The Japan Foundation Asian Art Archive
The Japan Foundation established the ASEAN Culture Center in January 1990 to introduce and showcase the diverse cultures of Asia with a focus on ASEAN countries. In line with an emphasis on the contemporary art and culture of each country, the Japan Foundation in 1990 hosted the exhibition “Narrative Visions in Contemporary ASEAN Art” (February 12–26, 1990), and with it launched its cultural exchange program on Asian art. This program has since undergone various organizational changes but continues to this day to host exhibitions and symposiums and train new curators, selecting whatever format is most appropriate for the age.
Since the 1990s, as the Japan Foundation has administered this program, the world has come to hold a strong interest in art from the Asian region, though it was previously often ignored. Asian contemporary art moved beyond its infancy preoccupied with passive acceptance of Western styles, and individual artists discovered their own individual methods and styles. Today there are ever greater numbers of Asian artists active on the international stage.
To reflect back on the Japan Foundation’s history of work in support of these developments in Asian art, we have established the Japan Foundation Asian Art Archive, which is described here. We, as direct witnesses to the journey of contemporary art in Asia, hope that sharing it here will help to serve as a foundation for relationships with Asia in the future.
1990s
1990
January ASEAN Culture Center established
1991
February Contemporary Indonesian Prints
Narrative Visions in Contemporary ASEAN Art
Tradition, the Source of Inspiration
Contemporary Indonesian Prints
Montien Boonma
1992
September New Art from Southeast Asia 1992 *B
1993
1994
September Japan Foundation Forum opens (closes on March, 2008)
1995
October ASEAN Culture Center expanded and recognized into the Asia Center
New Art from Southeast Asia 1992
Floral Cosmology
Beyond the Border
Visions of Happiness
1996
1997
1998
1999
Asian Modernism
Fang Lijun
Art in Southeast Asia 1997
Private Mythology
2000s
2000
2001
November Under Construction: Fantasia (Seoul)
2002
February Under Construction: Dream Project
2003
2004
April Asia Center closes and its art-related activities in Asia subsequently managed directly by the Japan Foundation’s headquarters
December Have We Met? *B
Heri Dono
Under Construction
International Symposium 2002 “Asia in Transition”
Lee Bul
Out the Window
2005
2007
2008
2009
2010s
2011
2012
January Omnilogue: Journey to the West
2013
January Omnilogue: Your Voice is Mine
November Media/Art Kitchen: SENSORIUM
Have We Met?
Cubism in Asia
Omnilogue
Time of others
2014
April New Asia Center opens
2015
April Time of others
2016
Art Studies
RUN & LEARN
2017
January “Condition Report” collaborative exhibitions held in Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila and Bangkok
August “Condition Report” twelve local exhibitions held in eleven cities in Southeast Asia
2018
2019
2020s
2020
2021
- *A PDF file of all pages of catalogue / report.
- *B PDF file of texts only.
- In addition to the above data published on the website, catalogs and reports, exhibition / symposium/ event images, audio, and film archives are available for browsing and viewing at the Japan Foundation Library.
What We Do
- What We Do Top
- Arts and Cultural Exchange [Culture]
- Japanese-Language Education Overseas [Language]
- Japanese-Language Education Overseas [Language] Top
- Learn Japanese-language
- Teach Japanese-language
- Take Japanese-Language Test
- Know about Japanese-language education abroad
- The Japanese-Language Institute, Urawa
- The Japanese-Language Institute, Kansai
- Japanese-Language Programs for Foreign Specified Skilled Worker Candidates
- Japanese Language Education for Japanese Children Resident Overseas and for the Descendants of Migrants
- Archives
- Japanese Studies and Global Partnerships [Dialogue]
- JF digital collection
- Other Programs / Programs to Commemorate Exchange Year
- Awards and Prizes
- Publications