VOLUME 19 VOLUME NO. 1 MARCH 2010 THE JOURNAL OF THE ASIAN ARTS SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA TAASA Review CONTENTS Volume 19 No.1 March 2010 3 EDITORIAL TAASA REVIEW THE ASIAN ARTS SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA INC. Josefa Green Abn 64093697537 • Vol. 19 No. 1, March 2010 ISSN 1037.6674 4 SERVING THE RESISTANCE: LACQUER PAINTING IN VIETNAM DURING THE FIRST INDOCHINA WAR Registered by Australia Post. Publication No. NBQ 4134 Phoebe Scott editoriAL • email: [email protected] 7 AN AFTERNOON IN AHMEDABAD: IN CONVERSATION WITH EMBROIDERY MASTER ASIF SHAIKH General editor, Josefa Green Carole Douglas PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE Josefa Green (convenor) • Tina burge 9 WHEN THE SUN IS IN LINE WITH THE WATER BOTTLE Melanie Eastburn • Sandra Forbes • Ann MacArthur Ann Proctor Jim Masselos • Ann Proctor • Susan Scollay Sabrina Snow • Christina Sumner 12 AN AUSTRALASIAN CERAMICS MUSEUM IN FUPING, CHINA DESIGN/LAYOUT Janet Mansfield Ingo Voss, VossDesign PRINTING 14 ARTIST PROFILE: WON-SEOK Kim’S AUSTRALIAN BUNCHEONG WARE John Fisher Printing Min-Jung Kim Published by The Asian Arts Society of Australia Inc. 16 THE NAT YUEN COLLECTION OF CHINESE ANTIQUITIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND PO Box 996 Potts Point NSW 2011 www.taasa.org.au Gordon Craig Enquiries: [email protected] 18 MOVING THE PAST TO THE PRESENT: A SIEM REAP-ANGKOR KHMER RESIDENCE TAASA Review is published quarterly and is distributed to members of The Asian Arts Society of Australia Inc. TAASA Review welcomes Darryl Collins submissions of articles, notes and reviews on Asian visual and performing arts. All articles are refereed. Additional copies and 21 IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN: JAPANESE TREASURES AT THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA subscription to TAASA Review are available on request. Anya Dettman with Mayumi Shinozaki No opinion or point of view is to be construed as the opinion of The Asian Arts Society of Australia Inc., its staff, servants or agents. 22 PRECIOUS PLAYTHINGS IN DUBLIN: SNUFF BOTTLES IN THE CHESTER BEATTY LIBRARY No claim for loss or damage will be acknowledged by TAASA Christine Inglis Review as a result of material published within its pages or in other material published by it. We reserve the right to alter 24 NATIONAL HERITAGE OR INTERNATIONAL COMMODITY? THE SITUATION IN CHINA or omit any article or advertisements submitted and require indemnity from the advertisers and contributors against damages Philip Courtenay or liabilities that may arise from material published. 26 TRAVELLEr’S TALE: A WEST TIMOR WEDDING All reasonable efforts have been made to trace copyright holders. Ross Langlands TAASA MEMBERSHIP RATES $60 Single 27 PROFILE: JIM MASSELOS $90 Dual Pamela Gutman $90 Single overseas (includes postage) $30 Concession (students/pensioners with ID) $95 Libraries (overseas, $95 + $20 postage) 28 ReCENT TAASA ACTIVITIES $195 Corporate/institutional (up to 10 employees) $425 Corporate/institutional (more than 10 employees) 28 TAASA MEMBERS’ DIARY $650 Life membership (free admission all events) 29 WHAt’S ON: MARCH – MAY 2010 ADVERTISING RATES Compiled by Tina Burge TAASA Review welcomes advertisements from appropriate companies, institutions and individuals. Rates below are GST inclusive. Back page $850 TAKASHIMA OIKO NO HANASHI [THE TALE OF TAKASHIMA OIKO] BY TAISO YOSHITOSHI, 1889. Full inner page $725 JAPANESE WOODCUT COLOUR PRINT ON 2 PAGES OF HOSHO PAPER, 35.5 X 24.0 CM. COLLECTION OF Half page horizontal $484 Third page (vertical or horizontal) $364 THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA. Half column $265 Insert $300 IN THis FolK TAle, A TRAvelling WRestleR on His WAY to A touRNAment seiZes THE HAnd OF A PASSING PEASANT WOMAN, TAKASHIMA OIKO, A LEGENDARY JAPANESE FEMALE “HERCULES”, not For further information re advertising, including REAlising SHE is AS stRong AS SHE is beAutiFul. TO His suRPRise And HORROR HE is unAble to FRee discounts for regular quarterly advertising, please contact HIMSELF FROM HER GRIP, WHEREAS SHE EAsily DRAGS HIM Along WHILE BLITHely CONTINUING to CARRY [email protected] HER BUCKET WITH THE otHER HAND. THE KIND-HEARTED OIKO THEN OFFERS to BECOME HIS TRAINER. THE DEADLINE FOR ALL ARTICLES FOR OUR NEXT ISSUE IS 1 APRIL 2010 A FULL INDEX OF ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN TAASA REVIEW SINCE ITS BEGINNINGS THE DEADLINE FOR ALL ADVERTISING IN 1991 IS AVAILABLE ON THE TAASA WEB SITE, WWW.TAASA.ORG.AU FOR OUR NEXT ISSUE IS 1 MAY 2010 2 TAASA COMMITTEE EDITORIAL Judith rutherford • PRESIDENT Josefa Green, Editor Collector and specialist in Chinese textiles GiLL Green • VICE PRESIDENT Art historian specialising in Cambodian culture Ann GuiLd • TREASURER The TAASA Review starts the new year with Australasian Museum in the town of Fuping Former Director of the Embroiders Guild (UK) a general issue that once again demonstrates in China’s Shanxi Province. This museum, KAte JohnSTON • SECRETARY the range of talent and expertise in the Asian along with about 14 other national museums, Intellectual property lawyer with an interest in Asian textiles art field to be found in Australia and the is the brainchild of retired businessman, Dr richness of our collections. Ichi Hsu. He convinced the owners of a HWEI-FE’n CHEAH Lecturer, Art History, Australian National University, major brick and tile factory in Fuping to with an interest in needlework Two of the feature articles in this issue create a major ceramics centre which would JOCELYN CHEY represent original research on Southeast Asian provide a venue for ceramists from all over Visiting Professor, Department of Chinese Studies, University of Sydney; former diplomat topics. Phoebe Scott shares the results of her the world to stay, make work and leave their PhD research work on Vietnamese art from pieces behind in purpose built museums. MATT COX Study Room Co-ordinator, Art Gallery of New South the 1920’s to the 1950’s. She discusses the way This exciting development now seems to Wales, with a particular interest in Islamic Art of in which lacquer painting, a traditional art have developed a life of its own, with more Southeast Asia medium in Vietnam, was used as a vehicle for national museums about to open on the PHILIP COURTENAY resistance during the first Indochina war from site together with a graduate school for Former Professor and Rector of the Cairns Campus, James Cook University, with a special interest in 1946 to 1954. Ann Proctor became intrigued ceramic art, hotels and apartment blocks and Southeast Asian ceramics by the handsome earthenware water pots a 5 year expansion plan, Chinese style, which SANDRA FORBES which she has encountered on her many involves establishing 5 international ceramic Editorial consultant with long-standing interest trips to Laos. Her intrepid detective work art galleries – including one in Melbourne. in South and Southeast Asian art has progressed our knowledge about these JOSEFA GREEN General editor of TAASA Review. Collector of Chinese beautiful utilitarian objects, as very little Asian art enthusiasts are generally keen ceramics, with long-standing interest in East Asian is known to date about their manufacture, travellers, seeking out exhibitions, collections art as student and traveller distribution and use. and a deeper engagement with the diverse GERALDINE HARDMAN cultures of Asia wherever and whenever Collector of Chinese furniture and Burmese lacquerware We continue to feature Australian collections possible. This March issue offers a number of ANN PROCTOR Lecturer in Asian Art, Sydney University of Asian art with an article by Gordon Craig on articles that aim to share these experiences. and the National Art School, Sydney the Nat Yuen collection of Chinese antiquities Carole Douglas, textile expert and designer, ANN ROBERTS housed in the Art Museum of the University vividly describes her visit to the workshop Art consultant specialising in Chinese of Queensland. Representing a generous of master embroiderer Asif Shaikh in ceramics and works of art donation by Dr Natalis Yuen, a Hong Kong Ahmedabad, India. Christine Inglis shares SABRINA SNOW resident and alumnus from the University her passion for Chinese snuff bottles and Has a long association with the Art Gallery of New South Wales and a particular interest in the arts of China of Queensland, the collection contains some her experience as a participant at the recent CHRISTINA SUMNER 100 objects that showcase the special features 41st annual convention of the International Principal Curator, Design and Society, of each major period of Chinese ceramic Chinese Snuff Bottle Society in Dublin, Powerhouse Museum, Sydney production from the Neolithic period to the which focused on an exhibition of exquisite SPECIALIST ADVISOR ON NE ASIA end of the Qing dynasty. Curators Anya snuff bottles from the Chester Beatty Min-Jung Kim Dettman and Mayumi Shinozaki bring the Library collection. Ross Langlands describes HON. AUDITOR Rosenfeld Kant and Co rich collection of 19th and early 20th century the wedding of friends in West Timor, a STATE REPRESENTATIVES Ukiyo-e (woodblock) prints in the National fascinating mixture of traditional custom and Library of Australia to our attention in our Paris chic. And Darryl Collins, an Australian AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY regular feature “In the Public Domain”. A now living in Cambodia, tells the truly ROBYN MAXWELL Visiting Fellow in Art History, ANU; striking example of one of these prints, by the inspiring story of how he saved a traditional Senior Curator of Asian Art, National Gallery of Australia artist Yoshitoshi, has been used as the cover wooden Cambodian house from demolition