Art of the Ancestors Fall 2022 Reading List
For this September feature, Art of the Ancestors recommends various works of lasting allure and significance on the ancestral arts of Oceania and Island Southeast Asia. While we all live in an increasingly digital world, there is yet something irreplaceable and pleasing about holding a fine book in one’s hands or indeed in crafting a personal library. Some of these works are still readily available while others may require recourse to specialist book providers such as C. Zwartenkot Art Books at the Museum Volkenkunde in Leiden.
Power and Prestige: The Art of Clubs in Oceania
by Steven Hooper
Dr. Steven Hooper’s Power and Prestige: The Art of Clubs in Oceania is the highlight for new literature in 2022.
This handsome catalogue accompanies an exhibition of the same name, held first at Fondazione Giancarlo Ligabue in Venice and subsequently at Musée du quai Branly — Jacques Chirac in Paris.
Forgotten Islands of Indonesia: The Art & Culture of the Southeast Moluccas
by Nico De Jonge, Toos van Dijk
This title by Nico de Jonge and Toos van Dijk on the arts of the Southeastern Moluccas is an exemplary work on the material culture of this remote yet historically significant region.
Atua: Sacred Gods from Polynesia
by Michael Gunn
This work by Michael Gunn explores sacred figures and hierarchies of supernatural beings within the canon of Polynesian art. Atua provides a captivating and foundational approach to the subject of Polynesian aesthetic and spiritual traditions.
Indonesian Primitive Art: Indonesia, Malaysia, The Philippines from the Collection of the Barbier-Mueller Museum, Geneva
by Jean Paul Barbier
An essential catalogue from Jean Paul Barbier that chronicles the collection of the Barbier-Mueller Museum in Geneva. One of many core publications produced by this legendary proponent for the traditional arts of Island Southeast Asia.
Affinities of Form: Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas from the Raymond and Laura Wielgus Collection
by Diane M. Pelrine
Diane M. Pelrine’s Affinities of Form documents the extraordinary connoisseurship of Raymond and Laura Wielgus through the collection of world art they donated to the Eskenazi Museum of Art at the University of Indiana.
Cultures at Crossroads: Southeast Asian Textiles from the Australian National Gallery
by Robyn Maxwell
A concise, classical textile catalogue created by Robyn Maxwell with an introduction by esteemed historian Anthony Reid. This work contains a nuanced approach to the storied Southeast Asian textile collection of the National Gallery of Australia.
Garden of the East
by Gael Newton
Garden of the East: Photography in Indonesia 1850s–1940s offers the chance to see images from the last century of colonial rule in the former Dutch East Indies. It includes over two hundred images from the National Gallery of Australia’s extensive collection of photographic art.
Fabric of Enchantment: Batik from the North Coast of Java
by Rens Heringa, Harmen Veldhuisen
A refined primer on the subject of batik from North Coast Java by acclaimed scholar, Rens Heringa and renowned Dutch Indonesian art expert, Harmen Veldhuisen. This is the exhibition catalogue for a past show at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art curated by M.H. Kahlenberg.
Headhunters from the Swamps: The Marind Anim of New Guinea as Seen by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, 1905-1925
by Raymond Corbey
Dr. Raymond Corbey's Headhunters from the Swamps is an engaging and well-executed volume of fine vintage images depicting the Marind Anim peoples of West Papua. These photographs were recorded by missionaries of the Sacred Heart between 1905-1925.
Betel Cutters: From the Samuel Eilenberg Collection
by Henry Brownrigg
Henry Brownrigg presents 187 rich and diverse examples from Dr. Samuel Eilenberg's collection of South and Southeast Asian betel nut cutters.
Lempad: A Timeless Balinese Master
by Ana Gaspar, Antonio Casanovas, Jean Couteau
A masterful examination of the life and artistic achievements of I Gusti Nyoman Lempad, Bali’s most iconic creator. This extravagantly illustrated volume documents Lempad’s expressive journey.
Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. Art of the Ancestors does not receive a commission should any of our readers purchase the aforementioned books.
Art of the Ancestors is a strictly non-commercial educational platform and has no vested interest in the professional activities of the authors listed above. Their opinions are their own.