Arts

This mural by artists Slinat and Wild Draeing in the Balinese capital of Denpasar symbolizes the easy money made from tourism, now gone because of COVID-19, and the potential of agriculture as an option to mass tourism. (Photo by Ian Neubauer)
Arts

Bali street art reflects changes in local society

Wall murals address the impact of tourism on the island

4 December 2020
Lawrence Osborne in his Bangkok apartment. The cozy yet slightly decaying surroundings immediately outside it heavily inspired his latest novel, "The Glass Kingdom." (Photo by Nana Chen)
Arts

In 'The Glass Kingdom,' Bangkok is the star

Thailand-based author Lawrence Osborne on his first novel set in the capital

2 December 2020
Space-rock folk band Buddha Beat play with Mohammad Kamal Sabran at Universiti Sains Malaysia's School of Arts in Penang, Malaysia, as part of the Healing Art Project. (Photo by Marco Ferrarese)
Arts

Asian underground bands rock outside the box

Musicians get creative amid COVID-19 social distancing rules

27 November 2020
Nguyen Phan Que Mai’s first novel in English is a multi-generational saga charting the ups and downs of a Vietnamese family in a country riven by conflict. (Photo courtesy of Dreamscape Media)
Arts

BOOKS: 'The Mountains Sing,' by Nguyen Phan Que Mai

A daughter of Vietnam marks the country's literary breakout

26 November 2020
JKT48's recent stage performance, streamed live online, was not attended by a loudly cheering audience like at its events before the COVID-19 outbreak. (Photo by Dimas Ardian)
Media & Entertainment

Indonesian idol group JKT48 wins fans via online acts

Strategy shift forced by COVID-19 proves fortuitous as fans flock to Zoom chats

21 November 2020
Gray schist Gandharan Frieze featuring seven figures of Buddha beside a Bodhisattva Maitreya. Measuring 20 centimeters tall by 63 centimeters wide, it has been dated to between the 2nd and 3rd century C.E. The frieze was one of 45 ancient artworks repatriated to Pakistan earlier this month. (Photo courtesy of Manhattan District Attorney's Office)
Arts

Return of Pakistani antiquities sheds light on criminal art trade

Very existence of a market for ancient artworks is deeply troubling to many

21 November 2020
The Shanghai Sisters, formed by Yon Lynn, left, Janet Lee, center, and Winnie Ho, deliver retro tunes in Mandarin, English and Malay. (Courtesy of Janet Lee)
Arts

Malaysian jazz swings on despite pandemic

Performers and venues join forces to sustain live music

20 November 2020
This reliquary, originally brought to Japan by the Buddhist monk Ganjin in the eighth century, was returned safely to Toshodaiji in Nara from the Shanghai Museum in October.
Arts

National Treasure: Japan and China defy pandemic to return Ganjin's relics

Joint effort helps Nara temple regain reliquary in time for Buddhist rite

18 November 2020
As Frederik L. Schodt explains in his book "My Heart Sutra," the Heart Sutra -- a core Buddhist teaching -- is everywhere in modern Japan, from towels to T-shirts to TV shows. Right: A statue of Kannon, the bodhisattva of compassion and the narrator of the Heart Sutra. (Courtesy of Frederik L. Schodt)
Arts

BOOKS: 'My Heart Sutra,' by Frederik L. Schodt

A superficially nihilistic Buddhist vision may be perfect for our confused times

13 November 2020
Guests were socially distanced with plastic screens on the red carpet of the Tokyo International Film Festival.
Arts

No Hollywood? No problem as Tokyo film festival ends on a high

Audiences turn out for Asian film premieres long delayed by COVID pandemic

10 November 2020
A still from "The Disciple," which this year became the first cinematic work from India selected for the main competition at the Venice Film Festival since 2006. The movie won the award for best screenplay at the festival. (Courtesy of Zoo Entertainment)
Arts

'The Disciple' triumphs despite pandemic

Indian director's latest film wins international acclaim amid cinema shutdown

9 November 2020
Brut force: Dinosaurs, old sailing ships, historical costumed figures, giant snakes and chunky robotic characters fill Yuichiro Ukai's 2020 work, "Ship." Ink and colored pencil on cardboard. (Photo by Social Welfare Corporation Yamanami/Atelier Yamanami)
Arts

Tokyo finds a home for 'raw' art

Contemporary work by the self-taught gains recognition on Japan's gallery scene

7 November 2020
Malaysian novelist Hana Alkaf's work provides a staunchly authentic depiction of her country to international young adult and middle-grade fiction readers. (Photo by Lim Eng Lee)
Arts

Malaysian voice captures young readers around the world

Ghosts and race riots dominate in prizewinning author Hanna Alkaf's work

4 November 2020
The 33rd Tokyo International Film festival will screen over 100 films, including 25 world premieres and 11 first directorial features. (Source photos by 2020 TIFF, 2020 UNDERDOG FILM PARTNERS, Lilies Films and Mochiru Hoshisato, Shogakukan/NagoyaTV)
Arts

Tokyo film festival opens against the odds

Japan's entertainment industry stirs back to life

30 October 2020
Eye-opening: Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei is headlining the Bangkok Art Biennale, which kicked off on Oct. 29. (Courtesy of Ai Weiwei Studio) 
Arts

Ai Weiwei's 'shattered mirror' lands in Thailand

Exiled Chinese artist speaks out ahead of first Bangkok exhibition

30 October 2020
Japanese megastar Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, left -- a former member of the hugely popular boy band SMAP -- plays the role of an impoverished transgender woman in this year's surprise hit "Midnight Swan." 
Arts

An outsider brings transgender struggles to Japan's movie screens

Eiji Uchida's 'Midnight Swan' stars SMAP's Kusanagi as protagonist

29 October 2020
Workers unpack a painting from Van Gogh's iconic "Sunflowers" series in Tokyo in 1987 after it was purchased by Yasuda Fire and Marine Insurance Co. for a record-breaking $39.9 million. 
Arts

Forgotten boom: the legacy of Japan's 1980s art buying spree

Record prices pushed art market valuations forward on a global scale

16 October 2020
Mori Art Museum Director Mami Kataoka stands before an installation by Yayoi Kusama, part of the Tokyo museum's current exhibition STARS: Six Contemporary Artists from Japan to the World. (Photo by Yuki Kohara)
Arts

The six STARS lighting up Japanese contemporary art

Mori Art Museum director Mami Kataoka wants Japan to feel more of Asia's art vibrations

12 October 2020
Yes restores antique Japanese furniture and adds its own artistic touches to create unique pieces. (Photo from company's Instagram account)
Arts

Century-old Japanese furniture finds new life in millennial homes

Startup shifts to rental service as corporate buyers become scarce amid pandemic

8 October 2020
Writer Tunku Halim has often been called "the Malaysian Stephen King" for his dark tales, but he also writes on subjects as diverse as dieting, history and minimalist living. (Courtesy of the author)   
Arts

Malaysian horror writer screams from the shadows

Tunku Halim brings ancient demons to life in contemporary fiction

7 October 2020
BAB 2020 will take place at nine indoor and outdoor venues, including the city’s Bangkok Art & Culture Centre. (Courtesy of Bangkok Art & Culture Centre)
Arts

Bangkok Art Biennale vows to defy pandemic

Show to open in October despite worldwide cancellations of artistic events

25 September 2020
Nomad's land: High-altitude living in China's Tibetan Sichuan. (Courtesy of Shivaji Das/Konark Publishers)
Arts

Seeking magic in China's 'other' Shangri-La

Travel writer Shivaji Das provides rare glimpse of Sichuan's remote Tibetan frontier

18 September 2020
Elly Kadoorie and his sons, Lawrence, left, and Horace. Jonathan Kaufman's book "The Last Kings of Shanghai" details how the Kadoorie family -- along with another Jewish dynasty, the Sassoons -- left a lasting mark on China. (Courtesy of Hong Kong Heritage Project)
Arts

Book review: 'The last kings of Shanghai'

How two Jewish Baghdadi families helped to build modern China

16 September 2020
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe leaves a press conference in Tokyo on Aug. 28 after announcing his decision to step down due to a chronic health problem.
Arts

Book review: Shinzo Abe's sudden resignation leaves a legacy unfinished

New biography traces the conservative roots of Japan's longest-serving prime minister

12 September 2020
This public restroom in Tokyo's Jingudori Parkw was designed by world-class architect Tadao Ando. (Photo by Seiya Tsuji)
Arts

In Tokyo, public toilets are works of art

World-class architects design uniquely shaped and see-through park restrooms

10 September 2020