Contemporary Arts of the Region: SE Asia & Australia

Contemporary Arts of the Region: SE Asia & Australia

Vol 13 no 3&4, 1993


Articles on contemporary art from Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore commissioned by local editors. Surveys of the important movements of modern times up to nineties in each country. Tension between traditional cultural expression and internationalism. Art made in response to political conditions and for its own sake. Dawning of western appreciation of contemporary SE Asian art and the beginning of overseas market for the work. Classic snapshot of this exciting time of pioneering new ventures in SE Asia.


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NAVA - National Association for the Visual Arts













You are here » Artlink » Vol 13 no 3&4, 1993 » Posturings under the Bodhi Tree: The selling of Pseudo-Religion

Posturings under the Bodhi Tree: The selling of Pseudo-Religion

Author: Mr Albert Paravi Wongchirachai, feature

Thai artists of the 'Buddhist Revival' claim to make Buddhist art just because they use the visual conventions of that tradition. The Tantric mandalas have been widely misappropriated. As soon as you take temple art out of the temple you run into difficulties of definition and authenticity. There is still traditional Buddhist art being made in the temples, but there is a great trade in pseudo-Buddhist art which is cheap and damaging.



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