Southeast Asian

Arts
Teacher Mitch Servano
 Introduction
The southeast Asia is a region of Asia that consists of 11 countries - Indonesia,
Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Brunei, Singapore,
Timor- Leste (East Timor), and the Philippines.

The people of Southeast Asia were once thought to have shared a lack of
inventiveness since prehistoric times and to have been “receptive” rather than
“creative” in their contacts with foreign civilizations.
 Introduction
Later excavations and discoveries in Myanmar and Thailand, however, inspired some
scholars to argue prehistoric times. These scholars contended, the people of mainland
Southeast Asia were cultivating
plants, making pottery, and working in bronze about the same time as the peoples of
the ancient Middle East, and therefore civilization spread from mainland Southeast
Asia to China and India. Southeast Asians do not have a strong tradition of art theory
or literary or dramatic criticism, for they are always more concerned with doing the
actual work of producing beautiful things.
History, Traditions and Arts of Southeast Asian Countries
Indonesia The Indonesian artform are not only based on folklore but
also on religious ceremonies practiced by its people from pre-
historic times to contemporary period.

Batik is the fabric most common in this country. The term

“batik” is an Indonesian-Malay word, believed to be related to
the Malay word “titik”, which means ‘point’, ‘dot’ or ‘drop’.

The Shadow Puppetry famous in Indonesia is Wayang Kulit.

Wayang, in modern Indonesian language means "show" or
"perform". Kulit means "skin", a reference to the leather material
that the figures are carved out of.

traditional weaving is found in many parts of Indonesia. the artistic

woven products are used as wall hanging, table covers, blankets and
bags. the process is done includes the famous ikat method in which the
thread is dyed selectively before weaving.
Indonesia
VOLCANIC ROCKS ARE CARVED TO CREATE
STATUES DEPICTING CHRACTERS FROM ANCIENT
INDONESIAN MYTHS AND DEPICS. THESE ARE
FOND IN YOGYAKARTA AND BALI WHERE THE
TRADITION OF CARVING STONES WAS EXTREMELY
DEVELOPED DURING THE CONTRUCTION OF
MAJOR TEMPLES.
THE BOROBBUDUR IS ONE OF THE GREATEST
BUDDHIST MONUMENT IN SOUTHEAST ASIA.
THE TEMPLE IS DESIGNED IN JAVANESE
BUDDHIST ARCHITECTURE, WHICH BLENDS
THE INDONESIAN INDIGENOUS CULT OF
ANCESTOR WORSHIP AND THE BUDDHIST
CONCEPT OF NIRVANA.
THE PLAN OR STRUCTURE OF BOROBUDUR TOOK
FORM OF A MANDALA, A MODEL OF UNIVERSE IN
HINDU-BUDDHIST COSMOLOGY. IT CONSISTS OF
THREE ASCENDING REALMs –
kamadhatu- the realm of desire- here we are bound to our desires.
Rupadhatu – the realm of form - where we abandon our desires
but are still bound to name and form
And arupadhatu - and the realm of formlessness where there is no
longer either name or form.