Art and the Environment in Southeast Asia: Landscape as Ideology

Explore the ideologies behind landscapes and its perception in Southeast Asia

This course delves into how landscapes in art reveal underlying ideologies in late 19th- and early 20th-century Southeast Asia. While “landscape” as a genre has been seen as a reflection of lived reality, its subjects were also shaped by the widespread colonial rule and socio-cultural turn of the time. From landscape paintings to colonial photography, we explore a rich tapestry of perspectives and techniques, uncovering how artists in the region progressively turn away from colonial ideologies to express ideas of change and nation-building.

Online Courses on Southeast Asian Art

Developed by National Gallery Singapore, Online Courses on Southeast Asian Art introduces audiences to the richness of art from the region.

At your own pace, journey with artists, curators and researchers through insightful videos, short readings, and resources. We also invite you to exchange ideas with our global community of curious learners.

If you’d like to further your learning, consider taking National Gallery Singapore’s other course, Art and the Environment in Southeast Asia: Environment as Contested Space.

This course is designed for those intrigued by the intersections of art, society, and the environment in Southeast Asia, and how landscapes in art reveals underlying ideologies and historical forces in late 19th and early 20th centuries Southeast Asia.

We’ll take a thematic approach, immersing you in the era through a variety of resources. Expect to analyse compelling artworks, delve into interviews with experts and scholars, and explore how these artistic expressions intersected with the social landscape of the time.

This course is designed for those intrigued by the intersections of art, society, and the environment in Southeast Asia, and how landscapes in art reveals underlying ideologies and historical forces in late 19th and early 20th centuries Southeast Asia.

We’ll take a thematic approach, immersing you in the era through a variety of resources. Expect to analyse compelling artworks, delve into interviews with experts and scholars, and explore how these artistic expressions intersected with the social landscape of the time.

• Develop insights and perspectives on landscape and its underlying ideologies in late 19th- and early 20th- century Southeast Asia
• Explore how subjects of landscapes are shaped by colonial rule and socio-cultural turn at the time
• Encounter ways of thinking from Southeast Asia through art
• Apply vocabulary and visual analysis strategies to form artwork interpretation