Art as Archive: Perspective of Modern History through Arts

Artworks are a type of witness to an era. Real world occurrenceshave been recorded in pictures and images, and communicated to future　generations. This exhibition highlights about 20 works by artists who
have conveyed the realities of colonial rule, war and events that have　embroiled countless individuals. 　
　
　For over 20 years, Wong Hoy Cheong has been working on a series of　artworks which focus on the experience of his father as a young boy, who　was held captive by the Japanese Army under the Japanese occupation in
Malaysia. As a sequel to his work “Sook Ching (The Purge)” in 1989,　which expresses the tragedy of war point-blank, the artist created　“Doghole,” a film work utilizing reality-based fictional images and
animation. Through this piece, the artist attempted to uncover storieshidden behind the intricate politics in history and to make his way deep into the multi-layered truth. Ly Daravuth created his work “The Messenger” compiled from historical records under the Pol Pot regime in Cambodia. His work tells us that historical documentations and even the history would be artificially manipulated, not to reflect the truth. And Higa Toyomitsu and Yamashiro Chikako, both based in Okinawa, look at the reality of Okinawa, which is continually being tossed about by the war, the occupation and the United States Army bases and is never confined to the past, in their own perspectives and the different viewpoints by generation.

　These artistsʼ approach to modern history from their present standing points reveal their wills and attempts that art has to make a lasting impression on viewers, not merely record an incident.
　
　Related to our special exhibition “Toward the Modernity: Images of Self & Other in East Asian Art
Competitions” held from 13 February to 18 March 2014, some artworks from Southeast Asia, which depict the
Japanese occupation during the Pacific War are displayed at the end of this exhibition.