Asian Art
Inheritor innovates to keep Chinese textile art relevant
A young inheritor of Chinese textile art is breathing new life into the intangible cultural heritage in Southwest China’s Chongqing.
Chinese linen, or xiabu — literally “cloth for summer” — is a traditional handmade textile made from China grass, also known as ramie. Being hailed as the “king of natural fibers”, the linen is comfortable, durable and easy to wash. It’s also delicate, yet not as fragile as silk.
A variety of xiabu was developed in what is now Chongqing’s Rongchang district during the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220). Royals and nobility during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) liked wearing the linen during the summer months. It was one of the first products to be exported from the region in the 20th century, with an annual output of around 700,000 bolts.
According to the district’s commission of commerce, it now exports about 3 million bolts of xiabu annually overseas, of which 40 percent is sold to South Korea. Over the past three years, 13 xiabu manufacturing companies in Rongchang have exported goods worth more than 50 billion yuan ($6.93 billion).
Read more: https://asianews.network/inheritor-innovates-to-keep-chinese-textile-art-relevant/
When we think about spreading knowledge of Central Asian art in Europe, we might think of exhibitions, of festivals, of panels and talks, not necessarily of an art fair. However, in the contemporary art world, it is today the market, more than art critics, which dictates the emergence of certain art scenes as a whole.
For the historically underrepresented Central Asian art market, smaller fairs represent today an important alley, more than the big fairs such as Art Basel – which just had its second Paris iteration this October. Smaller “boutique fairs,” as they are called, often present curated programming which allow a wide public – not just collectors and buyers – to enjoy the art as it was an exhibition. A selling one, of course.
In Paris, the most relevant fair which has historically presented Central Asian artists to the European public is called Asia Now, and it took place in Paris from October 17 to 20. Entirely dedicated to Asian art, the fair has historically tried to fill the gap for Central Asian art in the European market in the past ten years of its existence.
Read more: https://timesca.com/asia-now-is-creating-a-market-for-central-asian-art-in-paris/
On November 1, the Asia Art Archive (AAA) celebrated its 24th anniversary with its annual fundraising gala at the China Club. This highly anticipated event brought together 160 members of Hong Kong’s vibrant art community, including notable figures such as Benjamin Vuchot, Johanna Arculli and Johnson Chang.
The auction featured more than 50 pieces generously donated by artists, galleries and individuals worldwide, as well as heartfelt speeches from AAA founder Claire Hsu and executive director Christopher K Ho.
Proceeds from the event will go towards supporting the AAA’s digitisation lab—a state-of-the-art digital archiving facility for arts and culture in Asia, slated to open in July 2025. The AAA’s goal is to build a new laboratory for receiving, sorting, conserving, digitising and sharing materials about Asian art that might otherwise be lost and to train and develop the next generation of archivists to preserve and document Asian art history.
Read more: https://www.tatlerasia.com/lifestyle/arts/asia-art-archive-gala-dinner-2024
An antique bronze Somaskandhar idol worth Rs 8 crore belonging to Ekambareshwar temple in Kancheepuram has been traced by the state Idol Wing police to the Asian Art Museum in San Fransico, USA, DGP Shankar Jiwal said on Tuesday.
The idol wing’s inspector D Tamil Selvi identified the idol on the museum’s display. Their website listed its origin to ‘Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu, India’. It also said the idol dates back to 1500 CE and 1600 CE.
The description also mentioned it is made of bronze and a long Telugu inscription on the front of the pedestal mentions the name of the donor, his father and grandfather. It was also mentioned that the idol was made for the Ekambareshwarar (Ekambaranatha) Temple in the city of Kancheepuram, the DGP said in a release.
