Traditional Applied Arts of Southeast Asia   Tags: arts, asia, crafts, designs, english, southeast asia  

The applied arts, in the context of art history, are traditionally considered to be the design or decoration of functional objects, encompassing a wide variety of items of a utilitarian or commercial nature. This is distinguished from the fine arts, which are evaluated in terms of their purely aesthetic value, and possibly symbolic or spiritual meaning. Traditional art styles and forms thus straddle both the worlds of design and production, as well as the deeply cultural, sometimes personal realm of creative expression. Over the years, researchers from the fields of anthropology and art history have studied the importance of these works in the context of the respective cultures, and increasingly, fine artists have incorporated the styles and motifs into their work, particularly when exploring issues of personal or national identity. Modern day designers, too, often hark back to traditional styles of all types of objects, to create items ranging from fashion to cookware to housing.

This bibliography serves as an introduction to art history students, designers, and artists who wish to understand more about the vast array of traditional art forms practiced throughout Southeast Asia. It includes critical analyses, historical and cultural overviews, and catalogues of traditional artworks. To view the booklists by country, click on the tabs above. To view the detailed catalogue entry, click on the title of the book.