Philosophy and Art in Southeast Asia

Guiding you through the topics that shape aesthetics and the philosophy of art, this introduction explores the truth, meaning, taste, aesthetic merit and the role of perception.

What each chapter offers is a wealth of examples from Asia: Sonny Liew's The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye, Tan Tai Yong, Kueh Appreciation Day, dragon kiln pottery, the Nanyang style of painting and the Chinese ink tradition. Selected for their boldness and open-endedness, these artworks include graphic comics and classical art forms. They deal with controversies and address central questions including:

-When are artworks considered dangerous?
-Why does Socrates recommend the banishment of the poets?
-What are the problems and challenges posed by forgery?
-How do we resolve ambiguity when interpreting and making sense of works of art?
-Can there be such a thing as immoral art?

A sense of awareness of context and situatedness runs throughout Aesthetics in Southeast Asia. The texture, fabric, and flavour of each example is woven into rigorous philosophical analysis of aesthetic and artistic matters.

Making art and aesthetics more relatable, here is a creative and accessible introduction that inspires a love for art and aesthetics. For anyone interested in understanding the cultural underpinnings of aesthetics outside of the traditional canon it is essential reading.