A Cultural History of Asian Art, 1920–the present
Editors: Wulan Dirgantoro (University of Melbourne), wdirgantoro@unimelb.edu.au
Pamela Karimi (University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth), pamelakarimi@gmail.com
This volume begins in the wake of World War I and the decline of Eurasian colonial powers. The Bandung Conference, which followed independence across South and Southeast Asia; the rise of nationalism in Republican China and Showa Japan; and Iranian nationalization of oil are early watershed moments. The volume encompasses both the post-independence ‘modern’ and the post-1980 ‘contemporary’, placing the monumental pivot of the late 1970s at its centre. War, both hot and cold, and its traumatic aftermaths; political movements, from communism to democracy to theocracy; the rise of ‘the Asian Century’ and digital globalization; and art and activism all fall within this expansive conclusion to the series.
Specifically, this volume will focus on examining the internal dynamics within regions to challenge and move beyond traditional West-East paradigms that have long dominated art historical discourse. Methodologically, the volume hopes to highlight, among others, studies that present modern and contemporary West, Central, East, South and Southeast-Asian art through ethnographic and participatory research methods, prioritizing human experiences and agency over the art object itself.
More about A Cultural History of Asian Art
Series editors: Sussan Babaie and Stephen Whiteman, The Courtauld, University of London
Proposals are invited for contributions to A Cultural History of Asian Art. Drawing together a global team of editors and authors, this expansive history project incorporates emerging methodologies and approaches to present new interpretations of the arts across East, West, South, Southeast, and Central Asia over the last 2500 years. It offers an innovative vision of Asian art for scholars, students, and general readers alike.
A Cultural History of Asian Art consists of six volumes, spanning 550 BCE to the present, each comprised of eight thematic chapters. Proposals for specific chapter contributions are welcomed from individuals and co-authors. For further details about the project, including descriptions of the volumes’ coverage, chapter themes, and instructions for submission, please see the full Call for Proposals.
A Cultural History of Asian Art is under contract with Bloomsbury Publishing for publication in 2028. For more on the Cultural History series, see https://www.bloomsburyculturalhistory.com/.
Deadline for submission is Monday 1 July, 2024.
