The Birth of Modern Art in Southeast Asia: Artists and Movements

In Southeast Asia, where virtually all of the countries in the first half of the 20th century were colonized by the Great Powers, artists sought to invent their own new modes of representation while embracing a desire for freedom and independence as they dreamt of creating a new nation state. From the eve of the birth of modern art at the end of the 19th century to roughly 1960, what did they aspire to, what did they depict, while living in a turbulent age fanned by the flames of nationalism, that included World War II and wars of independence? How did modern art come into being, how did it develop, and in what ways did it bear fruit? Even before that, what is the very meaning of "modern" art?

Published in collaboration with the researchers and art institutions from the countries covered by the exhibition “The Birth of Modern Art in Southeast Asia : Artists and Movements”, this profusely illustrated book explores roughly 150 works that are representative of modern art in six Southeast Asian countries. The exhibition seeks an overview of unknown modern art in Southeast Asia. Opening at the Fukuoka Art Museum, which has a long record of introducing Asian art, the exhibition will travel to the Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum, Shizuoka Prefectural Museum of Art, and Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum, all of which continue to explore Asian art in their own distinctive way.

Softcover

Book condition: Very Good. Light general wear to cover including light dust stains to rear and a minor lamination peel to front and edges of spine. A single crease to spine. Previous owner’s ink stamp to front end paper. A very few minor internal spots but otherwise internally very clean

Dust jacket condition: No Jacket as issued

Editors: Masahiro Ushiroshoji, Toshiko Rawanchaikul

Dimensions: 22.5 x 29.5 cm

Print length: 288 pages

Language: English, Japanese

Publication date: 1997

Publishers: Fukuoka Art Museum, Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum, Shizuoka Prefectural Museum of Art, Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture, The Yomiuri Shimbun, The Japan Association of Art Museums