22 Exhibitions


PEARLS FROM THE OCEAN OF CONTENTMENT


Three albums leaves from Album of Birds, Waterfowl One, Waterfowl Two, and Forest Birds Two compiled by Hotta Masa’atsu, Edo period, 18th–19th century, Tokyo National Museum


ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUES FROM THE EDO PERIOD The Charm of Album of Birds


During the Edo period (1603-1868), collecting a wide rage of various objects became a trend. People collected all sorts of things, such as flora and fauna, textile patterns, design sketches of inro cases,


and monograms. Tey also compiled relevant lists and encyclopaedias to accompany these collected items. Some of these publications included quotes and illustrations taken from documents of all ages


and cultures. Tis exhibition presents examples of such publications, namely illustrated catalogues, which shed light on the Edo-period culture of collecting. A highlight of the exhibition is


an illustrated catalogue series entitled Album of Birds, featuring a wide range of attractive portraits.


• Until 6 October, images on rotation, Tokyo National Museum, tnm.jp


HUDOOD RETHINKING BOUNDARIES


• Until 21 September, Brunei Gallery, SOAS, London, soas.ac.uk


Tis collaborative exhibition showcases contemporary art from the Barjeel Art Foundation (Sharjah, UAE) explores the multifaceted theme of ‘boundaries’, both as a subject and a tool for meaningful engagement with art from the Southwest Asia and North Africa (SWANA) region. Tis exhibition delves into the profound implications of walls and borders on artistic expression, posing the question of whether it is the artist’s perspective that ultimately transcends these boundaries. It also aims to examine boundaries as both tangible realities and abstract constructs, shaping artists’ works and biographies. From sculptures made with asphalt sourced from physical borders to reflections on the limitations of accessing historical archives, the show covers a wide spectrum of topics. It invites discourse and aims to be accessible to the general public, students, and experts alike, while critically reflecting on the curatorial practices of the student-led collective.


My People (2006) by Mohamed Abla (b 1953, Belkas, Egypt), acrylic on photo canvas, 115 × 200 cm, collection of Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah


CHANCES OF CONTACT Contemporary Prints from the Philippines and Singapore


Te Singapore Tyler Print Institute (STPI) has curated a show for the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, for the 55th anniversary of bilateral relations between Singapore and the Philippines. Tis joint exhibition


featuring STPI’s works by artists from both nations was conceived by the two art institutions in each country, in collaboration with the Singapore Embassy in Manila, who understood the significance of putting this show together. Constance See, the


Ambassador to Singapore for the Philippines, describes the show in Manila as one that ‘exemplifies the vibrant cultural dialogue and artistic exchange that has flourished between our two nations


ASIAN ART | SEPTEMBER 2024 |


Shadow of Forest 2 (2014) by Ronald Ventura, cast paper, frottage, acrylic paint on linen canvas, 52 x 63 x 16 cm. © Ronald Ventura / STPI. Photo: courtesy of the artist and STPI – Creative Workshop & Gallery, Singapore


Featuring arts of the book from South Asia and the Persianate world, produced from the 12th through the 19th centuries, Pearls from the Ocean of Contentment explores new ways of presenting the museum’s celebrated Edwin Binney 3rd Collection of paintings, drawings, calligraphies, and manuscripts from South Asia, Iran, and Central Asia by focusing on the regional contours and geographies of India and surrounding areas. Many of the featured works


were once bound in elaborately illustrated manuscripts, some surviving in complete form, while others were assembled in albums as personalised collections of painting, drawing, and calligraphy. Made primarily in royal workshops, they have typically been categorised by court or dynasty, and the regions in which they flourished. Most of the works were eventually acquired by Edwin Binney 3rd (1925-1986), a Harvard- educated heir to the Crayola fortune with a wide-ranging interest in the arts, who then bequeathed his collection to the museum. Intended to be encyclopaedic in scope, the museum’s Binney Collection of over 1,400 works surveys every major school of painting across seven centuries. Tis rotating display explores the


collection and its diversity through the regional contours and geographies of India and surrounding areas. Unfortunately, as


manuscripts moved onto the art market, they were often disassembled and sold as individual folios of painting and calligraphy, destroying the original context for the images. While Binney’s position of privilege allowed him abundant access to and participation in this market, the collection’s size, range, and bequest reflect an ultimate desire for it to be preserved and shared with the public. Today, these works engage and delight audiences through their subject matter, narratives, and themes, providing insight about artists, workshops, and the production of painting and books in these regions. Te Herat-born Persian


Muslim scholar Khwandamir (1474-1534), who spent his final years in India at the court of the Mughal emperor Babur (r 1526-30), commented on the value of the cultivated contents of these albums and their legacies: ‘Every coveted pearl that is nourished in the ocean of contentment is to be found in this sea’.


• Until 13 October, San Diego Museum of Art, California,


sdma.org


over the past five decades. It is a shining example of


how art can transcend borders and bring people together, reflecting our shared vision for a more connected and culturally enriched Southeast Asia.’ Te exhibition focuses on


#AsianArtPaper |


works produced by 16 artists – 8 from Singapore and 8 from the Philippines – during their respective artist residencies at STPI. Guided by this curatorial


interpretation, the exhibition offers new ways of seeing the art of print and paper from


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both countries through the selection of works that reflect the intersection of different time periods, mediums, and art forms.


• Until 26 October, The Metropolitan Museum of Manila, metmuseum.ph


asianartnewspaper | Asian Art Newspaper


Kayam, Maharaja Sujan Singh of Bikaner (detail), circa 1710, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Edwin Binney 3rd Collection, San Diego Museum of Art


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