Exploring Contemporary Art Research in Southeast Asia
(Methods, Perspectives, and Practice to Praxis)
About the program
AMCA has conducted two types of online webinar series in 2024, titled The Bridge and Creative Compass, with the objective of nurturing and developing the art and cultural community. As part of The Bridge series, the initiative Expanding the Knowledge Practice to praxis was introduced with the support of guest speaker Prof. Dr. (DFA) Jay Koh. Building on the outcomes and momentum generated by these earlier programs, which have been planned to respond directly to the community’s needs and further develop capacity in these critical areas.
This webinar program, Exploring Contemporary Art Research in Southeast Asia (Methods, Perspectives, and Practice to Praxis), is a three-part webinar series designed to explore art and culture research practices in contemporary Southeast Asia. This program is implemented by AMCA with support from our regional partner, Mekong Cultural Hub (MCH). As the main facilitator, Jay Koh led and designed this program prioritising critical aspects in expanding outreaches, crossing divides, accountability of contents and development of a holistic praxis. In this new series, each session features a guest speaker with extensive experience in the Southeast Asian art scene and they will offer unique regional perspectives, case studies, and insights.
Program Structure
Each session features a presentation by a guest speaker, who will offer unique regional perspectives, case studies, and insights from their personal experiences. These experts, along with Jay Koh and the moderator K.Thuzar, will tackle challenging questions and guide attendees through the methods, resources, and challenges involved in researching contemporary art in the region.
This webinar series will be delivered online via Zoom and conducted primarily in English, with consecutive Burmese translation available.
Session 1: Knowledge Production in Contemporary Myanmar Art
Outline: In this session, our invited guest speaker Maung Day will explore the production of knowledge within the Myanmar art scene, looking into local patterns and conditions. Then he will delve into how Myanmar artists integrate regional identity and local reality into their creative practice and research. With Jay's facilitation, we will then consider how local artists and researchers engage with liberal ideas—such as feminism, liberal democracy, capitalism, and environmentalism—both in their work and daily lives.
Date and Time: August 22, 2025, Friday @ 4:00 to 6:00 PM (MMT)
Session 2: The Practice-Praxis Relationship: How Theory Informs Action (and Action Informs Theory)
Outline: For the second session, we have invited Braema Mathi, a researcher and activist from Singapore, who will speak on current social issues in Singapore and across ASEAN, with a particular focus on migration. Jay will facilitate the session with examples of art projects that engage with these themes, helping us unpack how artistic expression can reflect, respond to, or challenge social realities.
Date and Time: September 4, 2025, Thursday @ 4:00 to 6:00 PM (MMT)
Session 3: Open Floor and Reflection
Outline: Observer Han Sann will attend the first two discussions to document and compile the conversations of the two speakers, and carry out the curation of their voices and perspectives. Initial findings from the previous sessions will be presented first, along with future discussions involving the facilitator and audience during this session.
Date and Time: September 19, 202,5, Friday @ 4:00 to 6:00 PM (MMT)
Register here to attend the sessions and Zoom link for each session will be shared to your registered email one day in advance.
Panel Members
