VO LU M E 2 4 N O.

3 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

the journal of
the asian arts society
of australia

TAASA Review

CONTENTS
Volume 24 No. 3 September 2015

3 ED ITOR IAL

TA A S A RE V I E W

Josefa Green, Editor

THE 8TH ASIA PACIFIC TRIENNIAL OF CONTEMPORARY ART

THE ASIAN ARTS SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA INC.

Abn 64093697537 Vol. 24 No. 3, September 2015
ISSN 1037.6674

Tarun Nagesh

KALPA VR IKSHA : CO NTEMP O R AR Y IND IGENO U S AND V E RN AC UL A R A RT OF I N DI A AT A PT 8

Abigail Bernal

UN D ER GLAZED J O SEO N P O R CEL AINS : TH E CU LTIVATIO N OF A KORE A N

NEO - C ON FUC IAN AESTH ETIC

Penny Bailey

12

IND IGO : THE FA SCINATIO N WITH BL U E

Margaret White

design / layout

14

RELICS AND MONUMENTS OF BUDDHIST KASHGAR

printing

Marika Vicziany & Angelo Andrea di Castro

18

THE AGA KHAN MU SEU M, TO R O NTO

Leigh Mackay

20

MOD ER N AR T OF SO U TH EAST ASIA AT TH E NATIO NAL G A L L E RY S I N G A PORE

Phoebe Scott

22

C OLLEC TOR S C H O ICE : T WO T I BE TA N T S A K LI

Boris Kaspiev

24

State of Play and Contemporary Chinese Art at the W hite Rabbit G allery, S ydney

Sabrina Snow

26

BOOK R EVIEW: BUDDHI S T A R T O F MYA N MA R

Review as a result of material published within its pages or

Charlotte Galloway

in other material published by it. We reserve the right to alter

27

INTR OD UC ING DR STEP H EN WH ITEMAN, L ECTU R ER IN A S I A N A RT H I S TORY,

S YD N EY UN IVERSITY

Josefa Green

28

R EC ENT TAASA ACTIVITIES

30

TAASA MEMBERS D IAR Y: S E PT E MBE R - N OV E MBE R 2015

31

W HAT S ON: SEP T E MBE R - N OV E MBE R 2015

Compiled by Tina Burge

Registered by Australia Post. Publication No. NBQ 4134

e di torI A L email: editorial@taasa.org.au

General editor, Josefa Green

publications committee

Josefa Green (convenor) Tina Burge

Melanie Eastburn Sandra Forbes
Charlotte Galloway Marianne Hulsbosch
Ann MacArthur Jim Masselos Ann Proctor
Sabrina Snow Christina Sumner
Ingo Voss, VossDesign
John Fisher Printing
Published by The Asian Arts Society of Australia Inc.
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TAASA Review is published quarterly and is distributed to members
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performing arts. All articles are refereed. Additional copies and
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or omit any article or advertisements submitted and require

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or liabilities that may arise from material published.
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Tsunami, 2015 (detail), Jaba CHITRAKAR, Vegetable colour on
mill made paper. Courtesy: the artist. SEE pp7-8 IN THIS ISSUE.

A full Index of articles published in TAASA R eview since its beginnings

in 199 1 is available on the TAASA web site , www.taasa .org. au

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TAASA COMMITTEE

EDITORIAL

G i ll Gr een President

Josefa Green, Editor

Art historian specialising in Cambodian culture

A NN PROC TOR Vice President

Art historian with a particular interest in Vietnam

To dd Sun d er man TR EASUR E R

Former Asian antique dealer, with a particular interest

in Tibetan furniture
Dy Andr easen SEC RETARY

Has a special interest in Japanese haiku and

tanka poetry
Siobhan C ampbell

Lecturer, Indonesian Studies, Sydney University

with an interest in Balinese art
Josefa Green

General editor of TAASA Review. Collector of

Chinese ceramics
B oris Kaspiev

Private collector of Asian art with a particular interest

in the Buddhist art of the Himalayan region
M IN- JUN G KIM

Curator of Asian Arts & Design at the

Powerhouse Museum
James MacKean

Collector of oriental ceramics

Natalie S eiz

Assistant Curator, Asian Art, AGNSW with an

interest in modern/contemporary Asian Art

For the eighth Asia Pacific Triennial of

Contemporary Art (APT8), opening in
Brisbane in November, the TAASA Review is
featuring two articles. The first is an overview
by Tarun Nagesh, Assistant Curator, Asian
Art, highlighting some of its key works
and themes. Abigail Bernal, Assistant
Curator, Contemporary Asian and Pacific
Art, provides a more focused article on one
particular multi-artist project featuring artists
from indigenous or rural based communities
in India whose art practices have been
ephemeral and generally made for a context
other than a museum. An example of their
often bold and colourful work can be seen on
the front cover of this issue.
Textile traditions are also often intrinsic to the
life of indigenous communities. At her Sydney
TSG presentation on 9 June and in her article,
Margaret White explores the place of indigo
dye across many traditional communities in
Southeast Asian and West Africa, covering
both the symbolism and myth surrounding the
use of natural indigo and the complex technical
processes involved in the art of preparing the
indigo and dyeing yarn.

CHRISTIN A S UMN ER

Former Principal Curator, Design and Society,

Powerhouse Museum, Sydney
Sandy Watson

Collector of textiles with an interest in

photography and travel
M argaret White

Former President and Advisor of the Friends of

Museums, Singapore, with special interest in
Southeast Asian art, ceramics and textiles
TAASA Ambassador
Jackie Menzies

Emeritus Curator of Asian Art, Art Gallery of NSW.

President of TAASA from 1992 2000
state representatives

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

M elanie Eastburn

Curator of Asian Art, National Gallery of Australia

QUEENSLAND
Tarun N agesh

Assistant Curator, Asian Art, QAGOMA

SOUTH AUSTRALIA
James Bennett

Curator of Asian Art, Art Gallery of South Australia

VICTORIA
Carol C ains

Curator Asian Art, National Gallery of Victoria

International

Sabrina Snow continues our focus on

contemporary art with her review of the
most recent exhibition, State of Play, at the
White Rabbit Gallery, placing it in the context
of the Gallerys previous 12 exhibitions and
the philosophy behind the White Rabbit art
collection as a whole.
The philosophy behind the National Gallery
Singapore, opening in November this year,
is discussed by Phoebe Scott, currently a
curator at NGS. She points out that, while
national galleries throughout Southeast
Asia have important collections of their own
countrys modern artworks, this Gallery
will be significant for offering a permanent
regional platform where the art histories of
these countries can be viewed side by side,
uncovering new relationships and leading to
new avenues for exhibition and research.
A different sort of Museum is covered by
Leigh Mackay, namely the Aga Khan Museum
in Toronto, which opened in late 2014. This
is the latest showcase for displaying the
rich artistic heritage of the Islamic world,
following a number of major renovations of
Islamic collections over the last 10 years such
as at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY
and the V&A in London, as well as Qatars
new Museum of Islamic Art, which opened in
Doha in 2008.

Our two other major articles in this issue

cover historical topics.
Penny Baileys article on Joseon period
porcelains from Korea explains why we see a
radical shift in artistic taste in the early years
of the Joseon dynasty (13921910) from the
celadons of the previous Goryeo dynasty, in
particular favouring the quieter elegance which
characterises much of Joseons largest ceramic
genre of white porcelains (baekja). She walks
us through the evolution of these porcelains,
from pure white to iron-painted and cobaltblue decorated wares, and finally the revival of
underglazing in copper in the 18th century.
For those that missed her lecture as part of
TAASAs Archaeology in Asia series, Relics
and Monuments of Buddhist Kashgar by Marika
Vicziany and her colleague Angelo Andrea
di Castro of Monash Universitys Kashgar
Research Project, will be of particular interest.
They make a convincing case for placing
Kashgar at the centre of Buddhist studies
in western China. From the evidence they
have accumulated to date, they believe that
archaeological work in this area will confirm
Kashgar as one of the major and earliest entry
points for Buddhist and other religious ideas
into China.
Finally, this TAASA Review offers a number
of shorter pieces which we hope will be of
interest to readers. As so often, we draw on
the knowledge of our members - in this case,
Boris Kaspiev, Convenor of TAASA Victoria,
who writes about two tsakli in his collection small ritual paintings from Tibet, dating to the
13th 14th century.
A stimulating book review is provided by
Burma expert Charlotte Galloway, who
critiques the catalogue of the recent exhibition
Buddhist Art of Myanmar held at Asia House,
New York in February 2015. Finally, I report
on a very enjoyable conversation I had with
Dr Stephen Whiteman, Lecturer in Asian
Art History at Sydney University, where
we discussed his work and his views on the
future of Asian art studies in Australia.
As usual, we have a great deal of recent
TAASA activities to report and, as we race
towards the end of the year, a symposium on
Asian jewellery will be held on 19 September
in Sydney, as well as a range of activities in
Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. We can also
look forward to relaxing and sociable end-ofyear events in all three cities: please see the
details in the TAASA Members Diary.

T H E 8 T H A S I A PAC I F I C T R I E N N I A L O F C O N T E M P O R A R Y A R T
Tarun Nagesh
Rubber Man, 2014, Khvay SAMNANG, Cambodia b.1982. Digital print on cotton rag paper, ed. 1/3 + 1AP, 80 x 120cm.
Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art Foundation,Queensland Art Gallery Collection

ontemporary art practices in the AsiaPacific continue to grow, adapt and

change at a rapid rate, reflecting not only the
most recent artistic trends, but the political,
economic and social structures from which
they emerge. The Asia Pacific Triennial of
Contemporary Art (APT) has represented
the art of the region since 1993, and this
November marks the eighth instalment of
the exhibition. This iteration presents over
80 projects from a region that extends from
Samoa to Turkey, along with a diaspora and
production methodologies that traverse the
world. Following the 20 year anniversary
celebrated in 2012-13, APT8 brings together
new trends and emerging artists alongside
senior and pioneering figures and specially
developed focus projects.

APT8 spreads through the entirety of the

Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) as well as
a majority of the recently heritage-listed
Queensland Art Gallery (QAG). Occupying
the central spaces of both buildings are major
installations drawing on one of the themes
threading through the exhibition: the use of
everyday objects and vernacular processes. In
the QAG watermall, a space that has become
iconic for the APT staging major works by
the likes of Cai Guo-Qiang, Ai Weiwei and
Yayoi Kusama, Korean artist Haegue Yang
installs a striking abstract form in homage
to Sol LeWitt, constructed from over 1000
venetian blinds. This hangs nearby two other
object-rich installations: Iranian trio Ramin
Haerizadeh, Rokni Haerizadeh and Hesam
Rahmanian who amass illustrations, street
theatre, re-creations of Persian poetry and
painting and their own art collections; and
Choi Jeong Hwa, known for his enormous,
brightly coloured sculptures fashioned from
domestic and everyday plastic objects.
In the core of GOMA, Indian artist Asim Waqif
creates his most ambitious work to date, an
interactive structure that traverses levels and
bears the influence of the artists background
in architecture and interest in Queensland
vernacular building materials. Waqif is part
of a significant contingent of Indian artists in
APT8, and each represents practices outside
the established art centres of Mumbai and
Delhi. Desire Machine Collective is a duo from
Assam, known for their slow-paced, cinematic
films, and together with Prabhakar Pachputes
site specific charcoal drawings inspired by
the coal-mining region of his hometown,

they provide glimpses of parts of India rarely

seen. Meanwhile a major focus project for
this Triennial explores the great breadth and
vitality of art from some of the more remote
parts of India in Kalpa Vriksha: Contemporary
Indigenous and Vernacular Art of India.
While APT is known for works in a wide
range of media, APT8 will offer a rich breadth
of painting practices, born from a diversity
of traditions and techniques. Following the
first research trip conducted by QAGOMA
to Mongolia, a suite of works by some of the
leading Mongol zurag painters exposes this
fascinating form. Mongol zurag is a revival
of a painterly idiom developed during the
Mongolian independence movement of the
early 20th century. Characterised by its ultrafine brushwork, flattened perspective and
themes drawn from everyday life, Mongol
zurag synthesised Tibetan Thangka painting
with classical Chinese painting and Liao
dynasty equestrian art to express the ideals of
secular nationalism.
Re-emerging as the country sought to
reconstitute its national identity in the late
1990s, Mongol zurag has been taken up by
a passionate new generation who have
found within it a means to address the
unprecedented urbanisation and uncertain
economy of their homeland. The rich textures
of these paintings resonate with Nepaleseborn Tibetan artist Tsherin Sherpas bold
compositions. Trained by his father, a master
Thangka painter, Sherpa deconstructs the

traditional imagery, challenging the strict

discipline in figuration and exploring abstract
qualities inherent in Thangka designs.
Kathmandu-based Hit Man Gurung represents
the emerging generation of Nepali artists and
their strong sense of social activism. Gurungs
realist paintings investigate the effects of
the mass labour migration of young Nepali
men to the Middle East and the shocking
conditions and numerous work-place deaths.
Like many young Kathmandu artists, Gurung
was heavily active in relief efforts following
this years earthquakes, and a new painting
created for APT8 has allowed him to respond
to these experiences.
A new series of works by Thai artist Navin
Rawanchaikul captures his signature movieposter like panoramas of figures, and
reflects on 20 years of his career, including
participating in APT2 in 1996 and his trips to
assist renowned Thai artist Montien Boonma
in Australia in the early 1990s. Liu Ding and
Duan Jianyu are artists at the forefront of new
waves in Chinese contemporary art. Both
of these artists maintain highly conceptual
approaches while borrowing and challenging
historical motifs; Liu Ding is interested in
testing principles of social realism in the
context of Chinas new art market and
Duan Jianyus large-scale paintings present
incongruous scenarios drawing on a wide
range of sources from European art history,
classical Chinese painting, and imagery of
rural life.

TA A S A R E V I E W V O L U M E 2 4 N O. 3

Untitled 4 (from Lahore series), 2015, Risham SYED, Pakistan

Yellow helmet and gray house (from I Have to Feed Myself, My Family and My Country series), 2015 (detail), Hit Man GURUNG,

b.1969. Synthetic polymer paint on canvas on aluminium,

Nepal b.1986. Synthetic polymer paint on canvas, Diptych: 152.4 x 243.8cm (overall).Courtesy: The artist

10.2 x 15.2cm. Courtesy: The artist and Project 88

Ambrym, Vanuatu. Meltherorong has worked

with Kanak artist Nicolas Mol to create an
innovative multi-media installation, exploring
connections between different cultural groups
across the Pacific, activated through dance,
music, spoken word, drawing and theatre.

The complex geopolitics of the region

are echoed by artists that explore a sense
of place investigating meanings of
belonging, ownership, relationship to land
and occupation of space, and how these
respond to change. Three Cambodian artists
contemplate the meaning of their homeland
while representing different echelons of the
countrys contemporary art world. Khvay
Samnang is one of the leading artists of
the younger generation, widely known for
his performative photographs in which he
unravels controversial private development
in Cambodia; Anida Yoeu Ali represents both
a returning diaspora and a Muslim Khmer
community through her visually arresting
Buddhist Bug videos that document Cambodia
while embodying ideas of otherness, and
senior artist Leang Seckons embellished
paintings deal with the Khmer Rouge
occupation alongside mythological meaning
and contemporary life in Cambodia.
The photographic series Blood Generation
by Taloi Havini and Stuart Miller reflects
the people of Bougainvillesongoing grief
over the loss of their land as the result of
mining interests. These poetically capture
the generation born into the conflict that
began in 1988 surrounding the contested
land of Panguna between local landowners,
the Papua New Guinean government and
Australian owned mining company, Conzinc
Rio-Tinto of Australia Limited. Indigenous
Australian
artist
Gunybi
Ganambarr
meanwhile draws on the materiality of mines,
using rubber conveyor belts and other found
materials from mining sites to meticulously

TA A S A R E V I E W V O L U M E 2 4 N O. 3

incise detailed designs, alongside a unique

approach to larrakitj (poles).
On a charmingly small scale, Lahore-based
artist Risham Syed paints landscapes of
her home city, to depict transitory urban
development, executed in the detail of a
skilled miniaturist. Thai artist Paphonsak Laor found an unexpected connection between
his surroundings in Chiang Mai, with that of
the Tohoku region in Japan. His picturesque
landscapes suggest sinister issues beneath
the surface the military governance of his
country compared with the nuclear fallout in
Japan. Photographer Lieko Shigas installation
is also imbued with the 2011 disasters in Japan.
She returned to Japan in 2008 and by chance
became the official photographer for the
small town of Kitakama in Miyagi prefecture.
When Kitakama was destroyed in the 2011
Tsunami, Shiga gathered, cleaned and sorted
over 30,000 photographs that had washed
ashore. Her powerful Raisen Kaigan or Spiral
Coast, an immersive installation of large-scale
photographs propped on plinths, reflects on
experiences in the aftermath of the Tsunami.
A major collaborative project fuses the
underpinnings of belonging and connections
to place, with the dynamic role of performance
another major thread running through APT8.
Yumi Danis (We Dance) is a project exploring
contemporary performance in Melanesia. It
is co-curated with Ni-Vanuatu author and
musician Marcel Meltherorong and involves
ongoing collaborations between 15 dancers
and musicians from across the region who
took part in a 2014 creative exchange in

Performativity is conveyed in various modes

throughout APT8, crossing disciplines
of music, dance and visual art as well as
investigating how artworks and audiences
can perform. Another collaborative project
has been developed by New Zealand artist
Rosanna Raymond, a founding member
of the influential performance group the
Pacific Sisters. Raymonds ongoing project
SaVAge Klub, responds to the late 19th century
London gentlemens club of the same name,
appropriating its anti-establishment ethos
and museum-like club rooms to create a space
for savage activations by contemporary
Pacific artists. For APT8, Raymond creates a
SaVAge Klub in GOMA, inviting Australian
and Pacific artists to participate in a range
of performances and activities that extend
her examinations into Pacific identities and
cultural appropriation.
Celebrated artists of the region contribute to a
discourse surrounding how artworks perform
and how the body is used within them, from
the pioneering kinetic works of the late
New Zealand artist Len Lye and a 12 hour
performance staged on the opening weekend
by Melati Suryodarmo, to a body of new
paintings by Australian artist Juan Davila and
a powerful image by Japanese photographer
Yasumasa Morimura. These works set the
pace in explorations of performativity, from
live and participatory projects to artists who
use the body to question constructions of
identities, such as siren eun young jung,
Richard Bell, Super Critical Mass, Christian
Thompson, Justin Shoulder and Bhenji Ra,
Angela Tiatia and Hetain Patel.
As apparent in previous APTs, a strong sense
of social activism and political criticism is
palpable throughout the exhibition. These
call upon a broad range of concerns and are
expressed through various devices, but draw
attention to the fact that artists working in

Tomorrow, 2014, Nomin BOLD, Mongolia b.1982. Gouache, old scripture sheets on

Lets walk, 2009, Haider Ali JAN, Pakistan, b. 1983. Digital print on canvas,

cotton194 x 144cm. Purchased 2015 with funds from Ashby Utting through the Queensland

114.3 x 76.2cm. Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art Foundation,

Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art Foundation, Queensland Art Gallery Collection

Queensland Art Gallery Collection

these parts of the world feel a responsibility

to represent the political, psychological, social
and economic concerns of their communities.
Representations and rituals pertaining to
faith play a significant part in works by a
number of APT8 artists. Young Australian
artist Abdul Abdullah premieres a new body
of work which continues his investigations
into the perceptions of Islam in Australia,
while Turkish filmmaker Kken Ergun, and
Pakistani animator and illustrator Haider Ali
Jan depict Shiite rituals performed in Istanbul
and Lahore respectively, to address aspects of
the communities in which they occur.

engagement with in the past. This has resulted

in a significant representation of works from
Myanmar including Po Po, a senior artist and
pioneer of conceptual and performance art
since the late 1970s, who has continued to
find ways to produce works under wavering
political and social conditions. Nge Lays
installation The Sick Classroom is perhaps the
most ambitious contemporary work to emerge
from Myanmar in recent times, and alongside
large toy-like sculptures by emerging artist
Min Thein Sung, these capture the excitement
of Burmese contemporary art now reaching
out to the world.

Forms of protest and dissent draw attention

to the mass demonstrations in Asian nations
in recent history. These include Kiri Dalena
revisiting archival newspaper photographs
of protests leading up to Ferdinand Marcoss
long military dictatorship that began in 1972,
Sharon Chin collecting and overlaying political
party flags in her hometown of Port Dickson,
and a visually arresting video by Guangzhou
artist Zhou Tao who juxtaposes images of his
hometown with that of demonstrators on the
streets during the Occupy Bangkok protest in
early 2014.

Artists from central Asia speak the

vernacular of the culturally and historically
complex region in which they live. Georgian
collective Bouillon Group creates a lighthearted performance that combines the
devotional gestures of various religions of
the world into an exercise routine; Kyrgyz
duo Gulnara Kasmalieva and Muratbek
Djumaliev present a vision of A New Silk Road,
tracking the trade of scrap metal leaving
their homeland bound for China, with cheap
factory goods coming the other way; and
Kazakh couple Yelena Vorobyeva and Viktor
Vorobyev offer glimpses of the past, probing
the collective memory of Soviet governance
by drawing over their portraits from official

In addition to Mongolia, APT8 presents projects

from regions that the exhibition has had little

documents, creating subtle subversions to

reclaim national identity.
The APT8 opening weekend features a broad
program of live performances, artist talks
and panel discussions, inviting participants
and audiences from around Australia and the
world. Following the weekend a conference
draws upon speakers associated with the
exhibition and invited international guests, to
continue the discourse around the exhibition
and the broader context of practices emerging
from the Asia Pacific. In a part of the world
that continues to experience rapid change,
APT8 presents a diverse range of voices and
ideas, offering a platform to exchange and
challenge the ideas that surface around us,
ideas that manifest the excitement, complexity
and uncertainty of contemporary life in the
region that surrounds us.
Tarun Nagesh is Associate Curator, Asian Art at
Queensland Art Gallery / Gallery of Modern Art. He
is part of the curatorial team for APT8 which will run
from 21 November 2015 10 April 2016.

TA A S A R E V I E W V O L U M E 2 4 N O. 3

KA L PA V R I K S H A : C O N T E M P O R A R Y I N D I G E N O U S A N D V E R N AC U L A R
ART OF INDIA AT APT8
Abigail Bernal
Tsunami, 2015, Pushpa KUMARI, Bihar, India b.1969. Ink on acid free paper, 61 x 46cm. Courtesy: The artist

multi-artist project for APT8, Kalpa Vriksha:

Contemporary Indigenous and Vernacular
Art of India features artists from indigenous
or rural based communities in India, who
extend practices that were ephemeral and
transitory, or made for a context other than
a museum. The project investigates how
ancient techniques and subjects are still being
employed in their individual practices, as well
as how these have evolved and become an
instrument to express contemporary concerns.
Concentrating on a small group of younger
generation artists, it incorporates narratives of
spiritual and historical significance as well as
of everyday life, through a range of painting
and sculptural devices drawing on the
traditions of Warli, Gond, Mithila, Kalighat,
Patachitra painting and Rajwar sculpture.

Kalpa Vriksha is a Sanskrit term for a

divine or wish-fulfilling tree. The attribution
of spiritual significance to objects from
the natural world is common across many
cultures. Kalpa Vrikshas are mentioned in
Sanskrit scriptures describing the creation
of the earth, but the term is also applied to
numerous actual trees in India, of different
species depending on local belief systems.
The Kalpa Vrikshas capacity to transverse
boundaries between the everyday and the
mythical, ancient and contemporary, as well
as its diverse geographical manifestations, is
an appropriate metaphor for the art forms in
the exhibition.
In the mid to late 20th century, many of these
locally-specific art forms began to adapt as
external interest and knowledge increased.
Artists were given access to non-ephemeral
materials and their art works shown to a broader
audience in gallery or museum contexts. This
development was facilitated by artist and curator
Jagdish Swaminathan through his museum
Bharat Bhavan in Madhya Pradesh, established
in 1982, while government agencies encouraged
artists to produce decorative or domestic items
for sale, to enable poor communities to support
themselves.
These art forms have only recently begun to
enter into the larger discourse on contemporary
art in India, rather than a museological,
ethnographic or anthropological one, although
there have been a few ground-breaking
exhibitions by curators such as Jyotindra Jain,
Gulammohammed Sheikh, and Chaitanya
Sambrani since the late 1980s. The Warli and

TA A S A R E V I E W V O L U M E 2 4 N O. 3

Gond people are indigenous communities of

central India. Warli painting is rumoured to
date back to 2,500 BCE, and was customarily
made only by women on mud walls to
record auspicious and ceremonial occasions.
Artists painted with rice paste, and used
geometric forms and iconography to convey
the significance of local landmarks, their daily
lives and their beliefs. Balu Ladkya Dumada
and Rajesh Chaitya Vangads stunning, large
scale paintings further extend the Warli visual
language. Dumada was the first student of
renowned painter Jivya Soma Mashe (one of
the first artists to use modern materials), and
his The God appears in the form of a crane bird 2010
illustrates a folk tale, with multiple dimensions

of time existing on the same plane. Vangads

paintings address subjects from rural life, but
also themes such as the effects of pollution
on bio-diversity, and incorporate modern
buildings, means of transport and other
symbols of contemporary life.
The Gonds are one of the largest groups
of indigenous peoples of India. Their
artworks were based on songs and stories,
and characterised by animistic themes and
intricate patterning. Gond painting has a
more ambiguous origin than Warli painting,
and is sometimes attributed to the innovation
of artist Jangarh Singh Shyam (1962-2001),
who was the first Gond artist to transfer his

Bararsingha mango Tree of Life, 2015, Pradyumna

Autobiography local train, 2012, Kalam PATUA, West Bengal, India b.1962.

KUMAR, Bihar, India b.1969. Ink on acid free paper, 61 x 45.7.

Watercolour on paper, 38 x 56cm. Courtesy: The artist

Courtesy: The artist

mural works to paper and canvas. Venkat

Raman Singh Shyam is the nephew of the
Jangarh Singh Shyam and he continues to
experiment with and extend the Gond motifs
and subjects. In 2008, Shyam witnessed the
Mumbai terrorist attacks of that year at the
Taj Hotel and created a series based on his
experiences. These works depart from the
stories with which he grew up, but Shyam
maintains that while they have a more
contemporary appearance, they are also
related to traditional stories and nature.
Pushpa Kumari was raised in the village
of Madhubani in the Mithila region by her
grandmother, Mahasundari Devi, a well-known
painter and one of the earliest Mithila artists to
gain recognition. Like Gond and Warli painting,
Mithila paintings were created as murals,
primarily for the internal walls and floors of
dwellings. It was first discovered in the 1930s
after a severe earthquake tore open buildings,
exposing the beautiful painted walls inside.
Linked with marriage and social ceremonies,
it has strong themes of sexuality and the union
between male and female. Kumari draws on this
iconography to address contemporary historical
and social issues often relevant to women, such
as infanticide, dowry deaths, and sexuality. Her
brother-in-law Pradyumna Kumar learnt from
Kumari, and is one of a few emerging male
artists to practice this traditionally female art
form. His works illustrate both contemporary
and customary themes, from the sacred Mango
tree which was part of a pre-wedding ceremony,
to problems of pollution.
In contrast to the often hidden Mithila works,
both Patachitra scrolls and its offshoot,
Kalighat painting, were created for a public
audience. APT8 includes a group of vertical
scrolls by the Chitrakar (picture-makers)
community in West Bengal. Known as pats

or patachitra, the scrolls were intimately

associated with itinerant storytelling and
song. Historically, pats were cloth scrolls
on which mythological or epic stories were
painted as a sequence of frames, and were
carried from village to village with the artist
slowly unrolling them frame by frame and
singing. This mobility has enabled the form
to exist and expand, as Patua artists have
continued to create scrolls addressing very
contemporary social issues and stories, and
the scrolls are still used as a way to share news
between villages.
There are six artists in the exhibition who
paint themes and subjects from stories of local
Bengal deities, the plight of the girl child,
the Asian tsunami, the Gujarati earthquake,
the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Centre,
and religious conflicts between Hindus and
Muslims. Although Chitrakar artists now
use mill-made paper, the material process of
creating the scrolls begins with the extraction
of natural dyes from local flowers, leaves,
minerals and spices. Pats were traditionally
created only by men, but now female artists
have become some of the most prolific artists.
Kalam Patua was born into the Patua
community of scroll makers in West Bengal,
but taught himself the Kalighat style of
watercolour painting, which draws on
conventions taken from scroll paintings and
miniature painting. It developed in the vicinity
of the Kali temple in Kolkata in the mid-19th
century, to illustrate the Hindu pantheon,
and responded to topical social and political
events, as well as local gossip. Kalighat
painting was intended for a larger audience
and departs from the linear, narrative style
of the scrolls to focus on single scenes, with
graphic, simplified forms and often satirical,
social or autobiographical content.

There are few artists painting in the Kalighat

mode today, and Patuas style is highly
unique. His autobiographical series focus on
scenes of his childhood, or the history of the
postal system where he has worked for most of
his life. These beautifully painted works show
the excitement and poetry of the post office in
Patuas imagination; in one, love blossoms in
the middle of sorting and stamping letters, in
another, a mail-runner from an earlier time is
attacked by a leopard.
Traditionally Rajwar people created simple
geometric designs to decorate newly whitewashed and repaired houses for a post-harvest
festival. A self-taught artist, Sonabai (c.19302007) used similar materials of painted clay,
but totally transformed the reliefs, revitalizing
and building upon the customary practice to
create colourful and vibrant figures of humans,
animals, and nature and patterned decorative
screens and reliefs. She was kept in isolation
from the outside world for over 15 years and
created the sculptures in order to keep herself
and her young son entertained. When she was
finally permitted to re-enter the community,
the local villagers were amazed and inspired
by her transformed house, which exists today
as a remote yet adored museum. Sonabais
work was shown in APT3 in 1999.
For APT8, Sonabais son Daroga Ram and
three artists who were trained or influenced
by her, have created a range of sculptural
works, representing how this unique art form
has continued to grow, diversify, and inspire,
while remaining rooted in the community and
local materials.
Abigail Bernal is Assistant Curator, Contemporary
Asian and Pacific Art, Queensland Art Gallery /
Gallery of Modern Art.

TA A S A R E V I E W V O L U M E 2 4 N O. 3

UNDERGLAZED JOSEON PORCELAINS : THE CULTIVATION OF A KOREAN

NEO-CONFUCIAN AESTHETIC
Penny Bailey
Dragon jar, Korea, 17th century, porcelain painted in underglaze iron. Collection of the National Museum of Korea

ollowing the toppling of Koreas Goryeo

dynasty (9181392), the nascent Joseon
(13921910) state adopted the example of its
closely allied Ming dynasty in China (1368
1644) in installing Neo-Confucianism as the
governing ideology. This shift away from
Goryeos predominantly Buddhist worldview
impelled dramatic changes in Koreas social,
political, and cultural spheres. In the arts,
patronage moved from the monasteries to
the imperial court, where early legislators
commissioned objects conveying a sense of
dynastic legitimacy, political authority and
monarchic dignity (Kim 1993:35-36).

Accordingly, in the early years of the dynasty

the elaborate ornamentation featured in many
of Goryeos celebrated celadons (cheongja) was
jettisoned in favour of the quieter elegance
which characterises much of Joseons largest
ceramic genre of white porcelains (baekja).
Although initially baekja wares were produced
only for the court, as Neo-Confucianism
gathered momentum their use spread to the
scholarly (yangban) and commoner classes
(Kwon 2014:37). Extant objects in the diverse
canon range from everyday utensils and
accoutrements for the scholars study to
the many ritual objects that accompanied
Neo-Confucian birth, burial, marriage, and
ancestor worship ceremonies.
Like the earliest Goryeo celadons, which
hewed closely to Chinas Song dynasty (960
1279) prototypes, Joseons baekja tradition
derived from porcelains produced at Chinas
imperial Jingdezhen kilns in the Yuan (1271
1368) and contemporaneous Ming dynasties.
The establishment of the ceramic route (the
maritime equivalent of the ancient silk roads)
in the Song dynasty had not only helped to
open up new avenues of trade in the coveted
Chinese porcelains, but also facilitated the
transfer of technologies that were crucial
for the foundation of the Korean porcelain
industry in the early decades of the dynasty.
Many early baekja wares align so closely to
the exacting standards of the Yuan and Ming
potters, in fact, that it is difficult to distinguish
them from works made at Jingdezhen. A
number of contemporary documents attest
to their enormous popularity, including
the anthology Yongjae chonghwa by the
scholar Song Hyeon (14391504), which
reveals that baekja wares were used to the
exclusion of all other ceramics in the court

TA A S A R E V I E W V O L U M E 2 4 N O. 3

of King Sejong (r.14181450). Joseons official

historiography, Joseon wangjo sillok (Annals of
the Joseon Dynasty), also documents the 1425
manufacture of a consignment of baekja wares
large enough to supply ten banquet tables
at the behest of Chinas Emperor Hongxi
(r.14241425) (Itoh 2000:28).
The subdued elegance of baekja wares was
directly fuelled by Neo-Confucian orthodoxy,
as emphasis was placed on adopting aesthetic
parameters reflecting the ideals of purity,
integrity, and moral pragmatism. Accordingly,
excessive colouring and embellishment
were generally considered antithetical to the
ideologys aims. No attempts were made from
the mid-dynasty, for example, to emulate the
spectacular overglazed polychrome wares
produced in Qing China (16441911), despite the
enthusiastic adoption of the technique in other
Asian countries such as Japan and Vietnam.
The preference for simplicity not only
sustained the preeminent position of
undecorated white porcelains for the
duration of this extraordinarily long dynasty,
but also prompted the Joseon potters to
seek out understated modes of decoration
in the only pigments that could withstand
the extreme temperatures required to
fire porcelains cobalt-blue (cheonghwa),
iron-brown (cheollhwa) and copper-red
(jinsa). Iconographical schemes range from
sparsely rendered foliage to profusely
patterned landscapes justified by their rich
metaphorical meanings commensurate with

the Neo-Confucian worldview. For example,

the Chinese motif Three Friends of Winter
comprised of the blossoming plum (purity
and loftiness), bamboo (modesty and loyalty)
and pine (steadfast courage) was a popular
commission among the Neo-Confucian literati
for its association with scholarly perseverance
and integrity (Mino 1991:32-33).
The advent of Joseon underglazing occurred
in the second half of the 15th century, when
potters began to embellish porcelain wares
with iron pigment in limited quantity. This
technology was almost certainly imported
from Song China, where it was used at several
southern kilns in designs similar to those found
on Goryeo celadon wares (Itoh 2000:69). The
demand for iron-painted works was somewhat
overshadowed, however, by the clamour for
cobalt-blue decorated wares, which came into
vogue after Chinese works were brought to the
Joseon court by Ming envoys and Japanese and
Ryukyuan travellers.
Chinese potters had attained the technical
expertise to produce these high quality
blue-and-white wares by the early 14th
century. The most sought after works were
produced at Jingdezhen, where the coveted
Mohammedan blue cobalt (so named
because it was imported from the Middle East
at double the price of gold) was employed
in detailed designs to spectacular effect.
Under the patronage of Emperor Xuande
(r.14261435), the wares reached a technical
and aesthetic excellence that is widely

Jar, Korea, first half of the 18th century. Porcelain painted in underglaze copper.

Bevelled vase, Korea, first half of the 18th century. Porcelain painted

Collection of the National Museum of Korea

in underglaze cobalt. Collection of the National Museum of Korea

considered the global pinnacle of the genre.

When problems at Jingdezhen between 1436
and 1465 stymied production, however, the
coveted Ming wares became increasingly
unobtainable in Korea (Deuchler 2006:7).
In response to the interruption in supply,
the Annals indicate that under the reign
of King Sejo (r.14551468) Korean potters
inaugurated their own blue-and-white
tradition in emulation of the sophisticated
Chinese wares. Due to the prohibitive cost
and difficulty in obtaining the Mohammedan
blue pigment, however, the court intensified
efforts to locate a native source. In 1463,
cobalt was finally discovered at Suncheon
in Jeolla Province, and a painted porcelain
vessel promptly dispatched to the monarch.
However, as the local deposits failed to yield
sufficient quantities or the desired quality, the
practice of importing from China continued,
sustaining the position of cobalt wares as
luxury commodities.
The Annals of the succeeding monarch,
King Yejong (r.14681469), contain detailed
records of the aspirations of the yangban
class to acquire these wares (Itoh 2000:109).
Their quests were dampened, however, with
the 1485 publication of Kyeongguk daejeon
(The Great Code of Administration), which
prohibited high and low officials from

10

obtaining any blue-and-white wares other

than wine cups. Although this restriction
must have been enacted to secure the best
cobalt for palace use, officials were ultimately
unable to curtail the procurement of a wide
range of cobalt-decorated wares among
yangban collectors (Deuchler 2006:7-8).
The chaos that ensued after the Japanese
(15921597) and Manchu incursions (1627
and 1636), and then the fall of Ming China
(1644) led to the nadir of the Joseon ceramic
industry. As Koreas borders were all but
closed to foreign contact, a heightened sense
of patriotism imbued many facets of Joseon
life. The artworks of this period reflect a
growing sophistication in conceptualisation
and technique alongside a flowering sense of
freedom and energy ignited by the resurgence
of interest in indigenous styles.
In porcelain production, potters enthusiastically
explored new forms, techniques, and decorative
schemes, building a rich repertoire of works
that was less reliant for patron approval on
formulaic regularity or refinement than it was
on strong and dynamic expressions of the
quotidian. Concerns of previous generations
such as uneven glaze coverage, and markings
which were not the result of contrivance (such
as those arising from the circulation of wood
ash in the kiln) attained a newfound following

among consumers. Although the demand for

cobalt-decorated wares remained high, breaks
in supply lines prompted potters to turn to
readily available iron-oxide to conjure dynamic,
uninhibited and nave designs. The dragon
motifs of this period (symbolising the ultimate
power of imperial rule), for example, exhibit a
vitality, humour and warmth that is not evident
in the Ming-inspired versions produced earlier
in the dynasty (Roberts & Brand 2000:86).
The 18th century was also a time of prosperity
and flourishing in the arts. In particular, King
Yeongjos (r.17241776) accession to the throne
heralded an era of social rejuvenation which
lasted well into the 19th century. In porcelain
production, one notable development was a
resurgence in the use of cobalt as supply lines
were reopened. In spite of the courts repeated
efforts to maintain the exclusivity of cobaltdecorated wares, they quickly proliferated
through the social classes. A record dating
to 1711, for instance, indicates that blue-andwhite wares had become so easily obtainable
that they were found even in rural commoner
households (Kim 1993:56).
In strong contrast to the exuberant underglaze
iron designs of the previous century, the
cobalt-painted iconography of this era depicts
elegant landscapes, flowers, and foliage in
thin, linear brushstrokes that accentuate the

TA A S A R E V I E W V O L U M E 2 4 N O. 3

Jar, Korea, 19th century. Porcelain painted in underglaze cobalt and copper. Collection of the National Museum of Korea

receptiveness to increased contact with Qing

China, experiencing prolonged prosperity under
the Emperor Qianlong (r.17361795). Although
in general terms the potters of late Joseon
avoided the earlier slavish imitation of Chinese
wares, the resurgence of cultural importation
from the continent reignited interest in Chinese
aesthetic conventions, prompting yet another
spike in demand for blue-and-white wares.
The simple foliage works of the middle
period were subsumed by a more diverse
and ornamental vocabulary which allowed
the potters to explore vigorous new forms
of decorative expression. Most notably, their
advanced skills are artfully displayed in the
rare porcelain works which simultaneously
feature underglazed decoration in iron, cobalt
and copper. The low success rate of firing
all three pigments together led the potters
to employ them more commonly in paired
combinations of cobalt and iron or copper.
This work, which features Koreas indigenous
ten longevity symbols in dextrously rendered
cobalt and copper, attests to the accumulation
of expertise acquired by the Joseon potters in
their remarkable repertoire of underglazed
porcelain ceramics.
Penny Bailey is a Korea Foundation Postdoctoral
Research Fellow at The University of Queensland. Her
doctoral thesis examined Mingei (Folk Craft) Movement
founder Yanagi Soetsus research into Joseon dynasty
ceramics during Koreas colonial period (19101945).
The author wishes to thank the Korea Foundation for its
generous grant to conduct this research.

REFERENCES
beauty and opacity of their white glazes.
Frequently featured on slightly asymmetrical
bevelled vessels, the designs proved extremely
popular among consumers of all social classes.
Their stylistic transformation away from the
more complicated motifs of many earlier
cobalt wares is thought to reflect the radical
changes taking place in the indigenous style of
landscape depiction which became known as
true view painting (Itoh & Mino 1991:125-26).
The other notable advancement in porcelain
underglazing in the 18th century was the
revival of underglazing in copper. While some
scholars maintain that the technology was first
developed in China and then transferred to
the peninsula (Nakao & Koyama, cited in Itoh
2000:25), many believe that it was invented by
Goryeo potters around the mid-12th century,
antedating Chinese (Yuan) use by at least a
century (Kim 2003:19; Mino 1991:29; Gompertz
1963:6-7). Although the technique was not
popularised until the 1700s, the earliest known
Joseon use is in a set of epitaph plates dated
to 1684. Documentation in Joseons Annals
actually points to much earlier use, but there

TA A S A R E V I E W V O L U M E 2 4 N O. 3

are no extant objects to corroborate this record.

Compared to cobalt- and iron-decorated
wares, copper wares were produced on a
much smaller scale due to the intractable
nature of the pigment, which was extremely
susceptible to atmospheric variations in
the kiln. In oxidised kilns (where oxygen is
allowed to flow freely), copper converts to a
green or grey colour, or in extreme cases, may
vaporise altogether. Even in the reduction
kilns favoured by the Joseon potters (where
the flow of oxygen is restricted), copper
runs or congeals into blotches of reddishbrown or black if the firing temperature is
insufficient (Itoh 2000:133). This baekja jar is
an excellent example of a successfully fired
work displaying the deep, elegant hue highly
sought after by Joseon consumers.

Deuchler, M, 2006. Connoisseurs and Artisans: A Social View

of Korean Culture, in Yun Y & Krahl R. (eds.), Korean Art from
the Gompertz and Other Collections in the Fitzwilliam Museum,
Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp.3-11
Gompertz, GStGM., 1963. Korean Celadon and Other Wares of
the Koryo Period, Faber and Faber, London
Itoh, I., 2000. Korean Ceramics from the Museum of Oriental
Ceramics, Osaka, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Itoh, I. & Mino, Y. (eds.), 1991. The Radiance of Jade and the
Clarity of Water: Korean Ceramics from the Ataka Collection,
Hudson Hills Press, New York
Kim, H., 1993. Exploring Eighteenth-Century Court Arts, in Kim
H (ed.), Korean Arts of the Eighteenth Century: Splendor and
Simplicity, Weatherhill, New York, pp.3557
Kim, K., 2003. Goryeo Dynasty: Koreas Age of Enlightenment,
9181392, Asian Art Museum, San Francisco
Kwon, S., 2014. Ceramics and Ritual Vessels of the Royal
Household, in Woo H (ed.), Treasures from Korea: Arts and Culture
of the Joseon Dynasty, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Los Angeles,
pp.3643
Mino, Y., 1991. Koryo and Choson Dynasty Ceramics, in Itoh I

Towards the end of the Joseon period, the

arts were propelled by the enlightened rule
of King Jeongjo (r.17761800), who enacted
various reforms to stimulate Joseons NeoConfucian development. Porcelain production
was favourably impacted by his unusual

& Mino Y (eds.), The Radiance of Jade and the Clarity of Water:
Korean Ceramics from the Ataka Collection, Art Institute of
Chicago, Chicago, pp.2735
Roberts, C. & Brand, M. (eds.), 2000. Earth, Spirit, Fire: Korean
Masterpieces of the Choson Dynasty, Powerhouse Publishing, Sydney

11

INDIGO : THE FASCINATION WITH BLUE

Margaret White
Black H'mong dressed in indigo dyed clothes,
Sapa, Vietnam, 1999. Photo: Margaret White

he quest for one of natures rarest colours,

indigo blue, once dubbed blue gold
and perhaps the oldest known dye, led to
indigo being treasured as one of the worlds
most valued commodities. Indeed, the story
of indigo is a complex and fascinating one
linking virtually every known culture.

The word indigo, derived from the Greek

term from India, refers to the fact that much
of the indigo exports originated from that
subcontinent. Indigos blue colouring may
be extracted from the leaves of hundreds
of species of the indigo plant, a perennial
growing in tropical, subtropical and temperate
climates. Indigo cultivation probably existed
in the Indus Valley some 5000 years ago. From
at least the late 9th century, indigo spread
eastwards from India in the form of cotton
goods to Southeast Asia and westwards
towards the Middle East.
The discovery of a direct sea route from
Europe to India in 1498 marked a crucial
turning point in the fortunes of indigo,
leading to increased European trade with
India, China, Japan and the Indonesian Spice
Islands. British commercial cultivation and
production of indigo began in the 16th century
in India and had become large scale by the

18th century, fuelling the textile industries

of the Industrial Revolution. In 1900, the
economic value of indigo equalled that of all
other dye stuffs made at that time. A process
for manufacturing synthetic indigo was
discovered in 1897 so that by 1910, synthetic
indigo usage had soared and production of
natural indigo dye had fallen by 90%.
Everything connected with indigo is
surrounded by immense curiosity and
awe. Considering the skill, patience and
complexities of dyeing with indigobearing plants, it is remarkable to find its
early use by diverse and geographically
separate civilizations (Balfour-Paul 2012:4).
Throughout all pre-industrial cultures, the art
of preparing the indigo and dyeing yarn was
an elevated and often secretive profession.
Thanks to a specific series of chemical
reactions which occur during processing, a
substance called indoxyl is produced which
can be used both as a dyestuff for cloth or yarn
or a blue pigment for paints and inks.
To obtain the dye, composted and crushed
indigo leaves are covered with water and
maintained at 25C. After a few hours, the
leaves and added organic materials begin
to ferment. A thick layer of bubbles with an

indoxyl bearing scum forms at the top of the

tank. To maintain the vats alkalinity, it is fed
daily to keep the vat alive for days or months
for repeated dyeing.
As soon as the liquid tastes sweet, smells
right and is dark blue in colour, it is siphoned
into another vat at a lower level, leaving the
plant material behind. The solution is left to rest

Indigo dyed futon cover of crane and tortoise-symbols of longevity, kasuri, weft ikat resist techniques, Japan, early 20th c. Photo: Margaret White

12

TA A S A R E V I E W V O L U M E 2 4 N O. 3

indigo resist- dyed strip woven cotton bedcover,

Mali, Africa, Contemporary. Photo: Margaret White

from the dyers indigo pots with oaths and

protective screens as physical and spiritual
dangers are perceived. If a person dies, the
dyers rush to cover their indigo vats.
In Lampung, Sumatra, indigo was one of
the key dyes used on the famous ceremonial
ship cloths or palepai. The boat motif, thought
to represent the journey through life in
ceremonies, reflects ancient beliefs. The
full symbolism of the palepai is lost to the
present generation but it has been suggested
(in Balfour-Paul 2012:183) that the blue ship
represents the earthly realm as opposed to the
sacred sphere of the red ship. The presence
and number of these cloths also indicates the
rank of the local ruler.

and the insoluble indigo settles to the bottom

of the tank as a bluish paste. The water is then
drained away and the suspension filtered to
remove impurities and to stop further enzymic
reaction. In many tropical and subtropical
areas, it is this damp indigo paste that is used.
It can also be dried to produce indigo cake
which is cut into cubes or formed into balls
making its transportation easier.
Dyeing with natural indigo is still considered
the most difficult of all dye materials and
yet it is the most versatile. Uniquely, indigo
does not need a mordant to make the dye
colourfast. Cotton, wool, silk or bast fibres
are dipped into the indigo dye bath to soak
and upon being withdrawn the blue colour
develops on contact with oxygen in the air.
The symbolism and myth surrounding the
use of natural indigo in the textiles of some
traditional Southeast Asian and West African
communities illuminates why the indigo
process remains an integral part of ritual,
identity and status today. Woven indigo
blue/black ulos feature as part of a complex
system of gift exchanges at both weddings
and funerals of the Toba Batak of Sumatra.
These special, rectangular warp ikat patterned
cloths signify a link between the wearer and
the spirit world and are essential wear at
ritual events. The spirits of the dead are kept

TA A S A R E V I E W V O L U M E 2 4 N O. 3

According to legend, the women of Tenganan

in Bali weaving the protective, prestigious
geringsing or double ikat cloth are not
permitted to grow or dye with indigo because
of the perceived spiritual and physical
dangers. Thus, indigo is grown and provided
by dyers from surrounding villages. Work
in the village halts when these sacred cloths
are being woven. Interestingly, indigo is
over dyed with morinda red and the indigo
component is completely hidden. This rich,
red brown is said to resemble dried human
blood (Maxwell 2003:145).
Maxwell (2003:144) also traces the secrecy that
still surrounds the use of indigo on the island
of Savu. Two sisters, Greater Blossom (Hubi
Ae) and Lesser Blossom (Hubi Iki), believed to
be the ancestors of Savus matrilineal society,
were about to receive the secret from their
mother on how to obtain beautiful indigo
blue. However, one sister hoping to cheat the
other crept out to steal the fluid at the top of
the pot without realising the active precipitate
lies at the bottom of the pot. It is believed that
the thieving sister and her descendants could
never match the intensity produced by the
other sister.
On the island of Sumba, where an unlucky
death is also called a blue death, traditional
burial rites were exceptionally elaborate.
Ritual demanded that a corpse should be
wrapped in up to 100 indigodyed warp ikat
shrouds. In the west of the island, so heavy is
the demand for these cloths that blue-handed
women are highly respected as this reflects
their proficiency. A piglet is sacrificed before
the dyeing process begins and the term for
indigo dyeing and pregnancy are the same.
Supernatural beliefs concerning indigo also
remain in insular Southeast Asia. Mary
Connors (2001:16) observed that Lao women
work with dye in a corner of the village

to avoid monks and newly pregnant or

menstruating women in case their presence
affects the strength of the dye. This is
important as the production of the richest
dye colours enhances a familys prestige and
processing the dye is often a family secret.
Among the Tai-Lao people living in northeast
Thailand (Esarn), the indigo dyer will
only pass on her secrets after her intended
successor has performed an elaborate respect
ceremony. The indigo-dyed ikat cloth known
as mudmee produced here is subject to similar
beliefs concerning the proximity of monks or
menstruating women (Maxwell 2003:145).
In Burma and Vietnam and along the southern
borders of China, ethnic minorities such as
the Hmong and Miao continue the custom of
producing plain or embroidered indigo cloth,
as well as indigo cloth patterned by handdrawn, rice paste resist (laran). These textiles
are intended to attract suitors by showcasing
womens skills.
In Japan, indigo probably came from China
together with Buddhism by way of Korean
artisans in the 5th century (Balfour-Paul
2012:94). Following the introduction of cotton
and indigo cultivation, the importance and
use of indigo increased during the Edo period
(1603-1868). Simple, indigo-dyed cotton
garments became ubiquitous in rural areas.
Among the various domestic furnishings,
the futon cover was particularly prized.
They were usually made of indigo-dyed
kasuri (ikat) cloth with designs symbolising
happiness and longevity. The Japanese also
slept under mosquito nets dyed blue, a colour
soothing in itself and which was believed to
repel insects and snakes. The love for indigo
(ai) endures, with indigo growers and dyers
accorded status as National Living Treasures.
The high regard in the 21st century for indigo
dyeing as a living art is not just confined to
traditional Southeast Asian or West African
communities but is shared by all those who
admire the skill needed to obtain those
wonderful intense hues of blue.
Margaret White is a former President of the Friends
of Museums, Singapore with a special interest in
Southeast Asian art.

REFERENCES
Balfour- Paul, Jenny, 2012. Indigo: Egyptian Mummies to Blue
Jeans, Firefly Books, British Museum, London
Connors Mary F., 2001. Lao Textiles and Traditions, Images of
Asia, OUP
Maxwell, Robyn, 2003. Textiles of Southeast Asia Tradition,
Trade and Transformation, Periplus, Singapore

13

THE HIDDEN TREASURES OF BUDDHIST KASHGAR

Marika Vicziany and Angelo Andrea Di Castro
Head of Buddha, 5th - 6th c., Tumshuk. Source: Hrtel, Herbert and Yaldiz, M., 1982, Along the Ancient Silk Routes.
Central Asian Art from the West Berlin State Museums, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

uddhism was one of many religions

which were practised in the oasis of
Kashgar. At the western crossroads of the
southern and northern Silk Road between
China, Central Asia and Europe, Kashgar was
a multicultural society even during the time
when its Buddhist monuments were built
from around the 3rd to 9th century CE: it also
included Zoroastrians, Hindus, Nestorian
Christians (Syrian Church) and people
following shamanism and animistic beliefs.
This complexity must be kept in mind when
discussing the Buddhist remains of Kashgar.

Whether Kashgar had a royal centre which,

like Angkor in the 12th 13th century under
Jayavarman VII, was also Buddhist in nature,
is not yet known. Certainly, the ruined
monuments of Kashgar include forts and
possible royal centres such as Khan-oi but
we do not know when these were built or the
religious preferences of the rulers.
Illustrated here is a gilded Tumshuk Buddha,
found by German Turfan Expeditions
between 1905 and 1914. Tumshuk, thanks
to the exploits of Albert von Le Coq, Pelliott
and others, is well known by international
art critics who since the early 20th century
have admired the collection of artefacts
and manuscripts in the misnamed Turfan
collection of the Museum of Asian Art in Berlin
and in the Guimet Museum in Paris.Von Le
Coq commented on this gilded Buddha head
in his published report of 1922-1926 (vol. 1,
Plate 42a, 28) and other authors published
reports in the 1970s and 1980s. In other words,
knowledge about the importance of Tumshuk
has been well established for almost 100 years.
By contrast, it is ironic that appreciation of the
cultural importance of Kashgar, less than 200
kms south of Tumshuk, is lacking. Our research
re-positions Kashgar to the centre of Buddhist
studies in western China, a place it deserves
despite the shocking neglect of the treasures of
that oasis city. We would like to propose that
the serene, 11 cm long, 5th-6th century gilded
head of the Tumshuk Buddha provides an
example of the hidden treasures that could be
found in Kashgar, if only Kasghar were to be
systematically excavated and studied.
The hidden treasures of Kashgar remain just
that hidden or in a few cases only recently
discovered. An example of the sophisticated
pottery of the Kashgar area is also illustrated

14

here, discovered at excavations on the Yawaluk

site 30 years ago. Known as the Jar with
Three Handles it dates from the 6th century
and displays Sogdian stylistic elements.
The medallions decorating the midriff are
distinctively Persian or Bactrian in style and
speak to the exchange of goods, people, ideas
and styles between Afghanistan/Persia, the
Hindu Kush and Kashgar (Watt et al. 2004:
190-191).
According to the former Director of the Kashgar
Museum who found the vase, its method of
construction is typical of the Buddhist period

in Kashgar (Qadir 2007, and interview in

Kashi, June 2014). Sogdian migr communities
had been established in this area from the
Kushan period (1st to 3rd centuries CE) and
the merchants who formed the core of these
communities brought with them Buddhist
monks (Vicziany and Di Castro, forthcoming
2015). From the 6th century these monks were
followed by Manichaean preachers (de La
Vaissire 2011) who added another layer of
complexity to the religious character of Kashgar.
The jar was initially displayed in the local
Kashgar museum but as its importance was

TA A S A R E V I E W V O L U M E 2 4 N O. 3

Jar with three handles and stamped decoration, Kashgar, Yawaluk site,
Sogdian, c. 6th century, 57 cm. Source: Watt et al. 2004

recognised it was relocated to the Xinjiang

Museum in Urumqi a few years ago.
International appreciation came in 2004-2005
when it was exhibited at the Metropolitan
Museum of Art in New York (Watt et al. 2004:
190-191). Despite its significance and the
possibility of finding more treasures of this
quality, excavations of Dakiyanus/Yawaluk
have been sporadic, very short, unsystematic
and typically not driven by research objectives
but attempts to salvage pieces of Kashgars past.
The last excavation in late 2000 lasted only
18 days. The current Yawaluk site, located on
the right hand side of the National Highway
314 that crosses the Chakmak River, is part of
the original site which was much larger and
incorporated the site now called Dakiyanus
on the left hand side of the highway on the
road from Kashgar to Urumqi via the town of
Artush some 43 kms to the north (Qadir 2007;
Qadir 2014). Despite the limitations, Qadir
and his team were able to confirm that the two
sites on either side of Highway 314 belonged
together, that both dated from between 200 and
800 CE, and that both reflected predominantly
Buddhist characteristics displayed on many
clay tablets, pottery pieces and birch bark
manuscripts with Brahmi script.
On the basis of many temple decorations
found on the western Dakiyanus side, they
surmised that this was the location of a
Buddhist temple and that the eastern side,
characterised by many millstones, had a much
longer history of settlement (Qadir 2014). A
comparison between our own photos of the
area and google satellite images with the maps
drawn by the French explorer Paul Pelliott in
1906 highlights the extent to which modern
infrastructure development has degraded the
integrity of this site (Di Castro, Vicziany and
Zhu, forthcoming 2015).
Despite its neglect, Kashgar may well
represent one of the major and earliest entry
points for Buddhist and other religious ideas
into China. Other archaeological sites of
Xinjiang, strung along the northern-eastern
route from Kashgar to Urumqi and Turfan
are likely to have been reached much later,
yet they have attracted the greatest amount of
excavation, research and conservation effort.
The objective of Monash Universitys Kashgar
Research Project is to place Kashgar back into
the centre of attention, as it once was when
the British, Russians and Chinese fought to
control this crossroad as part of the Great
Game between 1813 and 1945. Our research
goes beyond the traditional focus by European
and Chinese scholars on ancient texts and
relics and seeks to reconstruct the total human

TA A S A R E V I E W V O L U M E 2 4 N O. 3

and natural environment in which the relics

and monuments were located. In defining and
dating the evidence about human settlement
patterns and water/land usage we have
also started to build a comparative model
showing how the challenges of Kashgars
oasis environment differed from the monsoon
climates of Angkor, Bagan and Anuradhapura.
We were inspired in this work by the
comparative study of monsoon Southeast Asia
by Roland Fletcher (2012: 285-320). Our model
has allowed us to generate some hypotheses
about the differences: while tanks and canals
in Kashgar remain an important feature of
rural and urban areas today, we have found
no evidence so far for the massive water
storage systems that defined the Buddhist
sites of monsoon South and Southeast Asia.

Underground springs from the Tianshan and

Pamir mountains provided a gentler and
more regular supply of water to the rivers of
Kashgar and also facilitated the construction
of what appear to be relatively uncomplicated
karez wells that were fed by underground
water through capillary action.
In April 2013 and June 2014 we discovered
the remnants of three lines of karez on the
outskirts of Kashgar with 48, 7 and 3 wells
respectively (Di Castro, Vicziany and Zhu,
forthcoming 2015). None of these have been
excavated or dated. Di Castro located the karez
through a careful study of satellite images
which we then verified by ground inspection.
When were these built and by whom? Are we
looking at the remnants of a more extensive
irrigation system from Buddhist times or

15

Satellite image showing old agricultural fields around the Mori Tim stupas with the dotted

The two stupas at the Mori Tim site with a close up

line of karez running through the middle. The straight lines are old irrigation channels.

view of one karez well. Photo: A.A. di Castro

were they built later? We found evidence

suggesting that the nearby Chakmak River
may have shifted no less than three times:
were these irrigation projects responding to
these changes? If so, then historically the town
of Kashgar may have also shifted three times.
The Buddhist sites of Kashgar take the form
of a disparate series of scattered stupas
and monasteries that were most likely also
the focus of human settlements. From the
monastery on Haizilaitimaomu Mountain
near Upal in the southwest to the stupa of
Mori Tim northeast of Kashgar is a distance of
some 70 kms while some 40 kms separate the
site of Yawaluk/Dakiyanus in the northwest
from the grassy mound of the stupa of Topa
Tim in the east. Visible from Yawaluk/
Dakiyanus is a fifth Buddhist site, namely the
caves of the Three Immortal Buddhas (Di
Castro, Vicziany and Zhu forthcoming 2015).
No reliable dating of these five sites exists,
so we cannot say whether they represent
successive or co-terminal settlements.
The Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang visited
Kashgar in c.644-645 CE and reported that
there were several hundreds of Sangharamas
or Buddhist settlements which probably
included temples, monasteries, gardens and
cultivated areas. Certainly the soils adjacent
to the Mori Tim site are very old, and it is here
that the remains of karez are to be found. But
again, without thorough scientific analysis of
the soils and karez, we can say nothing about
the age of this material evidence.
Xuanzang reported that the Sangharamas had
some 10,000 followers and specialist libraries
housing many Buddhist manuscripts (Vicziany

16

and Di Castro, forthcoming 2015). How these

people and facilities were distributed and
the kind of economy that supported all this
activity remains unknown. There was also a
large floating population of passing merchants,
pilgrims, warriors and soldiers of fortune all
of which needed to be supported.
Kashgars Buddhist structures are seriously
eroded, covered by salty sands or destroyed
as a result of a long history of continuous
invasion and warfare. There are no impressive
above ground structures of reflected royal or
religious glory that we find in Angkor, Bagan
or Anuradhapura. None of this has dented our
hypothesis that Kashgar was probably one
of the earliest Buddhist sites of Central Asia
and the possible entry point for Buddhism
from the Indian sub-continent into the region.
Whatever impressive structures might have
existed here were pounded by men, horses,
donkeys and camels into the dry soils of an
oasis civilisation fed by the glacial meltwaters
of the highest mountains in the world.
Kasghar is also a region of many sandstorms
and local legends speak of old cities covered
by the sands of the Taklamakan desert.
Despite such hazards, the extant height of the
Mori Tim stupa is 11.582 m (Di Castro 2008:
261). This is the most famous stupa in Kashgar,
although it is also neglected. Unlike the
Sunday market of Kashgar, it is not a favourite
with visitors simply because they have no
idea why it is important or where it stands.
Taking into account the disintegrated top
portion of the stupa and the missing umbrella
(chattra) it would have originally been much
higher, visible from a long distance because it
sits on high land (Di Castro 2008: 261).

Next to Mori Tim is a second stupa, some

10.363 m high and between them the outline
of other structures that had associated
purposes - perhaps residences, meditation
rooms, workshops or rooms for storing and
cooking food (Di Castro 2008: 263-269). By
comparison, the stupas of Anuradhapura from
340 BCE onwards ranged from 10 to 106 m in
height, with the earliest stupa, Maha Saeya
(c.243 BCE) measuring 13.5 m (Coningham
and Gunawardhana 2013: 465,14).
Topa Tim, another stupa located some 10 kms
to the south of Mori Tim, was re-discovered
by Abdurhim Qadir as recently as 2003 (Di
Castro, Vicziany and Zhu, forthcoming 2015).
Its circular base suggests that it could be the
oldest stupa in this part of China and Central
Asia but it is increasingly being compromised
by agricultural and road developments.
High resolution satellite images of the Topa
Tim area show that a new, wide road now
passes between this stupa first described
by Stein and the nearby mound (probably
the remains of a monastery) (Di Castro,
Vicziany and Zhu, forthcoming 2015). During
our field observations in 2013 and 2014 we
photographed fragments of a stucco figurative
frieze scattered on the disturbed ground.
In addition to those sites defined by Buddhist
structures, we have three ancient urban
settlements in Kashgar - Shule some 20 kms
to the north of modern Kashgar, Khan-oi
some 5 kms from Topa Tim and Eskishahar,
on the southern outer rim of modern Kashgar
(Di Castro, Vicziany and Zhu, forthcoming
2015). Were these urban centres developed
sequentially or where they contemporaneous
and how, if at all, are they related to the

TA A S A R E V I E W V O L U M E 2 4 N O. 3

A fragment of stucco at the Topa Tim site showing its

size relative to a long marker pen. Photo: A.A. di Castro

tourism could make significant contributions

to the economic prosperity and stability of
this part of western China. However, a large
investment of effort and money is also needed
into scholarly research that can help Kashgar
to reclaim its place in the cultural relations of
China, Central, South and Southeast Asia.

Buddhist sites? The scattered nature of these

three urban areas and the five Buddhist sites
is certainly suggestive of what Fletcher has
called low-density, agrarian based urbanism.
However, without any dating or scientific
study, we cannot be sure.
In the last few months Kashgar has become the
focus of national and international attention
because it will form a critical part of the newly
declared official Chinese infrastructure project
called One Belt One Road. This strategy seeks
to rebuild the old Silk Roads to reconnect
China to its western and southern neighbours
by land and sea. It provides an unprecedented
opportunity to document and preserve the
Buddhist heritage of Kashgar. Trade and

TA A S A R E V I E W V O L U M E 2 4 N O. 3

There is an urgent need to minimise the

risk of missing this opportunity by too
great a focus on the economics of trade and
development. In working with Chinese and
Australian scholars, Monash Universitys
Kashgar Research Project hopes to contribute
to a balanced growth strategy in which cultural
objectives are as important as economic ones.
Our methodologies are informed by the
latest approaches and technologies being
applied to the study of Angkor, Bagan and
Anuradhapura. Manuscripts and relics need to
be located within a broader understanding that
pays careful attention to the dating, scientific
study and holistic analysis of human settlement
patterns, water and land management practices
and the political-monastic environment that
gave rise to Buddhist Kashgar.

REFERENCES
Coningham, R. and Gunawardhana, P., 2013. Anuradhapura: Vol.
III: The Hinterland, B.A.R. International Series 2568, Oxford
de La Vaissire, ., 2011. Sogdiana iii. History and Archaeology,
in Encyclopaedia Iranica, http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/
sogdiana-iii-history-and-archeology
Di Castro, A.A., Vicziany, M. and Zhu, Xuan (forthcoming 2015).
The Evolution of the Kashgar oasis: the archaeological and
environmental record, in Peter Jia (ed.), From Cattle to Camel
Trains: the development of the Silk Roads, The China Studies
Centre, University of Sydney, Brill, Leiden
Di Castro, A.A., 2013. Stupas and Wine: The Artistic Traditions of
the Kashgar Oasis, TAASA, Vol. 22, no. 4, 7-10.
Di Castro, A. A., 2008. The Mori Tim Stupa Complex in Kashgar
Oasis, East and West, IsIAO, Rome, December, Vol. 58, nos. 1-4,
257-282
Fletcher Roland, 2012, Low-density, agrarian-based urbanism:
scale, power, and ecology, in Michael E. Smith (ed.), The
Comparative Archaeology of Complex Societies, Cambridge
University Press, Cambridge
Qadir, A. et al, 2007. The 2000 Brief Report on the Excavation
of Yawaluk, Kashgar,Cultural Relics of Xinjiang,Vol. 67-68,
nos. 3-4,pp. 54-57. English translation from Chinese by Monash
Kashgar Research Project
Vicziany, M. and Di Castro, A. A. (forthcoming 2015), The Kashgar
Oasis: Reassessing the Historical Record, in Peter Jia (ed.), From
Cattle to Camel Trains: The Development of the Silk Roads, The
China Studies Centre, University of Sydney, Brill, Leiden.
Watt, James C Y et al., 2004. China: Dawn of a Golden Age,
200-750 A.D., The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

The Kashgar Research Project is seeking partners

Professor Marika Vicziany is the Director of Monash

and collaborators from business, government,

Universitys Kashgar Research Project and Dr Angelo

museums and NGOs. Please contact:

Andrea Di Castro is the Deputy Director.

Marika.Vicziany@monash.edu

17

THE AGA KHAN MUSEUM, TORONTO

Leigh Mackay
The Aga Khan Museums front faade with reflecting pool and part of the formal gardens. Photo: Imara Limited

evotees of Islamic art have been well

served over the past ten years with the
opening or refurbishment of major collections
on public display. Londons Victoria and
Albert Museum re-opened its Islamic gallery
in 2006 after major renovation, and two years
later Qatars huge new Museum of Islamic
Art opened in Doha. Copenhagens extensive
C.L. David Islamic space was refurbished in
2009, and in 2012 New Yorks Metropolitan
Museum of Art opened its reorganised and
renamed Islamic galleries. Later that year the
Louvre in Paris unveiled a spacious two-level
Islamic wing.

The latest showcase for the rich artistic

heritage of the Islamic world is the Aga Khan
Museum in Toronto, Canada, which opened in
late 2014 in the citys north east. The Museum
and adjacent Ismaili Centre were financed
from the immense wealth of the Aga Khan,
the 49th Imam of the Nizari Ismailis, a Persian
branch of a Shiia Muslim sect founded in
the 8th century CE; his followers call him
His Highness. The Museum catalogue says
the Aga Khan chose Toronto because of its
pluralistic social fabric and its proximity to
the US border, providing an opportunity to
reach a potential audience of millions.
The airy two-storey building was designed by
award-winning Japanese architect, Fumihiko
Aki. It covers 4,730 sq m landscaped parkland,
complete with gardens, tree-lined pathways
and a reflecting pool, all linking the building
to the nearby Ismaili Centre. The main
architectural theme is light - a metaphor for
both Knowledge and The Divine, according to
the Museum catalogue, Pattern and Light. The
long outer walls are clad in white Brazilian
granite that changes colour in different light
conditions. Internally, the building is suffused
with indirect light from a central courtyard
walled with patterned glass and from lantern
windows in the ceiling.
The permanent collection occupies much of
the extensive ground floor, along with meeting
rooms, educational facilities, a spacious
auditorium with a high dome that admits
natural light, and an excellent restaurant.
The upper floor is devoted to temporary
exhibitions and features a gallery overlooking
much of the collection on the ground floor.
The collection was assembled by the Aga
Khan and his family, most of it long before

18

wealthy Middle Eastern collectors began

snapping up the best material at international
auctions, doubling, then trebling prices. It
spans more than 1400 years across a range
of Muslim cultures: Spain, North Africa, the
Middle East and Turkey to Iran, Central Asia,
India and western China. Muslim Southeast
Asia barely appears; luckily we have Kuala
Lumpurs magnificent Museum of Islamic
Arts Malaysia in our neighbourhood.
The objects in the collection presumably
reflect the tastes of the Aga Khan and family
members who collected them. Their focus
appears to be on the Arab Middle East and
Iran, but Ottoman Turkey and Mughal India
are also represented by choice pieces.
The Toronto offering is an anthology rather
than a comprehensive survey, with several of the
pieces representing the pinnacle of Islamic art.
There are ceramic and metal utensils, costumes
and carpets, scientific and medical implements
and texts, religious objects such as Qurans
and mosque lamps, illustrated manuscripts
of folk tales and poetry. More finely-wrought
examples, such as illuminated manuscripts and
richly-ornamented brasses, glazed ceramics
and ornate carpets (all represented here), were
commissioned by ruling and merchant elites as
luxury goods denoting wealth and status.
More than 100 items are on show, representing
all the media that Muslim artisans used over
the centuries, from wood, metal and ivory to
glazed ceramics, glass and paint on paper.
Decorative techniques include sometimes
ingenious re-workings of geometric and
arabesque patterns and profuse displays

of fine Arabic script. We clearly see artistic

echoes of the cultures Islam interacted with,
such as Roman mosaic tiling and floral
patterns of Chinese art.
The ceramic arts are represented by fine Iznik
ware, a white ground dish from Khorasan
with elongated Arabic calligraphy around the
rim, lustreware and more. One exceptional
object is a 10th century dish from Nishapur
in eastern Iran. Almost 35 cm in diameter, it is
dramatically decorated with wide splashes of
green, ochre and brown glazes over a white slip
background that has been incised with bands of
small curls or spirals. Intriguingly, the splashes
look partly random and partly controlled. In
her catalogue article, Ruba Kanaan, Head
of Education and Scholarly Programs at the
Museum, notes that such splashware may have
been influenced by imports from Tang dynasty
China (618-907), as probably were Islamic blueand-white ceramics.
Amongst the rich variety of worked metal
items, mostly of brass or bronze alloys and
inlaid with gold or silver, one item that stands
out is a charming replica of a beggars bowl
(kashkul) made of engraved brass. Dating
from mid-Safavid Iran (late 16th century),
this boat-shaped piece, with open-mouthed
dragon heads at either end, symbolises the Sufi
mystics renunciation of worldly possessions
and reliance on alms for his existence. Ms
Kanaan suggests it was used ceremonially in
a Sufi lodge. Inscribed along the rim in slanting
nastaliq script are allegorical Persian verses
about the Prophet Muhammad, his son-in-law
Ali (revered by Shiites) and the friends of
Allah, which generally refers to Sufi mystics.

TA A S A R E V I E W V O L U M E 2 4 N O. 3

Quran, copied by Ismail b. abdallah, Makassar, Sulewesi Island, Indonesia, 1804. Ink, watercolour and
gold on paper. Folio 34.5x21.5 cm. Collection of the Aga Khan Museum. Photo:Gerald Friedli

The permanent collection is particularly

strong on the arts of the book, especially those
of the 15th century Timurid and 16th century
Safavid schools. They include elaborately
decorated Qurans, illuminated scientific
and literary manuscripts, pages of graceful
calligraphy and paintings on paper. They are
displayed to allow sufficient light for close
inspection while protecting them from fading.
The collections paintings on paper represent
one of the largest assemblages of such works
in private hands and was formed by the Aga
Khans late uncle, Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan.
He began buying pre-17th century Persian and
Mughal miniatures at auction when they cost
a pittance by todays prices. They include 10
folios from one of the most famous of Persian
manuscripts: a Shahnama (Book of Kings),
the beloved epic by 11th century Persian poet
Ferdausi, prepared in Tabriz around 1532 for
the Safavid Shah Tahmasp I (1524-76). Experts
estimate the original volumes 248 painted
images, exquisitely rendered in watercolours,
ink, gold and silver, required more than a
dozen miniaturist painters and at least two
master calligraphers.
The intact volume was long owned by the
Rothschild family in Paris, but was sold at
auction in 1959 to American bibliophile,
Arthur A. Houghton Jr. for US$259,000.
He began breaking it up, donating many
individual paintings to museums and
selling others, including the 10 in the Aga
Khan collection. These include the carefully
composed illustration of an early episode of
the Shahnama: Sindkht Brings Gifts to the Court
of Sam. It features vibrant colours and finely
drawn costumes, animals and plants. The
remains of this Shahnama is now held in a
Teheran museum, which quietly swapped
a de Kooning painting for it. (See TAASA
Review, Vol. 21, No. 1, March 2012, p. 26).
No Islamic collection is complete without fine,
hand-illuminated Qurans, especially those
made in the early years of the faith, or under
the artistic flowering of the Ottoman, Safavid
and Mughal dynasties. Rulers and wealthy
patrons commissioned and distributed these
sumptuously decorated and bound Qurans
to mosques as acts of piety. The Museum
displays several complete volumes as well as
individual folios.
A number of folios, copied on parchment
in
elongated
Kufic
script
without
embellishment, typify the Qurans prepared
within a few hundred years of the Prophets
death. By the 11th century, parchment had
given way to paper (made from pulped
rags) and Kufic to other scripts. Bindings of

TA A S A R E V I E W V O L U M E 2 4 N O. 3

Beggars Bowl (Kashkul), Iran, late 16th century. Engraved brass. Length 61 cm. Collection of the Aga Khan Museum.
Photo:Sean Weaver

leather or stiffened board and individual

pages were often elegantly decorated with
geometric and arabesque designs in gold and
coloured inks. A particularly fine example
of the later Qurans in the collection is one
copied and decorated in formal style in 1804
on the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia. As well
as twisting frames around the text, the pages
have marginal markers of various shapes that
indicate interesting points in the text, and
copious marginalia in fine script explaining
recitation, interpretation and grammar.
Toronto already boasted a commendable
collection of Islamic and Asian art in its

Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) and the

Textile Museum of Canada, with its display
of Islamic carpets. The addition of the Aga
Khan Museum has significantly sharpened
the citys intercultural profile.
Leigh Mackay holds a Masters in Islamic Studies, has
lived in Iran and Indonesia and travelled widely in
other Muslim lands. He has long been an enthusiast
of the arts of Islam and is currently President of the
Oriental Rug Society of NSW.

19

MODERN ART OF SOUTHEAST ASIA AT THE NATIONAL GALLERY SINGAPORE

Phoebe Scott
National Gallery Singapore Faade, 2015. Photo courtesy of Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, Singapore

he National Gallery Singapore will open

its doors to the public in November this
year. It will provide two dedicated permanent
exhibition spaces, one for the art of Singapore
and the other of Southeast Asia, from the
19th century to the present day, as well as a
number of temporary exhibition spaces.

While national galleries throughout Southeast

Asia have important collections of their own
countrys modern artworks, National Gallery
Singapore will be significant for offering a
permanent regional platform where the art
histories of these countries can be viewed
side by side, uncovering new relationships
and leading to new avenues for exhibition
and research. As a curator in the Southeast
Asia team of this institution since 2012, I
have had the opportunity to participate in
the development of the opening exhibition
for the UOB Southeast Asia Gallery, as well
as being able to witness the transformation of
the physical space of the building.
The National Gallery is housed in two historic
buildings: City Hall (completed in 1929), and
former Supreme Court buildings (completed
in 1939). While both buildings have had an
important civic and historical significance
for Singapore, the City Hall building is also
notable in world history as the site where
Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten formally
accepted the surrender of Japanese forces
on behalf of the Allies on 12 September 1945
concluding the Japanese Occupation of
Southeast Asia. To house the new National
Gallery Singapore, these two historic buildings
were extensively renovated to be functional
gallery spaces, and were also integrated into a
single building through the use of link bridges,
a shared atrium and basement space.
The architectural design for the conversion
was the work of Studio Milou Architecture,
France, and CPG Consultants, Singapore,
who were announced as the winners of an
international architectural design competition
in 2008. Whilst some of the interior spaces
were substantially remodelled, others preserve
the existing spatial and architectural quality
where original fittings, finishes and ornaments
will remain visible in the gallery spaces. The
layering of exhibition spaces into the historic
architecture of the National Gallery has been a
challenge, not only for curators but also for the
architects and exhibition designers who have
been engaged throughout the process.

20

The UOB Southeast Asia Gallery, which will

occupy the former Supreme Court building,
is housed almost entirely in historic spaces
which retain much of their former character.
The curatorial team has worked to align, as
far as possible, the architectural spaces with
the artwork to be displayed. This gallery
is conceived as a permanent space for the
display of Southeast Asian art, and the
opening exhibition will remain substantially
in place for five years. The curatorial narrative
for the inaugural hang in this space takes a
chronological approach, grouping art from
the different countries of Southeast Asia
together, to facilitate the exploration of both
parallel experiences and disparities.

This section of the exhibition is partly housed

in a former courtroom, one of the few spaces in
the gallery in which the original fixtures such
as the prisoners dock, barristers tables and
judges bench have been entirely preserved.
The formality of this setting enhances the
curatorial themes of authority, representation
and exchange. The challenge for designers
and curators was to integrate showcases into
the rooms existing structure without making
permanent alterations: a challenge that led to
some ingenious physical solutions, such as
the insertion of showcases into the existing
bookshelves (which once housed legal
volumes) and a clamping system to position
showcases atop the existing benches.

Each of the broad time periods has also

been loosely identified with a theme, which
attempts to highlight the major impulse
toward art-making in the region at that time.
Thus, the section pertaining to 19th and early
20th century art in Southeast Asia is themed as
Authority and Anxiety, and explores the role of
art production in asserting cultural authority
in a period of social instability, brought about
by the widespread colonization of the region
in that period. Artists from Southeast Asia
who studied in European art centres in the
19th century, such as Raden Saleh (c. 1811
1880, Indonesia) and Juan Luna (1857 1899,
Philippines) will be among the artists featured
in this section. This section also acknowledges
the protean character of art at that time,
which cannot be confined to the Eurocentric
categories of fine art like painting and
sculpture, but overlaps with a wider domain
of practice including craft, map-making,
photography and draftsmanship.

The curatorial narrative then moves to art

made between 1900s and 1940s, highlighting
the period in which art academies, as well as
informal structures like exhibiting societies,
were first established in the region. Examples
of the synthesizing stylistic currents which
emerged in Hanoi and in Bali in the 1920s and
1930s are featured here. At the same time, this
period ushered in the beginnings of a reaction
to academic training and practice. Artists
like Hendra Gunawan and Victorio Edades,
who contested the dominance of academic
painting in their respective homelands of
Indonesia and the Philippines, are among the
artists featured in this space.
The next series of galleries house the bulk of
the Southeast Asia collection, with artwork
from the 1950s to 1970s. These galleries offer
different perspectives on the art produced
during the decades of decolonization, from
the impetus to document the suffering of the

TA A S A R E V I E W V O L U M E 2 4 N O. 3

Landscape of Vietnam c. 1940, Nguyen Gia Tri (b. 1908,

Vietnam; d. 1993, Vietnam). Lacquer on board. Collection
of National Gallery Singapore, image courtesy of the

Newly-built atrium connecting the City Hall and former Supreme Court buildings, 2015.

National Heritage Board.

Photo courtesy National Gallery Singapore

Japanese occupation and various anti-colonial

rebellions, to the desire to connect with global
artistic trends like abstraction. The polarized
dynamics of the Cold War period are also
evident in the divergent artistic directions
represented in these galleries.
The final section of the UOB Southeast Asia
Gallery presents works from the 1970s to the
early 2000s, documenting artists turn against
conventional and academic definitions
of the art object, as well as new social
commitments, as artists used their work to
unpack gender, class, ethnic and institutional
biases. The Southeast Asia narrative concludes
with the current global moment, where
contemporary artists work in an increasingly
internationalised art world.
The collection of the National Gallery
Singapore is in large part an inheritance from
the existing Singapore National Collection,
which has been actively collecting the
modern art of the region for some time. Of
particular importance is the role of Singapore
Art Museum which from its very opening
exhibition in 1996 Modernity and Beyond:
Themes in Southeast Asian Art declared a
regional orientation. Singapore Art Museum
will not be displaced by the National Gallery,
but will continue to develop its focus on
Southeast Asia through emerging and
contemporary artists.
National Gallery Singapore curators have
also been making new acquisitions to deepen
the collections holdings. At the same time,
the Gallery has relied on collaborations
with other national museums and private
collections across Southeast Asia to access
many key works of Southeast Asian modern
art. Through the support of regional partners,

TA A S A R E V I E W V O L U M E 2 4 N O. 3

we will be able to display some important

long-term loans in the inaugural exhibition.
Aside from the two permanent galleries
dedicated to art in Singapore and Southeast
Asia respectively, the changing exhibitions
of the Gallery aim to bring modern and
contemporary art from outside Southeast Asia
into dialogue with the art of the region. The
first major international exhibition will be cocurated with Frances Centre Pompidou.
This exhibition aspires to reframe the history
of modernist painting. Rather than working
from the idea of influence or using arthistorical movements and terms that stem
from a Western context, the exhibition will
draw connections between the formal,
conceptual and social preoccupations of
European and Southeast Asian modern
painters, exploring how shared concerns were
manifested in different local contexts. Small
bodies of work (on average five artworks
each) from artists in the collection of Centre
Pompidou will be showcased alongside
bodies of work from artists from Southeast

Asia. It is hoped that this exhibition, along

with the displays in the permanent galleries,
will inspire a new sense of excitement about
the modern art of the region, and act as a
prompt for further research and exploration.
The UOB Southeast Asia Gallery will be open
to the public from 24 November, 2015. As well
as the contribution by academics, scholars and
curators from outside the Gallery, I would like
to acknowledge the work of the current team of
curators working on the opening exhibition of
the Southeast Asia Gallery: Lisa Horikawa, Syed
Muhammad Hafiz, Clarissa Chikiamco and Adele
Tan, under the direction of Low Sze Wee. The
collaborative exhibition with Centre Pompidou
will be opening in 2016.
Phoebe Scott is currently a curator at the National
Gallery Singapore. Previously, she completed her PhD
at the University of Sydney on the subject of modern
Vietnamese art.

21

C O L L E C T O R S C H O I C E : T W O T I B E TA N T S A K L I
Boris Kaspiev
Two tsakli, Tibet, 13th - 14th century. Mineral pigment on card, script on reverse. Courtesy: Boris Kaspiev Collection

much has been published about

W hile
the thangkas of the Himalayan region,

tsakli have received less attention. Tsakli are

the small ritual paintings most commonly
associated with Tibet, although they originate
from and are (or were) used throughout the
Himalayan region.
Tsakli are used in initiation and evocation
rituals, and Bardo ceremonies associated with
progressing from death through transitional
stages to the afterlife. They are painted in
mineral pigments on card or primed cloth, and
usually have script on the reverse which may
indicate the ritual for which the tsakli is used,
the name of the deity or image depicted, the
placement of the tsakli when the cards are laid
out as a mandala, or the number of the card
in the set. They also frequently show some
of the words to be spoken by the officiant at
that part of the ritual. As tsakli are small and
portable, they sometimes depict ritual items
(such as a flayed elephant skin) which a lama
may need but which are not easily obtainable
or transported.
Tsakli are sometimes confused with miniature
thangkas and consecration paintings. Like the
larger paintings, miniature thangkas depict
a central deity or symbol surrounded by a
hierarchy of other figures, whether protectors
or those relating to the lineage of the thangka.
Miniature thangkas were often housed in a gau
(portable shrine) and when not being carried
by their owner, were placed on a domestic
altar. Consecration paintings are usually
small (postage-stamp size) and were placed
within stupas or bronze figures as a part of
their consecration (Leonov 1992: 100-109).
While a tsakli usually depicts a single subject,
it does not stand on its own like a thangka, and
ritually forms part of a larger set.
Most of the tsakli we see are from dispersed
sets. While we can tell whether tsakli belong
to the same set through their style, subject
matter, composition, the text on the reverse, or
the consistent marks of wear where a lama has
handled them over many years in the same
way, we also have to be aware that damaged
tsakli were repaired or replaced. Repair may
include gluing a new backing to the tsakli, or
entirely copying a worn card with one painted
on different material by a different artist.
Tsakli were also attached to textile banners
for display in temples. While tsakli have now

22

often been detached from their banners, one

can frequently see the supports and stitching
on the tsakli that show us how it was used.
The two tsakli illustrated can be dated to the
13th to 14th century on account of their style,
the orthography of the text on reverse, and
their similarity to other published examples,
in this case from the collection of Gerry Virtue
(Pal/Meech-Pekarik 1988:160, 162 and Virtue
2003:14-15). These two tsakli are from a much
larger set and while none have been published,
others from the set have appeared on the
market from time to time. The two featured are
numbered 27 and 30 and depict Bon masters.
Bon is a Tibetan religious tradition that traces
its history back to pre-Buddhist practices.
While Bon has absorbed many Buddhist
practices and doctrines (and to some extent
vice versa), practitioners consider it to be
distinctly different (Powers and Templeman
2012:100).

represents) He who is known as The One

who is Non-Diverse [in his practice] and
Whose Prayers are All-Accomplishing and
whose secret name is Suppressor of Demons.
Homage to Him!
The text to the reverse of the figure in the
yellow cloak reads: This figure represents the
Great Acarya (spiritual master) Master of the
Phurba and whose secret name is Sprouting
Shoot of the Letter Ho. Homage to Him.
(Templeman 2006).
What makes such tsakli elusive is that the
meaning of such images and text cannot
be fully realised without a spiritual guide
or teacher (Kerin 2009: 90). However, these
jewel-like miniatures can be appreciated on
many levels and reveal a lesser known aspect
of Himalayan culture.
Boris Kaspiev is a collector of Himalayan art.

In these tsakli, the figure in the white cloak is

holding a shang, or Bon ritual bell; the figure
in the yellow cloak is holding in his right
hand a kundika (water sprinkler) used for
purification, and a phurba (triple-bladed ritual
dagger) in his left. The style of their headwear
is one found in similar tsakli from Mustang, a
Tibetan cultural area in northern Nepal.

REFERENCES

The text to the reverse of the tsakli of the

figure in the white cloak reads: (This figure

Virtue, G., 2003. TAASA Review, Vol 12 No 1 March 2003

Kerin, M., 2009. Artful Beneficence. Rubin Museum of Art, New York
Leonov, G., 1992. The Rite of Consecration in Tibetan Buddhism,
Arts of Asia September-October 1992, Hong Kong
Pal, P. and Meech-Pekarik, J., 1988. Buddhist Book Illuminations.
Ravi Kumar, New York
Powers, J., and Templeman, D., 2012. Historical Dictionary of
Tibet. Scarecrow Press, UK
Templeman, D., 2006. Personal correspondence.

TA A S A R E V I E W V O L U M E 2 4 N O. 3

TA A S A R E V I E W V O L U M E 2 4 N O. 3

23

S TATE OF P LAY A N D C O N T E M P O R A R Y C H I N E S E A R T A T T H E W H I T E R A B B I T
G A L L E R Y, S Y D N E Y
Sabrina Snow
Never Grow Up No.1, 2008, Yu Xiao, China. Chromogenic colour print, 100x100cm. White Rabbit Collection

tate of Play is the latest exhibition of

Chinese contemporary art this year to be
showcased from the White Rabbit collection.
It is the 13th in a series of exhibitions held
since the White Rabbit Gallery opened in
2009, all of which have been highly successful
in engaging the Sydney publics interest in the
challenging social and other issues inspiring
Chinese artists today.

The collection has focused on works from the

post 2000 period, a time following on from the
art of political satire of Mao Pop and Cynical
Realism of the 80s and 90s. The White Rabbits
acquisition policy concentrates on sourcing
works from artists, often young and unknown,
who offer new and vibrant interpretations
of contemporary China. When the Director,
Judith Nielson, opened her private gallery,
her stated aim was to show a different side of
contemporary Chinese life to the Australian
public and to showcase artists who might
not be seen in the West. The works of artists
sought out by the White Rabbit Gallery reflect
an explosive creative energy, at once humorous
and poignant, uniquely unconstrained and
imaginative, daring and ambitious.
The choice of name for the Gallery - White
Rabbit - reflects the Gallerys curatorial
philosophy. Like Lewis Carrolls Alice in
Wonderland, Chinese contemporary art is often
not what it seems: its inner significance not
always obvious, its meaning often subtle. A
number of the Gallerys past exhibitions, such
as Beyond the Frame (2011), Down the Rabbit Hole
(2012) and Double Take (2012) work on this sense
of fantasy. In Beyond the Frame, the work Calm
by the Madeln art collective seems at first to be
just a room sized pile of rubble only after long
and close scrutiny does it appear to be gently,
very gently, rising and falling, undulating, or
even breathing. What we expect to see is not
always what we do see.
In Down the Rabbit Hole, Ai Wei Weis 500 kg
pile of tiny sunflower seeds look deceptively
ordinary, yet a close look reveals each seed
has been hand formed from clay and fired
into porcelain. The mound of seeds is also a
metaphor for the Chinese people: a huge mass
in which individual identity is concealed. In
the most recent State of Play exhibition, Liang
Taos work Luofu Dream: Pink, Pink ventures
into overt suggestive fantasy which holds a
double meaning. The viewer has to come to
terms with preconditioned responses when

24

confronted with a bed, at once pink and pretty

and yet sinister and aggressive, even phallic.
Beauty is superficial, therefore wicked
and decadent, yet we cling to its imagined
promise because we prefer it to the ugly truth.
The works in the show Reformation (2014)
may have been inspired by everything from
Daoism and calligraphy to global issues of
commerce, urban decay, and religion, but the
critic Luise Guest has called it A Chinese
Dream. Her comment refers particularly to
the video work by Yi Lian called Undercurrent,
where a child sleepwalks through a night
landscape. Sleepwalking is a metaphor for
living in todays China, where everything is
changing and developing so fast that, like for
Alice in Wonderland, the world you see when
you wake up is not the world you knew when
you fell asleep.

The post-Mao era produced a wave of creative

freedom which left artists searching for a new
sense of direction and identity. Many artists,
such as those represented in State of Play, turn
to the realm of the self, of fantasy, dreams and
idealism to find this. They flirt with creative
experimentation on many levels, reflecting on
imagination, often working from memories
of childhood innocence and adolescent
anxieties, sometimes engaging in ambiguous
adult games of sexuality and pretense.
Underpinning these flights of imagination
and nostalgia is often a sense of unease, a
sinister undercurrent. Many of these artists
grapple with their past to make sense of their
modern lives and its many contradictions,
determining meaning for themselves as their
sense of self is squeezed between the values of
a childhood in a China in transition, and those
of modernity in a globalised world.

Life in China today reflects the turbulence

of the modern globalised world and all
its preoccupations with materialism and
individualism. The works at the White
Rabbit reflect the struggle of contemporary
Chinese artists to find a new role in a country
recently free from rigid socialist constraints of
authority and collective living.

Yu Xiao, in her work Never Grow Up no.1,

provides a refreshing analysis of the interaction
of herself as adult woman with her nostalgic
memory of childhood. Her photo-shopped
self-portrait with glossy lips and made up
eyes, emphasises an adult idealisation of the
carefree beauty of childhood, yet it contrasts
with the dark ominous skies, which suggest a

TA A S A R E V I E W V O L U M E 2 4 N O. 3

Dahlias, 2014, Dong Wensheng. Hand coloured gelatin

Cigarette Ash Landscape, 2013, Yang Yongliang, China. Pigmented inkjet prints, cardboard,

silver print, 80x68cm. White Rabbit Collection

paper, wire, polyurethane foam, cigarette, 507x43x43cm, base 250x250cm. White Rabbit Collection

sense of anxiety about the future. The little girl

seems stripped of her dreams before they even
happen. Bu Huas Beauty No.3, on the other
hand, which shows a little girl smoking, brash
and vivid in the cartoon-like inkjet green and
simple outlines, confers a simple message: life
is harsh, it has to be faced head on with all its
contradictions in all its yin and yang.
In the 2013 show Serve The People, first used as
a Communist party propaganda exhortation
by Mao at the 1942 Yanan Forum, its curator
Edmund Capon proposes that artists of today
serve the people by liberating their spirits
and giving shape to their anxieties, confusion
and ambitions. He chooses three threads to
unite the works in his show - fear, anarchy
and hope. The pain and fear of the past, the
anarchy and destruction often inherent in
change, the hope and optimism for the new
China - these themes also permeate many
White Rabbit shows, yet a delightful sense of
the ridiculous, characteristic of contemporary
Chinese art, so often enliven them.
The meaning of tradition is re-visited in works in
the Gallery which refer to scholarly ink painting
and the traditional format of ink landscapes. In
the context of the show Smash Palace (2013),
which echoes Maos exhortation to Smash
the Four Olds customs, culture, habits and
ideas the smashing taking place now relates
to the dramatic and fast changes being brought
about by globalisation and modernisation. In
Yang Yongliangs Infinite Landscape, a digital
animation in the traditional form of a vertical
mountain and water landscape, the mountains
are in fact piles of skyscrapers, and freeways
criss-cross the image.
In State of Play, Yang Yongliang presents
an inverted perspective in Cigarette Ash
Landscape: instead of an uplifting vision of

TA A S A R E V I E W V O L U M E 2 4 N O. 3

mountain peaks and winding rivers where the

enlightened scholar communes with nature, he
portrays layers of high rise apartment blocks
furled into a cigarette-like coil disintegrating
downwards into a pile of ugly sterile ash. The
implications are obvious in China people
are destroying not only natures beauty with
urban degradation, but killing themselves
through addiction to nicotine. In its starkness
and balance of shades and shapes, this work
has a haunting, reverberating beauty.
Despite the confrontational aspect of many
of these works, the viewer is struck by their
undercurrent of experimental playfulness.
In State Of Play, Dong Wen Shengs Dahlias
and Mayflowers, and Yang Yongliangs
Cigarette Ash Landscape provide witty and
clever references to traditional and scholarly
artistic values, reinterpreted with a modern
psychological orientation. In Dahlias and
Mayflowers, a naked man and woman are
shown with flower pots transcribed with
poetry and painted landscapes sprouting
from their heads. These inscriptions conjure
up the traditional Chinese artistic symbolism
for natures bounty, the beauty of spring and
the promise of good fortune; the mans tattoo
suggests a Buddhist tantric deity, Vajrakala,

who represents the fight of good against

evil, eternal wisdom against earthly delusion
and ignorance. The man and woman are
rendered bare and vulnerable; they are but bit
parts and transients in the greater scheme of
transcendental existence
State of Play pursues themes evident in past
shows at White Rabbit, such as that of identity
in the turbulent world of China today, of urban
decay, materialism, sexuality, and they are
interpreted with a characteristic Chinese sense of
humour and imagination. However the artists in
this show play unique artistic games exploiting
the tensions between the bright side of play
and its undercurrent of anxiety and discord;
between the individual and the collective;
between tradition and modernity. They do so
with a lively sense of experimentation in style
and media and technical accomplishment. State
of Play takes its place in a long line of exhibitions
at White Rabbit reflecting the inherent energy
in the constantly evolving creativity of Chinese
contemporary art.
Sabrina Snow has an MA in Asian Art History and a
longstanding interest in Chinese art. She was formerly
a guide and VisAsia coordinator at the AGNSW and a
member of the TAASA Management Committee.

25

B O O K R E V I E W: B U D D H I S T A R T O F M YA N M A R
Charlotte Galloway

Buddhist Art of Myanmar

Sylvia Fraser-Lu and Donald Stadtner (eds)
Yale University Press, 2015
RRP USD65, paper over board, 272p,
colour illustrations

In February 2015 the exhibition Buddhist Art of

Myanmar opened at the Asia Society Museum
in New York. With loans from Myanmar and
private and public collections in America, this
was the first major exhibition in the USA to
focus solely on Burmese art. Curated by wellknown researchers of Myanmar art history,
Sylvia Fraser-Lu and Donald Stadtner, both
co-edited this accompanying publication.
This is more than a catalogue, offering ten
short informative essays followed by 71 full
page colour images of works with facing
text, and the whole stands well outside of the
exhibition context. Fraser-Lu and Stadtner
have selected topics that allow the reader to
gain a sense of the complexities of Burmese
culture beyond simply an art historical frame.
Fraser-Lu and Stadtner open with an
introduction to Myanmars history and
archaeology. Very useful in providing context
for what follows, it is a shame that mention
isnt made of the successful UNESCO listing
of the Pyu Ancient Cities in June 2014, though
I note the publication may have already been
in press. There are a couple of inaccuracies:
the text suggests the first director of the
Archaeological Survey of Burma, founded in
1902, was Emil Forchhammer who died in
1890. Forchhammer was the Archaeological
Survey of Indias first head of archaeology
in Myanmar, appointed in 1881. Gordon
Luce is noted as a founder of the Burma
Research Society in 1910, though according
to bibliographic sources this pre-dates his
graduation from Cambridge and travel to
Burma in 1912.
Essays cover the topics Foundation Myths
(Patrick Pranke and Donald Stadtner),

26

Inscriptions and Chronicles (U Tun Aung

Chain), Buddhism and its Practice in Myanmar
(Patrick Pranke), Myanmar in the Outside
World (Jacques Leider), The Buddhas Smile:
art of the first millennium, (Robert Brown and
Donald Stadtner), Ancient Pagan: a plain of
merit (Donald Stadtner), After Pagan; The art
of Myanmar (Sylvia Fraser-Lu), Buddhist image
replication in Myanmar(Adrian Proser), Art
Power and Merit: the veneration of Buddha images
in Myanmar Museums (Heidi Tan). Stadtner
brings his expert knowledge and previous
publications to bear in his contributing
chapters, the foundation myths contextualise
some of the more unusual imagery we find in
Myanmar and reinforces the important role of
narrative and legends.
I was particularly drawn to Leiders
contribution
which
addresses
issues
associated with Myanmar historiography.
He draws attention to the often unfavourable
colonial reports of Myanmar affairs, which
portrayed the country as an inward looking
nation with little interest in engagement with
the rest of the world. This inaccurate picture
was perpetuated during the 20th century and
still appears in populist reporting on Burma
affairs. We are usually told that the Burmese
courts inability to negotiate with the British
was a result of their isolation. Focussing on
China, Leider very clearly communicates
Myanmars
successful
and
complex
international relations skills leading up to
the colonial period and proffers a much more
nuanced scenario than that perpetuated in
colonial histories.
It was a little disappointing to see in Stadtner
and Browns essay that the myth that the Pyu
were unknown until archaeologists unearthed
material at Sri Ksetra in 1900s continues. This
chapter contains information that is already
superseded or open to question in the light
of research undertaken in the last 12 months.
One example is the dating of Sri Ksetra,
with confirmed archaeological dating now
indicating the city was developing in the 2nd
century, not the 6th-7th as stated. The dating
of Pyu burial urns is also being questioned
as epigraphists revisit assumptions made by
earlier scholars. These changes do not detract
from the text, rather they serve to highlight
how quickly things are changing in Myanmar.

presents an engaging narrative connecting the

art of Pagan with India and other neighbouring
countries. Fraser-Lu, an expert in Burmese arts
and crafts, manages to condense the following
700 years of history into a short essay that again
gives us an understanding of the complexity of
Burmas history and how this impacts on its
visual cultures.
Proser and Tan address aspects of Buddhist
practice related to Buddha images. Prosers
insight into replicated images helps us
appreciate why some temples have literally
hundreds of Buddha figures of the same
type. Likewise, Tan puts Buddhist imagery
in a contemporary cultural context that
helps explain their role and purpose, with a
particular focus on pagoda museums.
The objects selected offer a snapshot of
Myanmars Buddhist art history across most
media (stone, wood, cloth, paper, metal,
lacquer, terracotta). The image quality is
excellent. I query some of the dating, such as
an 11th century date for a Pagan period image
(cat.14) when the text suggests otherwise, and
other images of similar style are 11th-12th
century (cat.15). Dating of Buddhist imagery
from the Pyu cities and Bagan is still without
consensus and broader date ranges would be
more consistent. I am being pedantic here,
and this is merely a reflection of how much
we still have to discover about Myanmar
and its history. While some may criticise the
seemingly random selection of works, I stress
that Burmese art is simply like that. I also
appreciate that the curators were limited in
their selections.
Buddhist art in Myanmar is an excellent addition
to the corpus of Myanmar art publications.
The essays are intelligently written with
an educated audience in mind and clearly
voice the experience and knowledge of all
authors. Each essay has endnotes, and the
accompanying maps, chronology, glossary
and bibliography serve as strong reference
sources. I hope this signals the start of further
publications that explore this fascinating
countrys rich visual culture.
Charlotte Galloway is a Lecturer in Asian Art History
and Curatorial Studies at the Centre for Art History
and Art Theory at the Australian National University,
specialising in the art of Burma.

Stadtners expertise in Indian and Burmese art

come to the fore when discussing Pagan and he

TA A S A R E V I E W V O L U M E 2 4 N O. 3

I N T R O D U C I N G D R S T E P H E N W H I T E M A N , L E C T U R E R I N A S I A N A R T H I S T O R Y,
SYDNEY UNIVERSITY
Josefa Green
met Stephen Whiteman at his Sydney
University office to discuss his scholarly
interests, his current work at Sydney
University and his views on the future of
Asian art studies in Australia.

It has been just a year since Stephen took on

the position of Lecturer in Asian Art History,
and while his academic background in
Chinese art history stretches from the Song
to the Qing Dynasties, it is the early 18th
century which seems to attract him the most
as a relatively young field for serious study by
historians of Chinese art.
Stephen holds degrees in the history of art
and architecture, Asian history, and East Asian
studies from Brown University (Providence,
Rhode Island, USA), where he earned his AB,
and Stanford University, from which he received
his MA and PhD. Before coming to Sydney,
Stephen taught art and architectural history
of Asia at the University of Pennsylvania,
Middlebury College, and the University of
Colorado. He has been a research fellow in
Garden and Landscape Studies at Dumbarton
Oaks in Washington, DC, and was most recently
the A. W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow at the
Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts at
the National Gallery of Art, also in Washington.
An interest in the depiction of Chinese
landscape and gardens is a common thread
through Stephens academic work. This has
taken him from his undergraduate studies on
Song dynasty literati landscape painting to
graduate and post graduate work on Ming &
Qing garden history, and even included a stint
as Curator of the New York Chinese Scholars
Garden on Staten Island, NY. His current
research focuses on the visual culture and
built environment of the Kangxi emperors
gardens and palaces in the early 18th century.
As he put it at our interview, Stephens broad
interest is in exploring how the natural world
around us reflects human experience, in
particular, the interaction between the reality
of a place as it existed in a particular period
and its artistic representation. The design
and construction of imperial landscapes, for
example, reflect the imperial culture of the
time, providing an insight into how imperial
power and authority was expressed.
His current major project, now nearing
completion (and publication), examines

TA A S A R E V I E W V O L U M E 2 4 N O. 3

one particular garden in the Kangxi era,

the emperors imperial garden at Chengde,
Bishu shanzhuang, or the Mountain Estate
to Escape the Heat. The final shape of this
particular garden was established in the late
Qianlong period, a state of development
that now disguises the fact that the gardens
design and construction altered significantly
over time. Using a cross disciplinary approach
drawing, for example, on disciplines such as
cartography and astronomy, Stephen has been
building a picture of how the garden altered
over time, in turn reflecting the shifting
priorities and viewpoints of its successive
imperial masters.
In this way, Stephen believes that art historians
can contribute to a deeper understanding of
broader historical, cultural and social issues.
He notes that there has been relatively little
written on the background to the imperial
art produced in Kangxis reign, in part due
to the lack of available archival material
and because the formal academy system so
evident in the Emperor Qianlongs reign was
not yet established. His methodical analysis
of one important garden landscape created in
this period aims to fill this gap.
We also talked frankly about the current state
of Asian art studies in Australia. Stephen
expressed optimism about the strength of
Sydney Universitys commitment to this
field, with his own appointment building
on the path breaking work of Professor John
Clark, recently retired from the Department of
Art History.
The current interest in most universities
and cultural institutions is strongly focused
on contemporary Asian art, perhaps
disproportionately at the expense of
historical studies. Stephen pointed out
that the two strands need not be exclusive
to one another: as John Clark previously
advocated, contemporary Asian art cannot
be understood without a foundation in
history and language.
Stephen believes that there is strong public
interest in Asian art, sustaining dedicated
galleries, significant original exhibitions,
specialist organisations (such as TAASA!), arts
festivals and numerous exchange programs.
He also points out that student enrolments are
high whenever Asian art topics are offered for
study at the University.

There is a great deal of diverse and valuable

work on Asian art in Australia at the moment,
though its impact, in Stephens view, may be
somewhat lessened for being diffused across
universities, art institutions, and associations.
It is for this reason that he, together with ANU
colleague Dr Olivier Krischer, are organising a
workshop at the University of Sydney, Asian
Art Research in Australia and New Zealand:
Past, Present, Future; scheduled for 15
October 2016, it is free and open to the public.
As the organisers have put it: This project
seeks to bring together scholars and curators
from across institutions, fields, and practices
to better understand the particular historical
developments that have come to constitute
the study of Asian art in Australia and
New Zealand. Together, participants will
investigate the historiography of Asian art in
Australia and New Zealand and assess our
achievements and the current state of the field,
so as to better consider future directions.
Sydney University, Stephen maintains, is now
positioned to build something very unusual
in the field: a comprehensive art history
department interested in articulating a global
history of art, focused on the early modern
to modern period. While art history studies
would be transnational (and not just Asian),
his hope is that the Asian art component will
continue to grow through teaching, research,
public programming, and an additional staff
member in Asian art through an endowed
chair. More importantly, however, he sees
strength in Asian art research whether at
Sydney, Melbourne, ANU or anywhere else
as benefitting the field everywhere, and hopes
that initiatives he and colleagues in the field
are undertaking will help expand the field in
years to come.

27

RECENT TAASA ACTIVITIES

TAASA President Gill Green with TAASA members
Sheba Greenberg and Harvey Sanders at the
Archaeology in Asia lectures

TAASA visit to the Chinese Bible,

Yang Zhichao (2009)
SCAF 10 July 2015
At the invitation of Dr Gene Sherman, 18
TAASA members gathered for a special
viewing of Yang Zhichaos Chinese Bible
installation, presented by its curator, Dr Claire
Roberts. This was one of the works in the
recent exhibition Go East drawn from Gene
and Brian Shermans contemporary Asian art
collection, the rest on display at AGNSW.

TAASA IN SYDNEY
TAASA Archaeology in Asia Lecture Series
Casting for the King The Royal Palace
Bronze Workshop of Angkor
1 June 2015
Martin Polkinghorne, Research Fellow in
the Department of Archaeology, Flinders
University of South Australia began his talk
by giving an overview of the valuable work
being undertaken by Sydney University
archaeologists who have excelled in
exploring patterns of occupation at Angkor
through the use of new technology such as
LIDAR. This is a remote sensing technique
combining radar and laser technology, which
can assist in visualising surface features not
easily identified at ground level (for example
because most sites are covered by jungle).
Martin discussed how his own work at
Angkor has focused on exploring its material
culture how Angkor was built and the craft
economy that made this possible. His search
for indicators such as extant raw materials,
quarries, workshops and unfinished
sculptures led him to uncover a workshop
northeast of the palace at Angkor Thom
which suggested (for example by a fragment
of wall furnace) that this was a foundry, the
first bronze sculpture workshop found in
Southeast Asia.
Josefa Green
Urbanising the Inner Asian Steppe:
Tang architectural influence on the
Eastern Uighur Khaganate
Uighur-Tang China Architectural Exchange
6 July 2015
Dr Lyndon Arden-Wong presented the last
of the five presentations in this very well
attended series.

His archaeological researches, leading to

a recently awarded PhD, concentrate on
a geographical area initially explored by
renowned Russian explorers in three waves
commencing in the late 19th century through
to the 1920s. The focus of their attention
was the remains of Uighur settlements to
the southwest of Lake Baikal in modern
day southern Russia and central northern
Mongolia. Modern methods of investigation
such as LIDAR (see above) have greatly
extended these early archaeological
investigations.
The major site discussed in this talk was
a 32 sq.km area named Karabalgasin. Its
most significant structure is a temple with
its entrance to the east leading into what
are thought to be a series of reception halls
and walkways. Only a minute number of
artefacts such as inscriptions or murals have
been found. Roof tiles have, however, been
found in relative abundance and Lyndon
Arden-Wong discussed their characteristics
from a structural and decorative point of
view. These plus the construction methods
of the walls, the orientation of the temple
complex and feng shui attributes has led to
the suggestion that Tang Chinese models
influenced this Uighur structure.
The presenters in this series, Marika
Vicziany, Bob Hudson, Alison Betts, Martin
Polkinghorne and Lyndon Arden-Wong are
distinguished in their fields and TAASA has
been privileged to have their participation.
Their presentations shone a light on the
dedication needed to pursue the discipline
of archaeology. Geographical, political and
strategic hurdles, let alone physical hardship,
present a challenge which these scholars
have overcome with outstanding results.
Gill Green

28

At first glance, the physical extent of Yang

Zhichaos 3,000 found diaries installation is
almost overwhelming. Claires explanation
of how the artist collected the diaries, their
historic context, and their content, helped
us to understand how the artist was able
to transform these objects into a powerful
work which offers an intimate insight into
the thoughts, lives and circumstances of their
owners. She also described the practical and
conceptual challenges faced in installing this
complex work and how she resolved these.
This was a rare opportunity to get up close
and very personal with an artwork and the
viewers came away with a much deeper
appreciation of its complexities.
Gill Green
TAASA TEXTILE STUDY GROUP,
SYDNEY
Sharing your Passion: The Allure of Indigo
9 June 2015
Following Margaret Whites previous
presentation on indigo textiles, enthusiastic
TAASA members gathered around the table
to show and discuss their favourite indigo
treasures, both old and new, from different
Asian countries, as well as a couple from
Africa and the Pacific. Some pieces members
had designed or made themselves using
indigo cloth, others had been collected on
members many travels, or passed down by
family members.

Lyndon Arden-Wong presenting at the Urbanising

(L-R) Moonyeen Atkinson, Sheila Sippel, Margaret McAleese and

the Inner Asian Steppe lecture

Lenore Blackwood at the TSG Sydney event, Allure of Indigo

TA A S A R E V I E W V O L U M E 2 4 N O. 3

Among the pieces shown an old batik

cloth with a garuda motif from Indonesia,
a woven shoulder cloth from West Timor, a
modern knotted scarf using torn silk waste
from India, and a rare late 19th or early
20th century Miao panelled skirt, as well as
an exquisitely embroidered Miao festival
jacket and matching pleated skirt, all from
Guizhou, China. Then a Japanese childs
winter Kasuri design padded kimono, a
contemporary Lao silk scarf with a readapted
traditional design from Carol Cassidys
workshop in Vientiane and also a calendered
indigo embroidered piece from one of the
minority groups of Vietnam.
The versatility of indigo was certainly
demonstrated! It can be dyed in various
shades, the thread woven on different looms
and many traditional and contemporary
designs created, and the cloth calendered,
pleated, stitched and embroidered.
Dianne Schultz-Tesmar
TAASA CERAMICS STUDY GROUP,
SYDNEY

TAASA IN VICTORIA
Preview of Mossgreens Autumn
Auction Series
11 June 2015
TAASA members joined other guests at a special
preview of Mossgreens Autumn auction. We
were able to view and handle a fascinating and
eclectic range of ceramics, jades, bronzes and
other decorative items. TAASA appreciates
Mossgreens hospitality for this event.
Walk through of exhibition Gods, Heroes
and Clowns: Performance and Narrative in
South and Southeast Asian Art
25 June 2015
Carol Cains, Curator of Asian Art, led
members on a tour of the NGVs exhibition.
Carols commentary brought the exhibition
to life, with its complex narratives, traditions
and images, especially those from great Hindu
epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.
Some of the works on display had never
previously been exhibited, and were specially
conserved for this exhibition. See Carols
article in the June 2015 issue of TAASA Review.

from which a client would choose the design

for a tattoo.
Many manuscripts are made of paper, while
others are of richly decorated lacquer. When
unfolded, some manuscripts are more than
five metres in length, with extensive text and
vivid illustrations on both sides. Manuscripts
were often wrapped in textiles and tied with
fabric ties, which all add to the beauty and
complexity of the items on display.
Little has been published on the manuscripts
of Southeast Asia, and not many museums
have focussed on this area of collection.
Russell generously shared his deep
knowledge, experience and passion for these
exquisite manuscripts, and we came away
with the sense of having participated in
something rare and special.
Boris Kaspiev
TAASA IN QUEENSLAND
Otsukimi Full Moon Viewing
1 August 2015
30 TAASA QLD supporters gathered to
watch the full moon rise over the Brisbane
River and were entertained by Brisbane
based koto player Takako Nishibori. After
dinner, guests read Haiku poems composed
for the occasion, with TAASA member Dana
McCown chosen for best composition.

A Survey of Thai ceramics

25 May 2015
TAASA members in two groups, each
restricted to 10 people, had the opportunity
to closely examine some Thai ceramics at
the archives of the AGNSW. Ably led by
Matt Cox, Assistant Curator, Asian Art,
and collector, John Yu, members enjoyed a
chronological overview of ceramics from the
Ban Chiang period (c.2nd century BCE) of
northeast Thailand and other northern kilns of
Kalong, Paan and Phayao, and from the later
southern sites of Sukhothai and Sawankhalok.
Although many of the earthenware and
stoneware ceramics from 12th -16th c. were
made for domestic and ritual use, they were
also traded with neighbouring Southeast
Asian countries via maritime routes,
particularly when Chinas ceramic trade
was halted around the 15th c. Bodies ranged
from more heavily potted clays to very finely
crafted pieces. Glazes were mainly underglaze
(iron brown or black) with some celadon
glazes. Decoration was either delightfully
freehand style or carefully incised.
Margaret White

Private viewing of Russell Howards

collection of Southeast Asian manuscripts
6 August 2015
TAASA members and friends were again
privileged to visit Russell Howards
home, this time to view his collection of
manuscripts, mainly from Thailand and
Burma, dating from 19th to mid-20th century.
While Russell has only been collecting
these for around two years, the collection
is impressive in its size, scope and quality.
We viewed manuscripts depicting subjects
ranging from traditional Buddhist scenes, to
horoscopes, the diagnosis and treatment of
diseases such as smallpox, images of different
kinds of elephants and cats, as well as books

John Yu with TAASA members examining Thai

Viewing Southeast Asian manuscripts from Russell Howard's

TAASA QLD members Win Lee, Anne Kirker and Bob Kirker

ceramics at the AGNSW's storage facility

collection by TAASA Vic members

have an impromptu koto lesson from Takako Nishibori.

TA A S A R E V I E W V O L U M E 2 4 N O. 3

TAASA QLD Ceramics Interest Group

18 August 2015
TAASA members met at a members home,
and after hearing about Penny Baileys recent
ceramics based trip to South Korea, swapped
stories about mystery objects from their
collections. The best story was from Sam
Aherne, with a Chinese piece with intriguing
links to Marco Polo!

Photo: John Pryke

29

TA A S A M E M B E R S D I A R Y
SEPTEMBER NOVEMBER 2015
TAASA IN NSW
TAASA Symposium:
The Magic of Metal: Jewellery Traditions
in Asia
Saturday 19 September 2015, 10am 1pm
UNSW Art & Design (COFA),
Paddington, Sydney
Lecture theatre EG02
The focus of this symposium is jewellery
crafted from metal by peoples of mainland
Southeast Asia and Korea. The objects
themselves, the traditional techniques
by which they were crafted and how
contemporary craftsmen adapted these
techniques will be explored. The forming
of collections - the challenges and hazards
- will contribute an illuminating narrative
to these presentations.
Speakers: Wendy Parker (UNSW Art &
Design), Truus Daalder (Collector and
major lender to A Fine Possession exhibition
at PHM), Min-Jung Kim (Curator Asian
Arts & Design, Museum of Applied Arts
& Sciences).
$45 members: $50 non-members.
Refreshments available.
Enquiries and bookings: Jillian Kennedy
at taasabookings@gmail.com or tel:
02 9958 7378
Please note new date.

TAASA End of Year Party and

Bazaar
Tuesday 1 December 6-8pm
S.H. Ervin Gallery, Observatory Hill,
Sydney.
Featuring the return of the TAASA
Bazaar, with Asian related books,
journals and artefacts of all kinds.
Clear out your cupboards
donations gratefully accepted
by contacting:
taasabookings@gmail.com
Further details to come but put
this date in your diary!

30

TAASA TEXTILE STUDY GROUP,

SYDNEY
The TSG now meets in the Annie
Wyatt Room at the S.H. Ervin Gallery,
Observatory Hill in Millers Point
from 6.00 8.00pm.
Light refreshments provided. $15
members, $20 non-members. The venue
is in close proximity to Wynyard Station
and parking is available on site.
Email enquiries to Marianne Hulsbosch
at marianne@hulsbosch.com.au.
The TSG will be meeting on Tuesday
13 October and Tuesday 10 November.
Topics to be advised.
TAASA IN VICTORIA
TAASA end-of-year party and viewing
of private collection
Thursday 12 November 6-8pm
Join us for TAASAs end of year
celebration and a viewing of the Asian art
collection of Boris Kaspiev, with its focus
on Himalayan and Mongolian art, Asian
textiles, Chinese funerary ware and recent
acquisitions. At the viewing, Dr David
Templeman and Dr Andrea Di Castro will
introduce their recent book Asian Horizons,
published in honour of the great scholar of
Asia, Professor Giuseppe Tucci.
Cost: $20 members, $25 non-members.
Numbers limited. Refreshments will
be provided. The St Kilda address
will be advised on registration.
RSVP: vic.taasa@gmail.com by
5 November 2015
Member viewing of Exhibition Blue:
Alchemy of a Colour
Sunday 6 December 2015, 2 3pm
A tour of the NGVs exhibition with Carol
Cains, Curator of Asian Art. Blue: Alchemy
of a Colour will explore how artists have
created works in the blue and white
palette using a wide range of methods and
styles, to produce unique and exquisite
works of art. Blue reveals the fascinating
metamorphosis of pattern, form and
motif stemming from the global trade of
these works, and the tales told through
the use of this colour in ceramics, textiles,
woodblock prints and paintings.

The exhibition focusses on works from

the NGVs Asian collection and includes
Persian, Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese
ceramics, indigo dyed textiles from China,
Japan, Southeast Asia, Central Asia and
India, and works from Egypt, England
and Italy.
This is a free event but bookings are
essential. RSVP: vic.taasa@gmail.com
by 27 November 2015.
For further information on TAASA
Victoria events contact Boris Kaspiev
on 0421 038 491.
TAASA IN QUEENSLAND
TAASA QLD Textile Interest Group
Saturday 5 September from 2pm
An afternoon of talks and hands-on
practical demonstrations of hand died
textiles. Examples of Indian Telia Rumals
- natural dyes in ikats - will be shown,
with participants invited to make a small
sample in a dye bath, using Japanese
dyeing techniques. The afternoon - which
includes an afternoon tea and talks about
textiles of Southern India will be led by
Dana McCown.
Free of charge. Enquiries to Mandy Ridley
at taasa.qld@gmail.com
UQ Art Museum Artist Self Portrait Prize
Friday 13 November from 6pm
This years curated show includes works
from Australian based Asian Artists
including Lindy Lee and Guan Wei, and
after the opening, please join TAASA
QLD supporters afterwards for a meal at
Hawken Village. RSVP to Sushma Griffin
at taasa.qld@gmail.com
TAASA QLD Ceramics Interest Group
Tuesday 1 December, 7pm
Our end of year gathering will look at the
world of Blue and White. Enquiries to
James MacKean at taasa.qld@gmail.com.
Location with RSVP.

TA A S A R E V I E W V O L U M E 2 4 N O. 3

WHATS ON: SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2015

A SELECTIVE ROUNDUP OF EXHIBITIONS AND EVENTS
Compiled by Tina Burge
ACT
Myth + Magic - Art of the Sepik River,
Papua New Guinea
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
7 August 1 November 2015

Myth + Magic brings together pieces from

the Sepik River that are held in Australian
collections and the National Museum and Art
Gallery of Papua New Guinea. The exhibition
features sculptures, masks and other objects
made for ritual and performance purposes
in a time when spirits and ancestors were
integral to daily life.
For further information go to:
www.nga.gov.au/exhibitions
Malu plaque, 19th
century, Papua New
Guinea, East Sepik
Province, wood. NGA
collection. Purchased
1977, acquired from
Anthony Forge 1977

Asia and the Pacific. Reflecting the latest

creative developments in our region, the
8th APT will include performance, video,
kinetic art, figurative painting and sculpture.
Major new commissions include a sprawling
structural installation of found materials by
Indias Asim Waqif and an elegant suspended
sculpture by South Koreas Haegue Yang. In
addition, artists from Mongolia, Nepal, the
Kyrgyz Republic, Iraq and Georgia will be
represented for the first time.
The special focus projects in APT8 are
Kalpa Vriksha: Contemporary Indigenous and
Vernacular Art of India and the Melanesian
performance project Yumi Danis (We Dance),
which emerged from a creative exchange in
Ambrym, Vanuatu, in 2014.
In addition to the exhibition itself, APT8
encompasses APT8 Live, an ongoing
program of artist performances and projects;
a conference as part of the opening program;
extensive cinema programs; publication, and
activities for kids and families.
For further information go to:
www.qagoma.qld.gov.au/whats-on/
exhibitions/apt8
SOUTH AUSTRALIA

NSW
James Nguyen: Exit Strategies
4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art,
Haymarket Sydney
4 September- 10 October2015

An exhibition by Vietnamese-Australian artist

James Nguyen that reflects upon the artists
experience of living in a factory in SW Sydney
with his family during the 1990s in an effort to
save a failing textile business. Commissioned
by 4A, Nguyens new body of work explores
the complexities of familial relationships as
migrants in an adopted country.
QUEENSLAND
The 8th Asia Pacific Triennial of
Contemporary Art (APT8)
The Queensland Art Gallery,
Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane
21 November 2015 10 April 2016

This APT will include works by over 80

artists from over 30 countries throughout

TA A S A R E V I E W V O L U M E 2 4 N O. 3

Gond Paintings from the Collection

of Barrie and Judith Heaven
Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide
Now showing until 8 November 2015

The paintings of the Gond people of central

India are exhibited for the first time at AGSA.
The Gond people are the largest tribal group
in the world and their homelands are in
central India. Over a millennium, or longer,
Gonds agrarian society evolved a distinctive
aesthetic and religious identity in which
ancient indigenous spirituality merged with
more recent Hindu traditions.
Gond villagers traditionally painted the
walls of houses with talismanic symbols,
including forest deities, sacred animals and
plants, using natural pigments. The artists
first adopted the use of synthetic colours on
canvas in the early 1980s. A feature of the
brilliantly coloured paintings is the complex
decorative patterns inspired by natural
designs, such as seen in woven fibres, plant
foliage and fish scales, which are unique to
each artist.
For further information go to: www.
artgallery.sa.gov.au

More Ink than Ocean: The art of writing

in Islam
Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide
7 August 2015 27 March 2016

Presents 1,000 years of Islamic calligraphy

from Iran, India and Indonesia. Among the
highlights is the magnificent illuminated
manuscript, Mathnavi of Jalal al-Din
Muhammad Rumi (1641), and the work
of the famous calligrapher, Muhammad
Hussein Kashmiri (d.1620), on whom the
Indian emperor, Akbar the Great, bestowed
the title The Golden Pen.
For further information go to:
www.artgallery.sa.gov.au
VICTORIA
Gods, Heroes and Clowns - Performance and
Narrative in South and Southeast Asian Art
NGV International, Melbourne
1 May 4 October 2015

Explores visual and performance art inspired

by the many narratives that pervade
South and Southeast Asia. Works include
storytellers cloths, shrine and temple
hangings, manuscripts and paintings, masks
and puppets.
Blue - Alchemy of a Colour
NGV International, Melbourne
15 November 2015 16 March 2016

Cobalt blue pigment and indigo blue dye are

two of the most distinctive and influential
colourants employed by artists, particularly
across Asia. The exhibition explores blue and
white, revealing the metamorphosis of pattern,
form and motif stemming from global trade,
and their use in ceramics, textiles, woodblock
prints and paintings.
Includes Persian, Chinese, Japanese and
Vietnamese ceramics, indigo dyed textiles
from China, Japan, Southeast Asia, Central
Asia and India.
For further information go to:
www.ngv.vic.gov.au
Lecture: Valour, Myth and Pageantry:
The Horse in Indian Art
NGV International, Thursday 15 Oct, 11am

Carol Cains, Curator of Asian Art, explores

the varied roles of the horse in Indian courtly
life and mythology as illustrated in the NGV
exhibition The Horse. Free event.

31