Knowing
This website is a guide for learning and digging into Asian art after its modernization to the present, produced and maintained by the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum using the documentation, information, and networks it has collected and developed in the past decades.
Numerous exhibitions, events, international conferences, artist-in-residence programs have been held especially since the late 1980s to present. The records of these events, if we include those in previous periods, will disclose the rich introductions of Asian artists in Japan; many publications such as exhibition catalogues have been produced. However, the publications available in libraries are not enough, except in limited art museums, and Japanese books for general introduction of Asian modern and contemporary art do not exist now. Courses for Asian art after modern periods remain extremely rare in Japanese universities.
Thus this site aims to invite people with any interest in Asian culture and history to enhance their understanding of the historical developments of modern Asian art as well as to give knowledge of the history of Japan’s exchange with other Asian countries and regions through visual arts.
The site consists of two parts.
This page will provide the visitors with knowledge of basic terms such as genres, art groups and movements, technique, and exhibitions etc., particular to Asian modern and contemporary art that are different from those in Japan or the West.
At we have just opened the site, the terms cover only art terms as above, but we will add other contents such as outlines of art in each country/region and introduction of historically important artists.
This part consists of two databases: chronology and bibliography.
The Chronology enables the visitors fresh discoveries in art history: searching developments of art in each period or region; comparing contemporaneous situations of art in different parts of Asian, or finding inter-Asian exchanges etc., by searching and sorting.
As this Chronology comprises an essential part of this website which enable visitors to survey the developments of art form in different parts of Asia, so you can get the whole chronological list of items even before you try searching.
In addition to these important histories, in the future, we will add more items especially focusing on Japan’s exchanges with Asian artists recorded in exhibitions and events held in Japan.
Besides, we will include a database of bibliography on Asian art for beginners to introduce recommended catalogues, books, and academic papers etc., available in Japanese, so that they can search in their own aims, from rudimentary to academic levels.
As mentioned above, this website will gradually grow with more contents. We hope this website helps the visitors to develop their interest in Asian modern and contemporary art, encourage them visiting exhibitions, reading texts, meeting artists and curators, and touring to art spaces in Asian cities, finally to enrich their lives with new views on art and the world.
