Art in Southeast Asia

Art in Southeast Asia


Southeast Asia is a large piece of land that is east of India and south of China that includes the modern countries of Indonesia, Burma, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand. The small amount of archeological work that has been done in the area means that there is not much known about the people who lived in the area before 2,000BC. However, the hot climate means that only stone and metal sculptures have survived from ancient pieces of art, making things such as writing or drawings difficult to find when looking for ancient history.


While all of the areas in Southeast Asia are worth taking a look at, I will be focusing mostly on the art done in Indonesia between the 8th and 11th centuries. The art from this time period was heavily influenced by the Srivijaya empire that originated on the island of Sumatra. The Srivijaya empire adhered to Mahayana Buddhism and when looking at the sculptures that are known from this area and period, it is clear to see.

 

GANESHA, REMOVER OF OBSTACLES 10th century Unknown Artist



The first work of art that I chose to look at is the Ganesha, Remover of Obstacles sculpture. This was made in the 10th century from volcanic stone and measures 67x35cm. Unfortunately, we don't know who the artist was that made this, but it leaves us wondering what an artist from this time period did on a day-to-day basis.   

This sculpture is incredibly detailed, and if you look at the elephant's trunk, you can actually see that it is curled to his left. In Mahayana Buddhism, this symbolized success in the world, a position associated with a householder. 


AMITABHA BUDDHA late 8th century-mid 9th century Unknown Artist




This sculpture of Amitabha Buddha is one of the more popular sculptures from this time period and location. I specifically remember seeing this in my history class notebook in high school and it stood out to me in many ways. Amitabha is the "Infinite Light and Life" Buddha and was seen by many at the time as the great savior buddha. 

I like this sculpture as it shows the lengths that people have been willing to go to show their dedication to religion. This sculpture was made in great detail (look at the resting position of the arms, and the details of the ears) of andesite, a volcanic rock material named after the Andes mountains. 


VAJRAPANI, 9TH CENTURY, Unknown Artist



Vajrapani is a copper alloy sculpture from the 9th century period in Indonesia. While the artist is unknown, I think this piece is interesting, as it is only 11cm tall. 

Vajrapani is one of the earliest appearing bodhisattvas in Mahayana Buddhism and is seen as the protector and guide of Gautama Buddha. 


As a kid, I loved the Indiana Jones movies. Their obsession with non-western cultures and artworks always astounded me and I think we should study them more often. The lives that the everyday people from this time period lived are important to the human story. 



Citations



https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/collection/works/?area=asian-art.southeast-asia.indonesia


https://www.himalayanart.org/items/90706


https://www.britannica.com/topic/Amitabha-Buddhism

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