapidly gaining international attention for their bold colors and designs.

UMMA, The University of Michigan Museum of Art
525 South State St., Ann Arbor, MI 48190

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Asian art traditions: Paintings from the Princely courts of India, Art Gallery of NSW

2005-05-26T02:26:00.000-07:00

8 June - 4 September 2005, Rajput: Sons of Kings, Paintings from the Princely courts of India, Art Gallery of New South Wales

Rajput: Sons of Kings presents 74 colourful paintings and drawings, created in the 17th to 19th centuries at the Hindu Rajput courts of north-west India. Capturing the vitality and luxurious sensuality of princely life, many of the paintings were produced at the court of Mewar (Udaipur), one of the most important and prosperous of the Rajput courts and one of themost influential on Asian art traditions.

Drawn from the collection of the National Gallery of Victoria, the exhibition presents a window into Asian art traditions and the world of elaborate processions, deer hunting, elephant fights and political intrigue, centred around the maharana (the highest of the hereditary rulers of Rajasthan). Portrayed as supreme warrior, hunter and patron of art, music and dance, the maharana was accorded the status of a god and was central to temple ceremonies and court pageantry.

The paintings vary in scale, from intimate gatherings between a maharana and his most trusted minister to formal darbar scenes attended by local and foreign dignitaries. Although this world no longer exists, the majestic aura of fairytale palaces and scenic lakes survives in these images.

The characters of the court and the landscape of Rajasthan are recorded in an informal and engaging style, combining the Rajasthani artists' brilliant colour and dynamic line with a Mughal-inspired rendering of the minutiae of life.

These dazzling works, filled with lively narrative, are grouped around several themes reflective of Asian art traditions. One is portraiture, the painter's skill lavished on exquisite detail in the costume, jewellery and weaponry of the Rajput warrior class. Other themes include the cloistered lives of Rajput women, religious worship, romance, politics, and the divinity of the maharana.

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Asian art traditions: Gold, The Asian Touch

2005-05-23T20:46:00.000-07:00

September 3, 2005 – February 26, 2006, the Freer Gallery, Washington DC
Gathering together works from across Asia that can be found in both Freer and the Sackler collections, this small and focused exhibition examines the meanings and uses of gold in different Asian art traditions and cultures.

While including some golden status symbols such as coins issued by Indian rulers and a scepter made for a Chinese emperor, the primary focus here is on the subtle and distinctive combination of gold with other materials and its use in enriching and enhancing luxury objects and works of Asian art.

Works on view include a Japanese six-fold screen, whose gold-leaf ground reflected light into a dark interior space; a cloisonné vessel from China sporting colored enamels outlined by gilded wires; gold inlaid and overlaid weapons from Mughal India; gold-sprinkled lacquered wood boxes from Japan; gilded silver vessels from Parthian and Sasanian Iran; gilded silver spoons and a bronze acupuncture needle case from Korea; a Chinese tapestry woven with gold-wrapped threads; and a Japanese silk gauze theater costume featuring patterns worked in gold.

This is the first in a planned series of exhibitions that will focus on specific materials and how they are used, valued, and understood in Asian art traditions and cultures and employed in Asian art.

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Asian art traditions book: The Buddhist murals of Pagan

2005-05-20T01:26:00.000-07:00

Treasures hide in the temples of Pagan - treasures in part never meant to be seen, enshrouded in the darkness of high vaults. They compose a unique ensemble in the Buddhist world of the 11th to 14th centuries, offering a glimpse of lost splendor and providing evidence of the major political, religious and artistic position that Pagan then held.

This comprehensive study covers the murals found within temples near Pagan and those in the surrounding area. Following an initial iconographic analysis, the author proceeds to reconstruct the overall vision of the murals within the broader context of the interior spaces of the temples, revealing these monuments as visualizations of the Buddhist cosmos and reflecting the cosmological (absolute) nature of the Buddha as part of Asian art traditions.

Claudine Bautze-Picron is an authority on early Indic Buddhist Asian art and her detailed descriptions of these lost treasures are complemented by a magnificent photographic record of the surviving murals themselves.

The Buddhist murals of Pagan: timeless vistas of the cosmos, Author: Claudine Bautze-Picron, Publisher: Orchid Press, Available at Asia Books

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The Asian art galleries, Art Gallery of New South Wales

2005-05-18T04:19:00.000-07:00

“The art of Asia is the art of half the world.”, Edmund Capon, Director, Art Gallery of New South Wales

The Asian art collections

From the 19th century, the Asian art collection at the Art Gallery of New South Wales had developed from gifts and bequests. It was not until Edmund Capon was appointed Director of the Art Gallery of New South Wales in 1979 that an Asian art department was set up, with Jackie Menzies as Head Curator. In these two decades or more the Gallery has vigorously expanded its collections, seeking out works of art that exemplify some of the great and defining traditions of the arts of Asia.

Highlights of the Gallery's collection include a rich panorama of Chinese ceramics and porcelains, a great variety of Ming, Qing and modern Chinese paintings, Japanese gold-ground screens, Buddhist arts, sensuous Indian sculptures and the patterns of Southeast Asian textiles.

The Gallery's collections have been enriched through generous gifts and bequests of superb quality from several key collectors. Edmund Capon says, "Our Asian collections have, possibly more than any other aspect of the Gallery's collections, been defined by individuals. The interests of these and other donors range across a broad spectrum from Indian sculptures and Indonesian textiles to Chinese celadons, Japanese prints and Thai Buddhas."

The exhibitions - Permanent and Changing

In the upper level, the permanent collections are concentrated in the outer galleries, organized in easily comprehensible sections. The main section is Faiths of Asia. Faiths of Asia is a result of the public response to the 2002 exhibition Buddha: Radiant Awakening. "When I saw the enthusiastic response to Buddha: Radiant Awakening, I realized our audience want to know more about religion in Asia, so thought we should do a pan-Asian exhibition about Faiths," says Jackie Menzies.

"Currently Faiths of Asia is essentially Buddhism and Hinduism, reflecting the strengths of the Gallery's collection. However, the collection is expanding to display the art of more faiths, and as we acquire more works the displays will achieve more depth and balance".

Other categories of display include the textiles of South East Asia, and a 13 metre long case crammed with ceramics the Chinese exported to South East Asia and Europe. Pieces in this cabinet range in date from the 9th to 19th century and include Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Vietnamese ceramics produced for patrons in the Philippines (as grave goods) Indonesia (as heirloom pieces), Japan (the tea ceremony) and the West (interior decoration).

The soaring central space in the new galleries sees a changing exhibitions program. The flexibility of this space enables exhibitions of the widest scope - ranging from some of the most challenging contemporary Asian art being made, to the display of some of the most intimate and delicate paintings on silk.

Each visit to the Art Gallery of New South Wales' Asian galleries reveals a new dimension to the breadth of Asian art.

Location and admission

Art Gallery of New South Wales, Art Gallery Road, The Domain, Sydney, Australia, 2000
Tel: +61 2 9225 1744 or Nationwide Toll Free 1800 679 278

Opening hours: 10am to 5pm 7 days a week (closed Christmas Day and Easter Friday), Art after hours every Wednesday until 9pm

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the 3rd Fukuoka Asian Art Triennale

2005-05-16T01:09:00.000-07:00

The 3rd Fukuoka Asian Art Triennale 2005, 17 September to Sunday 27 November 2005, The Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Fukuoka City, Japan

The Fukuoka Triennale is a large-scale international exhibition held every three years to introduce the most up-to-date movements of contemporary Asian art The exhibition follows on from the activities of the Fukuoka Art Museum, which had introduced Asian art for over 20 years, hosting the pioneering exhibition, 'Asian Art Show' every five years.

The 1st Fukuoka Asian Art Triennale 1999 was held with the theme of 'Communication: Channels for Hope’ and marked the opening of the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum. The 2nd Fukuoka Asian Art Triennale 2002 took as its theme: “Imagined Workshop” and highlighted the tangibility of works made through collaboration and high skill craftsmanship. Both exhibitions were well received as shows dynamically introduced different facets of Asian art, exhibiting works reflecting society at the turn of the century, by both Japanese and international art related people.

For further progress, standing on the shoulders of previous exhibitions, the 3rd Fukuoka Triennale will find a new direction in Asian art by carefully selecting the most promising artists from 21 countries and regions in Asia under the theme “Parallel Realities: Asian Art Now”. Before and during the triennale, artists from Asian countries will be invited to Fukuoka for the live and dynamic art exchange programs with people in Fukuoka presenting workshops, performances, lectures and making artworks.

Fukuoka Asian Art Triennale 2005 - Parallel Realities – Asian Art Now

A high level moving imagery and communication technology have permeated every corner of daily life in contemporary Asia. The global and the local, raw reality and digital information, people with divergent ways of thinking and feeling, all either co-exist in the same world, or live separately but alongside one another. This contemporary environment has enabled us to transcend from one world to another with ease.

FT3, embracing the possible collisions and problems that may exist as we transit the boundaries between worlds, will focus on the positive potential of the “Parallel Realities” that exist between different cultures and societies. From videos with catchy music to small and elusive sculptures, from materials that evoke nostalgia to contemporary interiors, from the virtual world of comics, cartoons and computer games to actual daily life –– the exhibition is filled with diverse works of art that together introduce the Parallel Realities.

The Art Exchange Program, held simultaneously with the exhibition, is combined with the annual Residence Program. The exhibition will thus involve a wider range of audience in Fukuoka more deeply than ever before.

The outstanding difference from FT2 which focused on the tradition of craft is that FT3 features more urban and near-futuristic works by young artists who have been brought up in a flood of virtual imagery and information. The power of the new generation artists who apply pop culture so freely suggests their potential to lead Asian culture in the new century.

For more information, please contact the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Tel: + 81 92 263 1100, Fax: + 82 91 263 1105.

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Asian art traditions: Kyoto ceramics by Ninsei, at the Freer Gallery

2005-05-13T00:42:00.000-07:00

Through October 23, 2005, Rusticity refined: Kyoto ceramics by Ninsei, Freer Gallery of Art,Washington DC

Generally considered to be one of Japan's greatest potters, Nonomura Ninsei (active circa 1646–1677) is best known for his innovative transposition of Kyoto Asian art traditions to jewel-toned enamel decorations on elegant, thinly-thrown vessels.

Although the widespread adoption of this new aesthetic heralded a shift to Kyoto as the center of ceramic interpretation, Ninsei himself continued to maintain a broad repertory. He also produced ceramics that "quoted" from the radically different clays, robust, generous shapes and sensuously applied glazes of more rustic, regional tea wares of the Momoyama period (1568–1615).

On March 19, the Freer Gallery opened a small exhibition featuring 11 ceramics: five by Ninsei together with six works of the sort from which he quoted. The exhibit invites visitors to identify the source and measure the distance between Ninsei's refined Kyoto works and the rural prototypes that were his source of inspiration.

Works on view are paired for comparative purposes and include:

- A prototypically rustic Takatori ware vase with overlapping glazes in shades of chocolate and pale blue and a Satsuma ware tea caddy by late–16th century Korean immigrant potters, juxtaposed with a tea-ceremony water jar by Ninsei and a tea caddy made by a later Kyoto potter emulating Ninsei's style;

- A rounded Ninsei tea-leaf storage jar, whose shape and dark brown glazes bear direct reference to the late 16th-century Seto ware jar on view;

- A 17th-century cylindrical vase in the shape of a "traveling pillow" that was made by a Shigaraki potter and a tea-ceremony rinse-water bowl, decorated by Ninsei, with a splash of ash glaze that evokes the natural deposits of melted ash on old Shigaraki storage jars;

- A simply-thrown, Agano ware tea bowl made by an immigrant Korean potter working in early 17th-century Japan and a smooth-surfaced, foliate-rimmed tea ceremony rinse-water bowl by Ninsei, both of which are coated with a rice-straw ash or rice-hull ash glaze that appears milky white in thick areas and opalescent blue where thin;

- Two lustrous black tea bowls; the first, Black Seto ware produced in the Mino kilns during the late 16th century, and the second, more refined version created by Ninsei and decorated with his trademark floral motifs rendered in enamels.

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Asian art traditions: Thai art - Flavours by Steven Pettifor

2005-05-11T01:25:00.000-07:00

Flavours, offers a tantalizing taste of Thailand’s vibrant burgeoning contemporary art scene, from the end of the last century to the dawn of a new millennium. While the international image of Thailand as a tropical playground, rich in history and traditional heritage, has been widely publicized through exotic images in the media, little is still known about the human face of modern Thai society.

The last decade has seen significant changes in the South East Asian Kingdom – economically, politically, environmentally, and culturally. Barometers on the dramatic upheaval, Thai artists are attempting to make sense of the country’s rapid modernization.

Their art assumes a diverse array of media, often melding international art trends with distinctly Thai craftsmanship. Increasingly, Thai artists are garnering plaudits at biennials and triennials, Asian showcases and solo exhibitions abroad.

The book begins with an extensive overview of recent developments, highlighting particular issues, trends, and events that have played a role in shaping the art of today. It also features career profiles of 23 of the country’s established and emerging young artists, with thematic descriptions, more than 80 color illustrations, and revealing insights from the artists themselves.

With so little currently published upon the swift progression in Thai art, author Steven Pettifor provides us with a clear and concise assessment of the present artistic climate. A keen observer of Thai art’s growing international accreditation, he writes with direct and accessible language.

Flavours, by Steven Pettifor, is available in major bookshops in Asia.

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Asian art traditions: MORI presents Follow Me!

2005-05-09T03:09:00.000-07:00

The elegance of silence: CONTEMPORARY ART FROM EAST ASIA

This exhibition examines the relationship between contemporary art and the Asian art traditions that increasingly have become “silent” in contemporary culture. For centuries the consideration of nature has been a central characteristic of the art of this region, but, over the past decades, this has become muted. At a time of constantly developing technology, new ways of living have encouraged either a disregard for, or a forgetfulness of, tradition. In response to this, the exhibition considers what the aesthetics of Asian art traditions may now mean to contemporary Asian artists.

“The Elegance of Silence” features 26 artists from China, Korea, Japan and also Taiwan. It is structured around two ideas, one dealing with nature in the great outdoors and the other being more concerned with interior spaces and architecture. A number of works contain elements that relate to traditional depictions of mountains, hills, the sky, rocks, trees and fl owers. Other works are more concerned with interior spaces such as gateways, private rooms and ceremonial sites where the ancient art of feng shui has been applied. Feng shui actually means “wind and water” and is a form of wisdom through which humanity has traditionally orientated itself to live in harmony with nature. Here the traditional
western neutrality of “the white cube” has been replaced by a more integrated approach and the whole exhibition will be installed according to the harmonious principles of feng shui.

The works in the exhibition are executed in a wide range of different media, including painting, sculpture, installation, photography, video, craft and design.

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Asian art traditions: Thai wood carving

2005-04-17T21:37:00.000-07:00

Thai wood carving is one of the oldest Asian art traditions.

This Asian art stems from the Buddhist art traditions as Buddha images and scenes of his life were finely sculpted to decorate the temples. Later on, the temples were also decorated with sculpted doors, roofs or furniture. The Kings’ palaces were also adorned by exquisite carvings as well as some household utensils belonging to the nobles. Some of the finest examples of wood carvings are to be found in the North of Thailand, in Wat Duang Di and Wat Ton Khwen temples located in Chiang Mai.

Traditionally, only a very few artisans were commissioned to create those works of arts. But lately, with the development in tourism, the wood carving industry significantly developed, mainly in and around the city of Chiang Mai. And also most of the items that can be found now are of poorer quality, there are still expert wood carvers that create unique works of art, inspired by traditional motifs or following modern forms and matters.

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Asian art traditions: Vietnamese lacquer paintings

2005-04-10T23:18:00.000-07:00

Vietnamese lacquer painting finds its roots in some of the most ancient Asian art traditions. The Chinese were arguably the first to develop lacquer decorative techniques (Shang dynasty, 1384-1111 BC). They decorated household objects made of bamboo and wood. In Japan, evidences show that lacquer techniques were mastered as early as the 4th century BC.

In Vietnam, the first lacquer creations dates from the Dong Son era, 2000 years ago. Lacquer has since been used to decorate palaces, temples, and shrines as well as household items.

But the development of Fine arts lacquer paintings came much later and is attributed to J. lmguimberty, one of the two founders of the Ecole des Beaux Arts d’Indochine, who encouraged his students to develop new art forms using some of the traditional arts and crafts techniques.

Vietnamese artists Tran Van Can, Pham Hau and Nguyen Gia Tri are the most famous figures of this generation of artists. They relentlessly explored this new medium, applying modern concepts of colors, forms and perspective but at the same time trying to preserve the phantasmagoric character of lacquer paintings.

Traditionnaly, lacquer decorative works incorporated five colors: white, black, red, yellow and brow. But through mixing various dyes, Vietnamese artists have recreated a large palette of colors.

Since that time, lacquer paintings have gained international recognition and occupy now a major place in contemporary Vietnamese Fine arts and Asian arts.

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Asian art traditions: Thai temple decorations

2005-04-08T23:33:00.000-07:00

Temple decorations are one of the most ancient Asian art traditions. In this article, we will discuss the origins of some of the most famous Thai temple decorations.

Beginning in the Sukhothai period of the 14th century, ceramics became an important part of temple architecture and Asian art. Not only were ceramics used for the nuts and bolts of the temple buildings like supporting beams and roof tiles, but they began at this point to be used for purely decorative purposes as well.

The influences on Thai temples using ceramics in the actual construction of the building seem to have come from the Chinese art traditions, whereas the use of ceramics as a decoration came from the Chinese and Khmer.

Though they bare no religious meaning, among the most popular ceramic designs in Thai temples are dragons. Usually, dragons are seen as guardians, and they often come in pairs. Chinese dragons would usually be created as two or more interlocking beings, and this design made its way down to Thailand. Other mythical creatures also stand guard in front of Thai temples. Demonic ogres, and angels with four faces are often mounted as statues and were likely influenced by Khmer designs found at Angkor Watt.

But the most intriguing and mystical decorations often revolved around the Naga, the mythical water serpent whose origins are so old they date back to before the Buddha. “Naga” means serpent in Sanskrit and it makes appearances in both Hindu and Buddhist myths. The Naga are probably the most popular decoration in Thai temples, and are often found on the temple roofs (they sometimes form part of the roof itself) with their scales made of hundreds of small tiles, or as the top of an archway.

The Naga also found their way to Thailand by virtue of the Khmer who liked their water serpents with extra heads. The Khmer often created the Naga with three, five, or seven heads; even more sometimes as long as they came in odd numbers.

According to myth, the Nagas helped protect the Buddha during a storm while he was meditating when one used his cobra-like head to cover the Buddha as would an umbrella. Legends also speak of a breed of half-human-half-Naga creatures who inhabits a water underworld.

One of the most popular modern Naga legends says that every year on the full moon of Buddhist Lent, the Nagas of the Mekong River in Nong Khai, Thailand (on the Laos border), shoot fireballs high into the air from the depths of the river. The legend has spawned a huge tourist industry there for the yearly event, as well as a popular Thai movie.

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Asian art traditions: Japanese woodblock prints

2005-04-05T19:50:00.000-07:00

The international success of Japanese Woodblock Print art makes it one of the most famous Asian art traditions. This form of Asian art has not only existed for a long time in Japan, but it also significantly influenced western artists in the 19th century.

Originally, the prints were created using a single color (Sumi ink). And it is only later on that the first color prints appeared. At first, the colors were handpainted painted by artists, after the contours were printed by woodblocks using black ink.

Following new developments and the progress made in wood carvings in the mid eighteenth century, the prints were finally made using different woodblocks, each associated with one color. Some exquisite prints displayed more than 15 colors, requiring 15 different expertly hand carved woodblocks.

The color prints were then sold commercially. They represented literary scenes, actors, the lives of famous people, women, and erotic scenes.

During the 19th century, some of the most recognized Japanese woodblock print artists were Utagawa Toyokuni I, Utamaro Kitagawa, and Utagawa Kunisada.

The differences between old and modern methods of Japanese woodcutting are as follows: the method of cutting on wood - as the ancient woodcuts is deeper than the ones that are made today. However, though more shallow, the present day pieces allow for much greater detail.

Most woodblock prints were produced in Osaka, Kyoto, and Tokyo. Some workshops in Kyoto still produce Asian art woodblock prints today.

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Asian art exhibitions in Bangkok - April 2005

2005-04-04T03:00:00.000-07:00

Dreams and realism
Atrium, CRC Tower, All Seasons Place, Witthayu Road, tel 02-654-3888
"Dream-Realism" features around 80 Asian art paintings in both realistic and surrealistic styles by four artists _ Dittapong Boonsanong, Veerasak Sasdee, Somrak Maneemai and Anusorn Siripin. The works reflect some aspects of society and the artists' imagination.

Asian art for a good cause
Siam Society, Asoke Road, Tel 02-661-6470/7
The Siam Society presents an exhibition and sale of paintings by architect and national artist Sumet Jumsai. Also on display and sale are a selection of works of his daughter and several artist friends. Proceeds will be donated to the Siam Society Tsunami Relief Fund.

Asian art by heart
Jamjuree Art Gallery, Jamjuree 8 Building, Chulalongkorn University, Phaya Thai Road, tel 02-218-3709
"City _ Nature" features oil and watercolor paintings by Asian artist Sawai Wongsaprom, who is found of both art and nature.

Invisible landscapes
Asian art Centre, 7th floor, Centre of Academic Resources, Chulalongkorn University, tel 09-920-4240
"Lak-ka-pid-lak-ka-perd: Bangkok Invisible Landscapes" sees installation art, mixed-media works, photography, video art, and aural art. The event is a series of projects consisting of art exhibitions, lectures and a screening, held with the aim to illustrate and question the transformation of spaces in urban life within Bangkok.

Charming island
Asian art Sky Gallery, Baiyoke Sky Hotel, Ratchaprarop Road, tel 02-656-3000
"See Chang Sea Charm" showcases paintings and drawings of the See Chang island by Acharn Manas Rakjai.

Death before dying
National Gallery, Chao Fa Road, tel 02-282-2639/40
"Death Before Dying: The Return of Montien Boonma" features a large collection of drawings, paintings, mixed media and installation art by the late Asian artist Montien Boonma.

Asian art environment
Misiem's Sculpture Garden
38/9 Phutthamonthon Sai 7 Road, Nakhon Pathom, tel 02-639-8056/7
"Siamese Natural Resources" is an open-air sculpture exhibition by Surojana Sethabutra. Pottery hanging from trees in the garden allows visitors to examine the relationship between art and the environment.

Solitary bliss
100 Tonson Gallery, Soi Tonson, Phloen Chit Road, tel 02-684-1527
"Bliss of Solitude" features abstract landscapes by veteran Asian art painter Niti Wattuya. Well-known for his naturalism concept expressed through watercolor works, he now turns back to creating realistic works with a different approach.

Panoramic Asian art images
Gallery F-Stop, Tamarind Café, Sukhumvit Soi 20, tel 02-663-7421
"Panoramix: Far as the Horizon" features a collection of oversized colour images by photographers Niran Choonhachat and Somchai Phonghaisarnkit. The vibrant panoramic photographs spotlight history and geography, reflecting various differences in life, arts and culture.

Rock star
Numthong Gallery,Co-op Housing Building, Thoeddamri Road, tel 02-243-4326
"Rock Star Project" sees a collection of photographs and installation works by Kittirat Sarndang, whose concept focuses on the media's information overload.

Asian art for charity
Benjasiri Room, Mezzanine floor, Imperial Queen's Park Hotel, Sukhumvit Soi 22, tel 02-261-9000 ext 5938
"Warm Heart for Andaman Sea" showcases works by 27 renowned artists, who had made an exclusive trip to the south for landscape painting collection. The artists include Sawat Tantisuk, Pichai Niran, Preecha Taothong, Pisanu Supanimit and Chantana Daorai. The exhibition aims to help promote Thailand's southern tourism and to raise funds for the tsunami victims. An auction of works by national artists will take place on April 4 at 3pm.

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Asian art traditions: Chinese calligraphy

2005-03-31T20:32:00.000-08:00

Chinese calligraphy is one of the most famous Asian art traditions.

Calligraphy first appeared in Asia during the Bronze Age. Animal bones were then engraved inscribed with "pictures representing words" and used to tell the future. Also under a different form (ink on papers), it is still widely practiced throughout China today.

Under the reign of the Chinese Emperors, advanced calligraphic skills were necessary to apply for an executive position at the Imperial courts. Chinese indeed consider that calligraphy reveals the author’s personality. One has to be patient and hard working to train relentlessly to achieve perfection. There are numerous rules to follow in terms of the execution and the structure of the work, but creativity is also required to create original works of art.

To the Chinese artists and connoisseurs, one calligraphy is judged on the ability of the artist to represent the content of a text by playing with characters’ styling. By controlling the concentration of ink, the thickness and absorptiveness of the paper, and the flexibility of the brush, the artist can express his emotions.

Although it represents Chinese characters, one does not have to know Chinese to appreciate the beauty of Chinese calligraphy. In essence, calligraphy is an abstract art and is increasingly appreciated worldwide.

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Asian art traditions: Thai jewelry

2005-03-30T00:32:00.000-08:00

Gold jewelry enhanced by gems has been popular in Thailand since the middle of the first millennium. Local artisans employed repousée, granulation and filigree techniques in addition to the Indian kundan method of setting a gemstone in gold by using bands of almost pure gold.

The latter eliminates the need for fabricating a bezel, a gemstone-setting frame for each stone used, and allows a large number of irregular and uncut stoned to be included in a setting. Extant antique Thai jewelry indicates that stone quality and regularity of cut, though not totally ignored, was of lesser importance than the general effect of created glitter and opulence. Jewelry was meant to indicate rank and wealth.

Thus jewelry was - and still is - lavished with cabochons and table-cut gems. Often enameling was applied to heighten the gold patterns. Previously, enameling had been raised to an art form in Moghul India and is believed to have been practiced in Thailand since the reign of King Ekatosarot (r 1605―1611). Initially, only red and green enamels were used, but as the materials became scarcer other colors such as blue, deep blue and white were added and is very evident in Ratanakosin period jewelry.

An important design is the noppa-ratana or nine gems. This derives from ancient Hindu cosmology as reflected in nava-rattana settings whereby nine gems symbolize the nine planets. Such settings formed a powerful amulet by polarizing all space in relation to the sun, the giver of life, and mankind in relation to the universe. The gemstones, either together or separately, were used for preventative, therapeutic and antidotal purposes. The latter concept was adopted by the Moghul rulers of India whose magnificent jewelry in turn influenced that of Ayutthaya. For the most part, Ratanakosin jewelry maintained the traditional designs and production techniques but the setting were more detailed.

Nicholas Gervaise, the French priest who lived in Ayutthaya in the late 17th century, mentioned the thousand styles of beautiful, delicate silver ornaments with silver so delicately inlaid into the surface of the ornaments that it was difficult to see the connection. Sadly, however, there is no extant silver jewelry earlier than a century old. Nakorn Si Thammarat, Bangkok and Chiang Mai have been closely associated with the production of silver in the Ratanakosin period while Patchaburi has become the Thai centre for traditional style gold jewelry.

extract from Classic Thai, written by Chami Jotisalikorn, Phutorn Bhumadhon and Virginia Mc Keen Di Crocco, published by Asia Book in 2002. Available in all Asia Book shops.

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Asian art: Vietnamese modern arts history-3

2005-03-28T00:59:00.000-08:00

From social realism to today’s styles

In 1975, Vietnam was reunited. But the first years of peace were not marked by any change in modern art. Both the Northern and Southern artists followed their early style, in a quest to mark their cultural and political differences.

In 1985 the government made its first attempt to revitalize Vietnamese modern arts. Without forgetting their roots and cultural heritage, several Vietnamese artists, encouraged and sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, appeared progressively on the international scene.

Most of the emerging contemporary artists focused then on Vietnam’s agricultural society, and the simple life of its people. Their work was often influenced by the works of art created by French artists Fougeron, and Taslitzky or by Italian artists Pizzinato, and Trecani. The simple colors and shapes formed the characteristics of a poetic and realistic style that was greatly appealing to western collectors.

Benefiting from the success of their predecessors, a new generation of Vietnamese artists emerged on the local and international scenes in the early nineties. Representing a vast array of themes and techniques, they form today the core of the Vietnamese modern art scene, one of richest and most diverse in Asia.

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Asian art: Vietnamese modern arts history-2

2005-03-25T00:32:00.000-08:00

In 1945, the Communist Party of Viet Nam (Viet Minh) led a general resistance against the French. The years of war and separation between the North and the South that followed (1945 to1975) mark the second stage of Vietnamese modern arts history.

The revolution movement gained rapid ground among Vietnamese artists and some of the most recognized artists such as To Ngoc Van or Tran Van Can followed the insurrection and formed a new artist generation in Hanoi.

The first national exhibition organized at the Municipal Theater of Hanoi in August 1946 gathered the works of various genres by the patriotic artists of Northern Vietnam: oil painting, pumice lacquer, gouache, water color, wood cutting, most of them treating subjects relating to the struggle of Vietnam for a new life. In 1948, after three years of war, the second national exhibition of fine arts was organized in a forest of palm trees (Xuan Ang village, Phu Tho province) with about 100 pictures, including silks, wood engravings, and drawings.

During those years of war, Northern Vietnamese painters put their art at the service of the revolution. Many of their creations represented scenes of war, chanting the bravery of Viet Minh soldiers.

Meanwhile, a smaller group of famous Vietnamese artists such as Nguyen Gia Tri or Le Ba Dang remained in some big cities in the South, was.

After the Dien Bien Phu victory in 1954, the country was officially separated in two regions, the North and the South. Differences of forms and matters grew wider in Vietnamese modern arts, as the artists in the North trained under the socialistic drawing methods, while the artist in the South continued to experiment new techniques from diverse European schools to refine their own styles.

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Asian art: Vietnamese modern arts history-1

2005-03-23T00:33:00.000-08:00

Up to 1925, Vietnamese paintings consisted of wood prints and pictures of pagodas by anonymous authors. Being cut off from the emerging art schools from Europe, Vietnamese artists never dared to move away form the traditional forms and matters.

The history of Vietnam modern art began when the French established the Ecole Supérieure des Beaux-Arts de l'Indochine (Fine Arts College of Indochina – FACI. The principal founders of this College were Victor Tardieu (1870-1937) and Joseph Inguimberty (1896-1971).

Introducing painters to realism and symbolism, the College and its founder laid the foundation of Vietnamese modern art. Before 1925, Vietnamese artist had no clear conception of painting styles and forms. The School offered a window on the European painting styles in the early 20th century: fauvism, cubism, symbolism, expressionism, surrealism, futurism, abstractionism…

Keen to preserve the rich Vietnamese cultural heritage, Victor Tardieu and Joseph Inguimberty are credited with successfully introducing new techniques without “westernizing” the Vietnamese artists’ creations. The new generation was trained to apply western techniques to develop new expressions of their cultural heritage and social environment.

During its 20 years of operation (1925-1945), the College welcomed than 100 Vietnamese painters, sculptors and architects who emerged later on as the pioneers in Vietnamese modem art.

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Asian art traditions: Thai architecture

2005-03-21T01:22:00.000-08:00

Admitting Indian, Khmer, and other Asian art influences, Thai Buddhist architects are known for having developed their distinctive styles of soaring multi-tiered rooftops rising toward the sky.

Early buildings from the Sukhothai period were strongly influenced by Khmer architecture. Sandstone was used to form doors, lintels, and rectangular windows. Around the 12th century, brick replaced sandstone as the most used material. Chinese influences could also be found in decorations, like porcelain fragments in various colors.

This Asian art reached its summit in Thailand during the beginning of the 19th century. The most spectacular example is to be found in Bangkok: the Wat Phra Kaeo. The temple of the Emerald Buddha contains numerous carvings and decorations. Within the compound, almost every surface is covered with inspired decoration, mixing so many colors and materials.

In addition to temple architectures, the distinctive Thai style of domestic architecture also progressively changed, employing prefabricated woven panels hung on the stouts and pillars. Traditional Thai architecture declined at beginning of the 19th century when buildings were increasingly built according to European forms. From the late 1940's European influence grew rapidly and Thai architects quickly adopted the concepts of Western architects.

Like other forms of Asian art in the early 1990's, Thai architecture has been deeply changed by new industrial materials reflecting not only changing individual tastes but also preoccupations for zoning regulations, ecology, and energy consumption.

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Asian art traditions: classical Thai mural paintings

2005-03-18T00:58:00.000-08:00

Classical Thai mural painting was to be found only in temple and palace interiors and book illustrations. The mural paintings were created to enhance the beauty of the religious and royal objects they surrounded.

Classical Thai mural paintings are showing the same characteristics as other traditional Asian art paintings. For example, perspective was not represented and the size of the figures depended on their importance. Figures were two dimensional and landscapes were not considered as important as the focus was the main figures.

The traditional Asian art Thai painter had five primary pigments, the close equivalent of scarlet lake, yellow ochre. ultramarine blue, pipe clay-while, and pot-black. With these he was able to produce many other colours. All were finely ground powders that were stirred into bowls containing a glue binder, using sticks to work it to the desired strength and consistency. With these colours the traditional artists created uniquely beautiful compositions in the form of temple murals, cloth banners, and manuscript illustrations.

The earliest surviving murals are characterized by earth colours made from natural pigments. They depicted excerpts from episodes of the Buddha's life, scenes of Buddhist heaven and hell, rows of gods, and scenes of contemporary Thai life.

Later on, colors became richer with the use of pigments imported from China, and around the middle of the 19th century, Asian artists began using chemical pigments and Western perspective.

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Asian art exhibitions in Bangkok - March 2005

2005-03-11T01:01:00.000-08:00

Asian art exhibition: Human love
V9, Sofitel Silom Bangkok Hotel
Silom Road, Bangkok, tel. 02-238-1991
"Bonds" sees works by Assoc Prof Vichoke Mukdamanee, who blends painting and mixed media techniques to reflect the beauty of our surrounding.

Chinese art exhibition: Chinese voices
Gallery 55, CRC Tower
All Seasons Place, Witthayu Road, Bangkok, tel. 02-685-3877
"New Voices from China" features 20 paintings by six young Chinese artists _ Zhang Ping, Zhang Yong, Wang Dazhi, Zhao Lei, Wang Yichu and Lu Yiwei. Using their own distinctive styles, they depict what they see as important, either from a personal or social point of view.

Asian art exhibition: Dream weaver
Espace Gallery, Seameo-Spafa
Si Ayutthaya Road, Bangkok, tel. 02-280-4022/9
"Dream weaver" features acrylic paintings and abstract portraits of women by Burmese artist Chaw Ei Thein. Exhibited along with the paintings are performance photographs and installation, all of which represent the artist's questions and answers about her own place in the world.

art exhibition: Asian way
Jamjuree Art Gallery, Chulalongkorn University
Phaya Thai Road, Bangkok, tel. 02-218-3709
"Asian Way of Life" sees drawings, acrylic paintings and wood sculptures created during the past four years by Viboon Leesuwan. Some of his drawings portray weaving patterns, while others focus on the Yin-Yang symbol.

Asian art exhibition: Memory of my Kingdom
Surapon Gallery, Tisco Tower
Sathon Nua Road, Bangkok, tel. 02-638-0033/4
"Memory of My Kingdom" features prints, mixed media and paintings by Tinnakorn Kasornsuwan. He incorporates other media such as woodcut, lithograph, collagraph, monoprint and ceramic into his etching-based prints to portray animals, trees, agricultural products, farmers, temples and Buddha statues.

Asian animation art exhibition: Animeson
Jamjuree Art Gallery, Jamjuree 8 Bluilding
Chulalongkorn University, Phaya Thai Road, tel. 02-218-3709
"Animeson" features 17 short animations by a group of freelance animators from Anya Animation Co and Pop Network. The exhibition aims to promote this kind of art among the new generation.

Art exhibition: Asian Art environment
Misiem's Sculpture Garden
38/9 Phutthamonthon Sai 7 Road, Nakhon Pathom, tel. 02-639-8056/7
"Siamese Natural Resources" is an open-air sculpture exhibition by Surojana Sethabutra. Pottery hanging from trees in the garden allows visitors to examine the relationship between Asian art and the environment.

Asian art exhibition: Solitary bliss
100 Tonson Gallery, Soi Tonson
Phloen Chit Road, Bangkok, tel. 02-684-1527
"Bliss of Solitude" features abstract landscapes by veteran painter Niti Wattuya. Well-known for his naturalism concept through watercolor works, he now turns back to creating realistic works with a different approach.

Asian art exhibition: Archetype
Akko Gallery, Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok, te.l 02-259-1436
"Archetype" sees paintings of oil, oil bar and enamel on canvas by Angkrit Ajchariyasophon, an emerging conceptual artist from Chiang Rai. He tackles themes which occupied him during his studies of the social implications between art and society, particularly on his own community.

Asian art exhibition: Family works
City Gallery, Siam City Hotel
Si Ayutthaya Road, Bangkok, tel. 02-247-0123
The "Vichienket Art Exhibition 2005" features a collection of paintings, drawings and bronze sculptures by members of the Vichienket family who find their source of inspiration in nature.

Asian art exhibition: Line and color
National Gallery, Chao Fa Road, Bangkok, tel. 02-282-2639/40
"Line & color" features paintings and mixed-media works by Thana Laohakaikul, dean of the Silpakorn University's Faculty of Painting, Sculpture and Graphic Arts.

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Asian art: Thai contemporary photography

2005-03-09T00:55:00.000-08:00

Photography was first introduced in Thailand during the reign of King Rama IV when Europeans visited the kingdom. At that time, the pictures were mostly of important people and venues.

At the beginning, photography wasn’t really thought of as a visual art like other forms of Asian art, but this has progressively changed over the years. Thai photography has definitely developed in style and subject matter. Many courses are taught in technical Asian art colleges and universities and its popularity is growing steadily.

Creativity is being explored in the forms of the photographs, whether they are a landscape, still life, nude, abstract or realistic reproduction. The work taking place in Thailand today can be classified as contemporary photography, even though some Thai artists are still influenced by the older work that was done and are not willing to experiment new creative approaches.

Many Thai photographers are producing Asian art works as avant-garde as in Europe or the United States because they have had the opportunity to study there and brought back with them the techniques and concepts they have learned when living abroad. They want to step up ahead, to unravel and reveal, and go where no one has gone before in the world of Asian art.

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Asian art: Thai Asian art institutes

2005-03-08T01:11:00.000-08:00

Thai Asian art institutes began with the establishment of the Phao Chang School in 1913. This was followed by the opening of the Faculty of Painting and Sculpture at the Silapakorn University, which offered undergraduate level courses in fine arts, thirty years after, or in 1943.

Then, in 1981, Chulalongkorn University established their Faculty of Fine Arts, Offering courses in Asian art and design. Chiangmai University quickly followed, opening their Faculty of Fine Arts two years later, and 10 years after this, or in 1993, with continued government support, Khorn Kaen University opened its Faculty of Fine Arts and Srinakharinvirot and Burapha University opened its Faculty of Fine Arts.

Currently, many of the remaining government universities are in the process of planning to provide courses and degrees in the fine arts. This is also true of private institutions because of growing public interest and realization of the importance of art in our daily lives.

Through the development in Thai education, students are now better aware and have more access to knowledge and information through the advancements in Information Technology. As a result, Thai art has had the chance to grow and prosper, rising to new levels of quality, and this trend appears to be continuing, offering opportunities to Thai artists like never before.

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Asian art: Thai contemporary paintings

2005-03-06T19:34:00.000-08:00

Indian, Sri Lankan, Chinese and Khmer cultures influences on Thai art were noticeable well before the reign of King Rama IV. But it was during his reign that Western tastes and trends began to influence the work of Thai artists.

The first clear influence is the quest for realism, seen in the paintings of this time when some Thai aristocrats attempted to produce landscapes. Western artists were also commissioned to produce paintings based on the accepted principles of realism to decorate the residences of His Majesty King Rama V. At the time, the king provided sponsorship, or patronage, to an Italian artist, Bhirasri and his students, who produced the Victory Monument. Realism continued to be a force in Thai art through the reign of King Rama VI who also ordered the sculpture and construction of many more monuments.

Before HM King Bhumipol Adulyadej ascended to the throne in 1946, Thai artists also started studying and experimenting with a number of art movements rising in the West, although realism continued to dominate. The paintings of that time were mainly representing natural sceneries and were judged for the skills of the artists to reproduce images in a very true and natural manner.

Still, Thai art continued to evolve, especially through new artists who received scholarships to study in European countries. They discovered the new school of Impressionism, Post Impressionism and Cubism, which now still influence the work of Thai artists.

Thai art became a broad blend of natural realism and the European movements, with impressionist lighting and cubist structures.

Thai artist began to be bored by the restraints of nature in their works. They wanted to be more creative. These new European schools gave them the chance to explore new creative directions.

Beginning in 1973, social issues started to have an important influence on contemporary Thai art. This was particularly noticeable after the anti-government demonstrations held on October 14, 1973 and October 6, 1976. Now, social repression and environmental destruction are now recurrent themes of Thai modern art.

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asian art traditions: Thai temple decorations

2005-03-03T01:07:00.000-08:00

Beginning in the Asian art Sukhothai period of the 14th century, ceramics became an important part of temple architecture and Asian art traditions.

Not only were ceramics used for the nuts and bolts of the temple buildings like supporting beams and roof tiles, but they began at this point to be used for purely decorative purposes as well.

The influences on Thai temples using ceramics in the actual construction of the building seem to have come from the Chinese, whereas the use of ceramics as a decoration came from the Chinese and Khmer.

Though they bare no religious meaning, among the most popular ceramic designs in Thai temples are dragons. Usually, dragons are seen as guardians, and they often come in pairs. Chinese dragons would usually be created as two or more interlocking beings, and this design made its way down to Thailand. Other mythical creatures also stand guard in front of Thai temples. Demonic ogres, and angels with four faces are often mounted as statues and were likely influenced by Khmer designs found at Angkor Watt.

But the most intriguing and mystical decorations often revolved around the Naga, the mythical water serpent whose origins are so old they date back to before the Buddha. “Naga” means serpent in Sanskrit and it makes appearances in both Hindu and Buddhist myths. The Naga are probably the most popular decoration in Thai temples and Asian art traditional creations , and are often found on the temple roofs (they sometimes form part of the roof itself) with their scales made of hundreds of small tiles, or as the top of an archway.

The Naga also found their way to Thailand by virtue of the Khmer who liked their water serpents with extra heads. The Khmer often created the Naga with three, five, or seven heads; even more sometimes as long as they came in odd numbers.

According to myth, the Nagas helped protect the Buddha during a storm while he was meditating when one used his cobra-like head to cover the Buddha as would an umbrella. Legends also speak of a breed of half-human-half-Naga creatures who inhabits a water underworld.

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Asian art symbolism

2005-03-02T01:32:00.000-08:00

Traditionally, animals and other symbols in Asian art signified particular meanings. There are many such ancient symbols which still find their way into modern Asian art.

- Bats: Good Luck. 2 Bats together means double good fortune. 5 Bats means The Five Blessings: long life, wealth, health, virtue, and a natural death
- Butterflies: With Plum Blossoms symbolizes Long Life and Beauty
- Cicada: Immortality, Life after Death
- Cock: Reliability / Red Cock protects your house from fire
- Crane: Longevity
- Cricket: Fighting Spirit
- Deer: Riches
- Dove: Fidelity
- Dragon: Male Vigor and Fertility, also the symbol for The Emperor
- Dragon & Phoenix: Man and Wife
- Duck: Married Bliss
- Duck in Reeds: May you do well on your exams
- Eagle: Strength
- Elephant: Strength and Astuteness
- Riding an Elephant: Happiness
- Fish: Wealth
- Fisherman: One of the 4 Basic Occupations
- Goose: Married Bliss
- Heron with Lotus Flowers: May your path be upward
- Endless Knot: Long Life without Setbacks
- Lotus: Purity
- Magnolia: Beautiful Woman
- Onion: Clever
- Ox / Water Buffalo: Coming of Spring
- Peach: Longevity
- Peacock: Dignity and Beauty
- Phoenix: The Five Human Qualities: Virtue, Duty, Correct Behavior, Humanity, Reliability
- Pine Trees: Longevity, Steadfastness, and Self-Discipline
- Quail: Courage
- Sheep: Yang...The Male Principle
- Snake: The Woman
- Tiger: Courage and Bravery
- Tortoise: Longevity & Immortality
- Yin: The Female Principle
- Yang: The Male Principle

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Asian art traditions: the origins of Thai art

2005-02-28T19:35:00.000-08:00

Thai art is an ambiguous term which (according to the cultural orientation of the speaker or the context in which it is used) may refer to very different, sometimes contradictory things.

In common parlance and according to some art historical classifications, Thai art refers to the very remarkable sculpture and architecture that a predominantly Tai-speaking population who lived in what would one day become Thailand began to create in the late thirteenth century AD (Piriya, 1977). Those thirteenth-century Tai initiatives are often considered to have produced a cultural watershed that clearly separated them from the artistic traditions that preceded them.

But Thai art, that is, the art that is part of Thailand’s cultural heritage, is much more than the product of Tai initiatives: it is also the outgrowth of ethnically diverse peoples who had lived in the land that would become Thailand several millennia before the Tai began their prodigious undertakings. Not only is pre-Tai art part and parcel of the country’s cultural landscape, but a case can be made that a break between the arts of the pre- Tai and Tai periods was not as divisive as is sometimes suggested. Just as modern-day citizens of Thailand, that is, the Thai, may claim descent not only from the Tai but also from Mon, Khmer or Chinese ancestry, Thai art reflects an ancient, richly diverse, multicultural heritage. The identification of ‘Tai’ (a linguistic group) with ‘Thai’ (an inhabitant of Thailand) has resulted in artistic confusion and a misunderstanding of the country’s cultural and artistic traditions that are difficult to untangle. Equally confusing is the common assumption that Khmer peoples who had lived in what are now Thai territories for many centuries during the pre-Tai era were culturally synonymous with those with political ties to the Mekong region of what is now Cambodia.

A distinction between Thailand’s Tai and pre-Tai traditions is understandable, for the Tai’s contributions to the country that would one day include a variation of their name were enormous. The Tai had begun to migrate from southern China and settle in their new homeland in the late first millennium AD, and although for several centuries following their arrival they appear to have made little cultural impact, by the thirteenth century they had begun to establish political and religious institutions that brought unity to their multicultural surroundings, a cohesion that resulted from the selection and adaptation of cultural elements, both local and foreign. The Tai adopted the strictest and most conservative form of Buddhism, Theravada, as their state religion, and Brahmanical rites supported a newly established monarchy. They also produced vast amounts of sculpture and architecture that reflected their political and religious fervor. Their early works established art styles that would endure until the present day. Tai dialects became widespread throughout the area and Tai scripts were increasingly used to document religious and political events. What is now considered Thailand’s cultural heartland came to be known as Siam, the name by which the ’Central Tai’ who settled there were once known. And in 1939, a millennium after the Tai’s arrival, Siam Became Thailand, a broader term that referred not only to the Central Tai but to Tai who lived farther a field. A national identity, one that had been in the making for many centuries, was established, and khwam pen thai – a sense of what constitutes the essence to Thai art and culture was cast.

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Asian art traditions: 3 surprising facts about silk

2005-02-26T02:16:00.000-08:00

3 striking facts about silk:

1. Smoothness: silk composition is very similar to the structure of the human skin: it contains 18 different amino acids. This is one of the reasons silk is so gentle to the touch.

2. Shininess: when observed under a microscope, cross sections of silk fiber show a prism-like shape. This explains the way silk reflects light; creating different shiny shades and arrays of colors.

3. Luster: silk contains protein layers called fibrions found also in pearls. This molecular structure creates the beautiful luster observed in silk.

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Asian art traditions: Vietnamese silk paintings

2005-02-24T17:43:00.000-08:00

Whether it is legend or fact, the Asian art tradition of Vietnamese silk painting starts with Y Lan, the First Wife of King Ly Thanh Tong (1054-1072). A skilled silk weaver, she built a thriving silk shop in the royal court of the capital city where she spun silk and made silk garments.

To this day, temples throughout Vietnam stand in dedication to the “Patron Saint” of silk. Though “Lady Silk,” as she was also known, never made the transition to silk painting, that trade flourished in the aftermath of her establishing the silk weaving industry in Vietnam.

To produce enough silk for a traditional silk painting can take anywhere from 15-30 silkworms. From that silk, the weaver spins together 3-4 raw silks to form a vertical textile and 30-40 raw silks to form the horizontal textile which together form the base for the silk painting.

It takes a mightily skilled hand to paint on silk as any mistakes must be blended into the final picture as there is no way of covering them up on the expensive silk “canvas.” But the slightly raised horizontal and vertical lines of the silk also offer the artists an opportunity to create a very fine and bright piece which can stand out next to an oil painting.

Though centuries old, Vietnamese silk paintings were finally achieved full international notoriety in 1946 when two paintings won prizes at an art festival held in France. That was toward the end of the most renowned period of Vietnamese silk painting which started in 1925. The approach of those two decades emphasized softness and elegance in a wide variety of styles.

In modern Vietnam, silk painting is primarily a household trade with certain villages supplying the silk to the artists who are mostly found around the capital, Hanoi. With the opening of Vietnam to tourists and business in the 1990s, Vietnamese silk paintings have once again taken their prominent place on the international stage as a unique and elegant form of art.

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Asian art tradition: history of Thai silk

2005-02-22T19:32:00.000-08:00

Legend has it that the culturing of the silkworm and the weaving of silk date back more than 4,000 years to 2640 BC, when Chinese Empress Si Ling-Chi developed the process of “reeling” silk from the cocoon.

For the next 3,000 years, Chinese emperors kept the cultivation of silk as a highly guarded secret, threatening anyone who exported silk worms with the death penalty.

The Silk Road brought the actual fabric—made in China—all around Asia for centuries before it found its way to Europe at least as early as the 1st or 2nd centuries. It was not until around 550 AD that two missionaries finally managed to smuggle to Europe (using a hollow staff) the essentials for cultivating silk: the eggs of the silkworm and the seeds of a mulberry tree. Very quickly thereafter silk became the fabric of choice for nobility and the clergy in Europe, and the Moors became deft silk cultivators and weavers carrying the fabric around Europe and northern Africa.

No one knows for sure when the cultivation of silk began in Thailand, but it probably came around 1,000 years ago when Thai people began their migration to modern day Thailand from Southern China. Historically, the culture and weaving of Thai silk was a traditional folk craft of Thai women. It was intensive work that often combined threads from as many as 8,000 cocoons to make a single dress. But the results were so remarkable that, as in Europe, silk clothing was commissioned by the Thai royalty (they even had special colors and patterns only royals were allowed to wear). When Europeans first came to Thailand, they were so dazzled by the superiority of silk garments the Thai village women made that Thai silk became a sensation in the West.

When cheaper mass production of silk began in the 19th century in Japan, China, and Europe, Thailand saw a sharp decline in the demand for its silk. The fall was so precipitous that the millennium-old industry nearly vanished before it was revived by the American Jim Thompson following World War II.

After being discharged from his Bangkok post of the old American intelligence services in 1946, Thompson chose to stay in Thailand. By 1947, when his interest in Thai Silk had grown, he could find only one village in the entire country, Ban Krua, which still had even a part-time community of silk weavers—and it is there that he started his enterprise. When Thompson landed in New York with samples from Ban Krua in 1947, it was an instant hit. He went on to form the Thai Silk Company in 1948 and today Thai Silk, with its unique and highly varied colors, has regained its status as one of the most exquisite fabrics in the world.

Thompson himself oversaw this revival in Thai silk until 1967 when, on a vacation in Malaysia’s Cameron Highlands, he walked out of his cottage one day and was never seen again. Due to his old connections with secret services and clandestine operations, speculation on his fate still swirls, forever linking Thai Silk with this international man of mystery.

Though Thompson disappeared, his legacy lived on as Thai Silk continued its growth with its bright and unique colors driving its popularity. Today, most Thai silk worms are cultivated in Thailand’s northeast on the Korat Plateau, while most production is centered in the northern capital, Chiang Mai. Though Jim Thompson is the most famous brand of Thai Silk, the industry is quite diversified with hundreds of manufacturers, large and small, providing high quality silks.

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Asian art tradition: the Asian Nouveau style

2005-02-21T17:32:00.000-08:00

The Asian Nouveau style stems from the art nouveau movement’s philosophy. Just as their art nouveau predecessors did, the Asian Nouveau trendsetters systematically reject the distinction between fine arts (made for beauty only) and decorative arts (made for practical purpose). Anti-industrial in outlook, the Asian Nouveau style promotes the work of artist-craftsmen, creating beautiful furniture and design accents with a practical use.

The Asian Nouveau movements’ creations rapidly gained interest as design aficionados progressively moved away from the Japanese influenced minimalist style. Esthetically harmonious but considered too tame and cold, minimalism was also somewhat monotonous and impractical.

Bringing back the warmth of colors and the touch of natural materials, advocating the display of beautiful hand-made accents, Asian Nouveau’s creations now liven-up home decors in the West and the East.

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Asian art tradition: Thai ceramics

2005-02-20T18:39:00.000-08:00

Ceramics have been fired in Thailand since prehistoric times, with old ceramic finds covering much of northern and eastern Thailand.

These ceramics were very distinct, with distinguishable variations in the designs and quality of the ceramics being found throughout the sites. Moreover, finds have been made of imported ceramics to Thailand, suggesting how important ceramics were in the prehistoric culture.

However, the definitively traceable history of Thai Ceramics actually begins with the Khmer Empire of the last millennium in what is modern-day Cambodia and eastern Thailand. The first evidence of ceramic creations there date to the 9th century, but archeological evidence suggests Khmer ceramics hit their hay day around the same time as the height of the Khmer Empire in the 11th and 12th centuries.

For a few centuries, the Khmer turned out ceramics of high quality in large volume, mostly using kilns located close to the famed Angkor Watt temples and also in parts of modern-day eastern Thailand. A majority of the old Khmer ceramics was glazed brown, wood-ash, dark jade green, or olive green, but whites, yellows, and grays have also been found. The Khmer made ceramics of just about everything from vases, jars, and urns to animal-shaped pots and oil lamps, some also in dual-color glazes. It is generally believed Khmer ceramics were mostly used for ritual, as art critics find their character to be heavy and serious.

But as the political winds of Southeast Asia went, so too did the history of ceramics in the region. When the Khmer Empire began its downfall in the 13th century as the emerging Siamese sacked Angkor and took major territorial gains, the production of Khmer ceramics was finished. However, the Siamese (later to be known as the Thais), quickly took the ceramics torch from the Khmer and made it their own, starting limited production almost exactly when the Khmer version was finished. In this way, Thai ceramics is much like Thai architecture and many other facets of Thai culture in that much of it developed from previous Khmer designs as the two kingdoms experienced opposite fortunes.

When China experienced an internal crisis in the 15th century, it opened the door for Thai ceramics to take over the Asian market. Now fired in kilns in the ancient Siamese capital, Sukhothai and known as Sukhothai ceramics, the old Thai versions found their way as far as Indonesia and the Philippines. Huge caches of Sukhothai ceramics have been found on sunken vessels in the Gulf of Thailand.

But once again, war intervened in ceramic production. As the territorial battles between the Siamese and the Burmese heated up, production of Sukhothai ceramics slowed and finally ceased by the 16th century and Chinese ceramics once again took the mantle for Asia. At present time, the old Sukhothai ceramics are mostly held in private collections, though some can be found in museums in Bangkok and Sukhothai.

In modern days, Thailand is once again producing some of Asia’s best ceramics, mainly in centers in the northern part of the Kingdom. Pottery, statues, and ceramic workings of all kinds have been revived as Thai artisans have rediscovered this ancient art and turned the attention of their creative juices to its production. Technical breakthroughs in the firing of ceramics have spawned a rebirth of Thai ceramics. The types, colors, and designs of modern Thai ceramics are more varied than ever, and have become an increasingly popular art import to the West as the skilled Thai artisans have learned to fuse the new designs with the ancient art traditions of their past.

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Asian art tradition: recognizing authentic silk

2005-02-17T23:00:00.000-08:00

There are three efficient ways to determine the authenticity of handmade silk: consider the weave, the luster and do a burn test!

1. Examining the weave, you will see the difference between real silk and imitation materials. Because real silk weave is handmade of natural fibers only, it clearly displays small flaws or joins in the thread. The imitation polyester, on the other hand, is a machine-made fabric and shows a perfect appearance with no flaw or bump.

2. Luster is another key characteristic, and a small light test shows whether a fabric is real or imitation. Authentic silk is made with one color for the warp and another color for the weft. This is what gives silk its natural sheen and luster. Holding a piece of real silk up to the light will change the overall color tone depending on the angle of the light. On the other hand, imitation fabrics will always shine white.

3. The last test is the burn test! Take a thread or two of 100-percent silk and light them. They will leave a fine ash and smell like burnt hair. Furthermore, as soon as you put of the flame, the threads will stop burning. But if you burn imitation silk, it drips, creates black smoke and continues to flare after the flame is taken away. Consider the burn test the last resort, but if you have any doubt, it is the most certain way to determine authenticity.

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Asian art tradition: Thai modern art

2005-02-15T17:30:00.000-08:00

The founding father of Thai modern art is actually not Thai. Rather, he was an Italian sculptor named Corrado Feroci who was hired by King Rama VI around 1924 to create bronze statues of Thailand’s old historical heroes.

He went on to take a Thai name, Silpa Bhirasri, and establish an institute for fine arts in Thailand which later became Silpakor (Fine Arts) University.

With his influence, Thai artists began to paint in the impressionist and cubist molds, often choosing rural scenes without people. As with most art, religion quickly became a popular influence in the creations. Buddhist themes began to surface in the paintings and sculptures of Thailand’s new modern artists, and today such religious symbols are a very common aspect of the art that has become popular among foreigners—despite it being not so popular among Thais.

For local consumption, Thai artists are now increasingly focusing on the “losses” associated with modern life, painting scenes that convey how old traditions and simple lives have given way to busier and more complicated times. They are also focusing increasingly on the conflict and amalgamation of Thai and Western cultures as it is playing itself out in Thailand.

Despite the new molds so many Thai artists are now creating, there still exist many old elements of traditional Asian art in the modern Thai art world, many of which are found in certain symbols.

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Asian art tradition: history of lacquer ware

2005-02-13T17:42:00.000-08:00

Though it is an ancient art, Asian Lacquer paintings have only regained their prominance on the world art scene in the last decade, as the two main producers of the unique art - Vietnam and Burma - have just recently opened up to tourism and begun exhibiting their highly skilled artists.

While distinct from one another, Vietnamese and Burmese Lacquer techniques are very old. In Vietnam, Lacquer arts have been found in tombs dating back more than 2,300 years while ancient inscriptions around the Burmese city Bagan have shown Lacquer dates back in that part of Asia to at least the 11th century.

Laquer painting is a much more involved process than the traditional oil or watercolor form. Lacquer painters must use sap from Lacquer trees to hold a cloth covering onto their wooden canvass. They paint the outlines of the picture in hot lacquer and apply the colors one layer at a time, letting each dry out before the next is applied. Modern lacquer painters in Vietnam have learned to infuse substances like crushed egg shells, gold foil, and plants into their artwork, allowing for a unique expression of creativity.

However in Burma, infusions of gold foil were already found in lacquerware centuries ago, though they were usually reserved for royal paintings and religious art. Other materials such as animal bone, colored glass, and bamboo are used depending on where the lacquer designs are applied to. Colored glass is infused into lacquer paintings on thrones, budhist images, and caskets, among others. Bamboo, on the other hand, is infused to lacquer paintings which decorate vases, tables, chairs, and chests.

Lacquer painting is as much a part of the ancient city of Bagan as are the more famous thousands of pagodas which cover travel brochures for Burma. For centuries, a majority of people in Bagan have been involved in lacquer ware, passing the tradition down through the years. Currently there is a government-sponsored institute in Bagan dedicated to the recruitment and training of lacquerware artists and the demand for Burmese and Vietnamese laquerware among art circles in the West continues to rise.

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Asian art tradition: the 5 steps of silk production

2005-02-11T01:24:00.000-08:00

Step 1: life and death of the silk caterpillars

Commonly called a silkworm, the insect that produces the silk fiber is actually a caterpillar. When the tiny dark green caterpillars emerge from their eggs, they are only about a centimeter long and 2 millimeters thick.

The silk caterpillars feed of washed, dried, and chopped mulberry leaves. In the early stages, they eat four to five times a day. On average, one caterpillar consumes 26 grams of mulberry leaf over its lifetime. Its length increases 40 times within 20 days!

Boosted by the huge amount of food consumed every day, the caterpillars grow at a very rapid pace. Actually, they grow so quickly that their skins cannot expand as fast as their bodies. That’s why they shed their skins four times before finally spinning their silken cocoons. It is during this period that the caterpillars are stocking the liquid raw material of silk.

The final stage of a caterpillar’s existence is the spinning of its cocoon. When the caterpillars are ready to spin, they are placed into round baskets sealed with cloth to protect them from flies With rapid movements of their heads, the caterpillars spew liquid silk from a gland located on its lower lip. The liquid silk hardens coming in contact with the air and forms a thin triangular ribbon. The caterpillars spin thousands of tiny loops of silk in 4 to 5 days.

Step 2: from cocoons to raw silk yarns

When the caterpillars have finished spinning their cocoons, the cocoons are put into simmering water. The silk fibers are slowly unraveled from the cocoons, wound onto wooden spindles, and then spun into thread or yarn. Unprocessed silk fiber is gold in color, and one cocoon consists of a single fiber that is often as long as 500 meters.

Step 3: refining and dying silk yarns

At this stage, the silk yarn is washed and bleached until it is creamy white. Because the silk threads are a natural fiber from the cocoon of the caterpillar, they are held together by a glutinous substance. Washing and bleaching is necessary to remove this substance from the silk strands, so that colors can be uniformly and permanently absorbed in the dying process.

Dyes are prepared in a dye bath. Once the dye is ready, the clean yarns are then immersed in the dye bath and boiled with constant rotation of the yarn. The dyed yarns are hung in the shade to dry before they can be spun. Originally, only natural dyes were used, but synthetic dyes are now widely used as they are more permanent than vegetable dyes.

In substandard processing, this step is often skipped, so when the threads are dyed, the color cannot be completely absorbed by the threads. When the dyed fabric is later washed, the glutinous substance washes out and takes color with it: the silk loses luster and becomes much more pale in color.

Step 4: spinning the silk yards

Silk yarns are then spun by hands on wooden or plastic tubes to be prepared for warp or weft. To make heavier silk, two or more weft yarns are reeled together by hands to make a thicker silk yarn. The more number of weft yarns reeled together, the heavier the silk fabric becomes. The term "ply" i.e. 2-ply, 4-ply, 6-ply is often used to indicate the weight of silk fabric.

Step 5: spinning the silk yards

After the warp and weft are prepared, the loom is set and the weaving can begin. Weaving silk by hand loom is time consuming and requires special skill. A skilled weaver can weave a few inches a day on a very complicated weave. A fast weaver can weave up to a maximum of 9-10 yards a day for a simple plain weave. Good quality silk begins with a warp of 2,000 threads for a 1 meter width, which produces a very tightly woven fabric.

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Asian art tradition: history of porcelain

2005-02-09T19:14:00.000-08:00

Porcelain is the hardest of all ceramic products, and though this gives it many practical applications in science and electronics, it is primarily known as the best material available for fine vases, figurines and other decorations.

Table settings known as “China” are made of porcelain, and are referred to as such because porcelain was first fired in China over 1,000 years ago.

Porcelain took longer to develop than conventional ceramics mainly due to the extremely high temperatures needed to fire its ingredients. The ground mixture of kaolin and petuntse (the latter found only in China) must be heated to a minimum of 1250 degrees Celsius, and sometimes as high as 1450 degrees. While the petuntse melts to form a natural glass, the kaolin remains resistant to heat even at those temperatures, allowing the item to hold its shape. When the two fuse together, porcelain is born.

Though porcelain was likely discovered during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), it was the emperors of the Song Dynasty (960-1279) that truly developed the craft. During those years, royal factories were built for the sole purpose of creating porcelain decorations for the royal palaces. While the techniques for manufacturing porcelain eventually spread to China and Korea by the 1100s and to Europe by the 1500s, Chinese porcelain remained the benchmark by which all else was measured.

In its heyday, over one million people were engaged in the creation of porcelain in the Chinese city of Jingdezhen, which was established by the emperor as the imperial capital of porcelain. In letters sent to Europe in the early 1700s, Jesuit missionary Pere d'Entrecolles described the city as having over 3,000 kilns for firing porcelain. The porcelain boom in China finally ended with the downfall of the emperor in 1912 and the subsequent closing of the kilns.

Collectors still regard many porcelain vases and bowls made during the half-millennium of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasties (1644-1912) as best porcelain every made. The blue and white under-glaze with overlaid enamel colors perfected in the Ming dynasty, and the variety of colors and patters developed in the Qing Dynasty were highly sought after in Europe. Though moderately expensive in China, the shipping costs meant that only the very, very wealthy could afford “Chinaware” in Europe.

To counter its high cost, European artisans tried to emulate the Chinese creations on their own. Although they were unable to fully duplicate the quality of Chinese porcelain, they were able to make their own version using different mixtures of clay and kaolin to create what is called “soft-paste” porcelain.

Though purists consider soft-paste a lesser form of porcelain, it has many merits of its own that make it preferred by some collectors. With a creamy (rather than white) tone, it generally blends well with colors giving it a silky tone which appeals to many.

The third type of porcelain is “Bone China,” which was discovered in England around 1750. In Bone China, burned animal bone is added to the kaolin and petuntse (imported from China), making a porcelain harder than soft-paste, but still not as durable as the original. Almost exclusively manufactured in England, the bone ash gives Bone China more translucence than the others.

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Asian art tradition: silk weaving techniques

2005-02-08T22:38:00.000-08:00

Technique 1: IKAT patterns

Ikat is a process of "wrapping to pattern" the yarns before dyeing and weaving. The strings used for wrapping the yarns have to resist the dye and thus a pattern is placed in the yarns. For multi-colors, a process of over-dyeing is done until the yarns are ready for weaving. In warp ikat, the yarns for the warp are measured on a warp stretcher to the exact length of one warp. In weft ikat, the weft yarns are measured on a weft stretcher, but more than one piece of textile can be woven on the warp prepared for weft ikat. Thus longer lengths of the same design can be woven.

Technique 2: discontinuous supplementary weft

The process of discontinuous supplementary weft is one whereby the supplementary yarns are placed in the web of the plain weave by means of picking out each warp yarn by hand and palling the supplementary weft yarn through them in small or specific areas only. Many colors can be placed into the design across the width of the fabric in this method which is sometime called "embroidery on the loom". Sometimes, the process is done with the back of the fabric facing upwards which allows for very neat finishing, while in other areas the fabric is woven with the right face up.

The process of discontinuous supplementary weft is a slow and difficult one. The weaving of intricate designs was once considered an important skill for Asian women. Of all the techniques, this is one that is disappearing most quickly. Areas of Laos and Thailand still have weavers skilled in this technique. But elsewhere, embroidery is often found to have replaced the woven technique, as the process does not require a loom and is more convenient.

Technique 3: batik

Bali and Java are best known in the world for their Batik sarongs and crafts. The Basic technique of batik can vary amongst countries or regions; but the tools used are similar.
A small copper crucible with a handle and a narrow applicator is used to apply wax on the woven silk to create different design. The silk is then immersed in the dye bath and boiled.

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Asian art tradition: Asian celadon wares

2005-02-07T19:32:00.000-08:00

Though it was first discovered in China and called “qingci,” which means greenish porcelain, the Western term “Celadon” has a few possible origins. One is the character of a sheppard who wore a light green cloak in Honore d’Urfe’s 1610 play, L’Astree. Another holds that celadon is the amalgamation of two Sanskrit words, “sila” and “dhara” which mean stone and green respectively. However the most common theory is that it is a simplified version of salah-ed-din (Saladin), the sultan of Egypt, who sent forty pieces of this ware to the sultan of Damascus in 1171.

A type of porcelain, modern celadon products are usually made in the light greens and blues even though celadon colors can range from jade to white.

Indeed, the latest archeological evidence suggests celadon was first fired in its white form in China at least 1,000 years ago, if not more. Though it was previously believed celadon made its first appearance in the Song Dynasty (930-1280), a January 2003 excavation of a kiln in China’s Anhui province dating to the Five Dynasties period (907-960) uncovered several hundred pieces of white celadon.

But today and throughout most of history, celadon has been known for its beautiful greens and blues. Its glaze comes from a mixture of several natural materials and is fired in a gas kiln at at least 1280 degrees Celsius for 10 hours. Celadon’s characteristic cracks are caused by the contraction of the body of the celadon product under the glaze during the firing process. They give celadon products an air of class and antiquity even when they are brand new.

Celadon was brought back to Thailand from Burma around 100 years ago by the Shan people who migrated at the time. With the rapid decline of Chinese celadon after 1912, a market for the Thai brand opened and slowly the Thai and Shan potters rose to meet those needs. Since then, the industry has prospered with Chiang Mai as its center and today there are many small, and a few large manufacturers of Thai celadon which is mainly glazed in the popular shades of green.

New breakthroughs in the technical process of firing celadon now offer many new contemporary colors. Modern Asian designers have skillfully blended the new designs with the centuries-old craft traditions to create breathtaking celadon wares which are now available to art enthusiasts around the world.

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Asian art tradition: positions and gestures of the Buddha

2005-02-07T03:53:00.000-08:00

Like many religious symbols, the Buddha is painted and sculpted in a myriad of different styles, each of which has come to symbolize a particular aspect of the Buddha, his life, and the Dharma (his teachings). Although the Buddha lived around the 4th century BC, the first images of the Buddha in human form did not appear until around 500-600 years later in what is present day Afghanistan and northern India. Before that time, the Buddha was depicted as a corporeal being in one of seven forms: a wheel, foot prints, a pillar of fire, a stupa, a lotus, a halo, and an empty seat at the base of the tree where he was said to gain enlightenment.

Tradition has it that the images of the human Buddha were taken from a carving of him made in sandalwood during his lifetime. Since this is historically unlikely, whether you believe the images of the Buddha to be an accurate recreation of his physical form is a matter of faith.

Soon after the first human Buddha images were created, a specific set of rules were set dictating the options artists could chose from when depicting many of the Buddha’s physical characteristics. Among them, there are only four base positions tradition allows artists to start from: sitting, standing, walking, and reclining. The original Indian rules set out 32 major and 80 minor characteristics (from clothing to his smile) that artists must adhere to when creating the Buddha image, and those have more or less stuck for almost 2000 years.
The majority of the variations, therefore, are determined by the Buddha’s hand gestures, known as “Mudras.” These Mudras are highly symbolic forms of non-verbal communication and are used by monks in their meditations and prayer chants.

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