Port Cities: Multicultural Emporiums of Asia, 1500–1900

This profusely illustrated book is published to accompany the exhibition "Port Cities: Multicultural Emporiums of Asia, 1500-1900" held at the Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore, from November 2016 to February 2017. Curated by Peter Lee, this exhibition explored the unique heritage of Asian port cities and told the story of how the global flow of people, goods, and ideas contributed to the evolution of multi-cultural societies in Singapore and other port cities in Asia today. The first in the world to explore the topic, Port Cities charted a lesser known era of globalisation, identifying linkages between cities across the Asian continent, from Goa and Bombay in India, to Batavia (Jakarta) and Manila in Southeast Asia, to Canton (Guangzhou) and Nagasaki in East Asia. It told the stories of how specific people and objects adapted as they traveled across the seas from one port city to another and how communities in many of these port cities were thoroughly modern, blending the latest global trends with their own local traditions of craft and design to create entirely new forms of fashion, decorative arts, and ways of living. Over 180 objects from eight countries -Singapore, Portugal, Netherlands, Switzerland, Japan, Indonesia, Belgium, the Philippines - and 22 acclaimed institutions and private collections around the world were on display to tell this lesser known history. Many of these objects were being showcased for the first time in Singapore, including a collection of rare Chinese objects from 17th-century Batavia on loan from Stiftsbibliothek St Gallen in Switzerland.

Softcover with french flaps

Book condition: Fine. As new

Dust Jacket condition: No Jacket as issued

Authors: Peter Lee, Leonard Y. Andaya, Barbara Watson Andaya, Gael Newton, Alan Chong

Dimensions: 20 x 24.5 cm

Print length: 219 Pages

Language: English

Publication date: 2016

Publisher: Asian Civilisations Museum

ISBN:‎ 9789811113802