Contemporary Southeast Asian Art

In this course you will explore the development of contemporary art across Southeast Asia from the 1970s to the present, contextualised within the region's complex socio-political history. Covering Singapore and countries beyond, visual forms of all media, including installation, performance, and video are examined to understand how artists from economically and politically diverse regional societies have produced pieces revealing transregionally-connected expressive approaches specific to Southeast Asia. Through artwork analysis, in tandem with critical reading of assigned texts, you will develop visual literacy of regional contemporary art (particularly its themes and audience-engaging methods), and access to the art historical debates that distinguish Southeast Asian contemporary art in the global contemporary art arena.