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
February Narrative Visions in Contemporary ASEAN Art
April Thawan Duchanee: Thailand—In Quest of the Ultimate Sacredness
June Tradition, the Source of Inspiration
October The Brunei Photo Exhibition: The People and Nature of Brunei
December The New Generation in Contemporary Singaporean Art

1991

February Contemporary Indonesian Prints
March Tan Chin-Kuan: Malaysia—“Stage-art of Tragedy”
July Edgar Talusan Fernandez: Contemporary Art of the Philippines
October Contemporary Thai Artist—Montien Boonma: The Pagoda & Cosmos Drawn with Earth
Poster: Narrative Visions
Narrative Visions in Contemporary ASEAN Art
Poster: Tradition, the Source of Inspiration
Tradition, the Source of Inspiration
Poster: Contemporary Indonesian Prints
Contemporary Indonesian Prints
Poster: Montien Boonma
Montien Boonma

1992

March Contemporary Malaysian Art: Today’s Malaysia Seen Through Art
September Floral Cosmology: Traditions in Dyeing, Weaving, and Ornaments
September New Art from Southeast Asia 1992

1993

July Facing the Infinite Space: Contemporary Paintings from Singapore and Japan
December Beyond the Border: Contemporary Thai / Japanese Art Exhibition

1994

September Japan Foundation Forum opens (closes on March, 2008)
October Contemporary Art Symposium 1994 “The Potential of Asian Thought”

1995

February Visions of Happiness: Ten Asian Contemporary Artists
October ASEAN Culture Center expanded and recognized into the Asia Center
October Asian Modernism: Diverse Development in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand
Poster: New Art from Southeast Asia 1992
New Art from Southeast Asia 1992
Poster: Floral Cosmology
Floral Cosmology
Poster: Beyond the Border
Beyond the Border
Poster: Vision of Happiness
Visions of Happiness

1996

November Fang Lijun: Human Images in an Uncertain Age

1997

April Art in Southeast Asia 1997: Glimpses into the Future
August The Mutation: Painstaking Realism in Indonesian Contemporary Painting
October Symposium “Asian Contemporary Art Reconsidered”

1998

October Private Mythology: Contemporary Art from India

1999

August International Symposium 1999 “Asian Art: Prospects for the Future”
Poster: Asian Modernism
Asian Modernism
Poster: Fang Lijun
Fang Lijun
Poster: Art in Southeast Asia 1997
Art in Southeast Asia 1997
Poster: Private Mythology
Private Mythology

2000s

2000

January Serendipity: Photography, Video, Experimental Film and Multimedia Installation from Asia
October Asian Contemporary Artist Solo Exhibition Series Ⅰ
Heri Dono: Dancing Demons and Drunken Deities

2001

June Asian Contemporary Artist Solo Exhibition Series Ⅱ
Atul Dodiya—Bombay: Labyrinth/Laboratory
October Under Construction: From the Sea of Trees
November Under Construction: Fantasia (Seoul)
December Alternatives: Contemporary Art Spaces in Asia published

2002

February Under Construction: Dream Project
February Under Construction: Crafting Economies
February Under Construction: Clicking into Place
February Under Construction: Sorry for the Inconvenience
March Under Construction: Fantasia (Beijing)
December Under Construction: New Dimensions of Asian Art
December International Symposium 2002 “Asia in Transition: Representation and Identity”

2003

June Asian Contemporary Artist Solo Exhibition Series Ⅲ
Lee Bul: Theatrum Orbis Terrarum
July 15 Tracks: Contemporary Southeast Asian Art

2004

January Out the Window: Spaces of Distraction
April Asia Center closes and its art-related activities in Asia subsequently managed directly by the Japan Foundation’s headquarters
November Alternatives 2005: Contemporary Art Spaces in Asia published
December Have We Met?
Poster: Heri Dono
Heri Dono
Poster: Under Construction
Under Construction
Poster: International Symposium 2002 “Asia in Transition—Representation and Identity”
International Symposium 2002 “Asia in Transition”
Poster: Lee Bul
Lee Bul
Poster: Out the Window
Out the Window

2005

August Cubism in Asia: Unbounded Dialogues
September International Symposium 2005 “Cubism in Asia: Unbounded Dialogues”

2007

May Cubisme: l’autre rive—Résonances en Asie

2008

August A Perspective on Contemporary Art: Emotional Drawing
November International Symposium 2008 “Count 10 Before You Say Asia: Asian Art After Postmodernism”

2009

July Art Guide to Asia: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam published

2010s

2011

November Omnilogue: Alternating Currents—Japanese Art After March 2011

2012

January Omnilogue: Journey to the West

2013

January Omnilogue: Your Voice is Mine
September Media/Art Kitchen: Consumer VS The Power of Industry—Society who Criticize Technology
October Media/Art Kitchen: extra/ordinary
November Media/Art Kitchen: SENSORIUM
December Media/Art Kitchen: Media Shapes Mind: Mind Shapes Choice: Choice Shapes Future
Poster: Have We Met?
Have We Met?
Poster: Cubism in Asia
Cubism in Asia
Poster: Omnilogue
Omnilogue
Poster: Time of others
Time of others

2014

April New Asia Center opens
July Media/Art Kitchen Yamaguchi: Open Call Laboratory—An Exploration into Social Anthropology in Asia
July Media/Art Kitchen Aomori: Politics of Humor and Play
December Fourteen exhibitions from the “RUN & LEARN” project held in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand

2015

March “The Japan Foundation Asia Center: Art Studies” series launched
Art Studies 01: International Seminar 2014 “Cultural Rebellion in Asia 1960–1989” Report published
April Time of others
May International Symposium 2015 “THE 1990s: The Making of Art with Contemporaries”

2016

March Art Studies 02: International Symposium 2015 “THE 1990s: The Making of Art with Contemporaries” Report published
Book: Art Studies
Art Studies
Book: RUN & LEARN
RUN & LEARN

2017

January “Condition Report” collaborative exhibitions held in Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila and Bangkok
March Art Studies 03: Anthology “Shaping the History of Art in Southeast Asia” published
July SUNSHOWER: Contemporary Art from Southeast Asia 1980s to Now
August Twelve local “Condition Report” exhibitions held in eleven cities in Souteast Asia

2018

March Art Studies 04: “Condition Report: Shifting Perspectives in Asia” Curators’ Book published

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