Layers of meaning: Vietnamese lacquer painting as palimpsest
Thomson, Elizabeth (2022) Layers of meaning: Vietnamese lacquer painting as palimpsest. PhD thesis, University of the Arts London/University for the Creative Arts.
- Documents
- Details
This thesis elucidates Vietnamese lacquer painting, a unique art form, which came into being due to French and Vietnamese artists meeting in the 1920s, continuing to flourish throughout the ensuing periods of war and independence. The use of layering, combining mixed media and sanding processes differed from lacquer arts in other Asian countries at the time, and also provides a metaphor for this discussion: palimpsest.
An analysis of Asian lacquer lays a foundation to examine the inception of Vietnamese lacquer during the colonial era. The following chapters build on the discussions around the practice in relation to art historiography. The final chapter critically assesses significant works of contemporary practitioners. Applying a methodological prism that syntheses ethnography, postcolonial theory and craft studies, Vietnamese lacquer painting as a practice will be analysed in relation to modernist discourse that continues to dominate readings of artefacts categorised as art. This thesis interrogates the specific consequences of international politics on the artistic practice and trade, focusing on the production and reception of Vietnamese lacquer to offer new insights into an under-theorised field.
Actions (login required)
 |
Edit View |