It seems that the destiny of South East Asia, at least as far as art is concerned, is inversely proportional to that of the international economic situation and to the consequent ability to react when faced with catastrophe. In 2004, at the height of a flourishing global economy, Southeast Asia--including Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines--suffered one of the deadliest catastrophes in the history of humankind, the Asian Tsunami. It began with an under-ocean earthquake which sparked a series of devastating tsunamis that eventually killed more than 225,000 people in 11 countries. Emerging from this post-tsunami era is a generation of artists who are hitting their collective stride and attracting the interest of international collectors and institutions as artists of this region never have before--as if their energy might prove a source of renewal for the rest of the world. This volume documents an exhibition of 18 such artists--Yee I-Lann, Entang Wiharso, Agus Suwage, Haris Purnomo, Wayan Suja, Gede Mahendra Yasa, Ketut Moniarta, Ristyo Eko (R.E.) Hartanto, Davy Linggar, Ronald Ventura, Yasmin Sison, Geraldine Javier, Nona Garcia, Annie Cabigting, Wire Tuazon, Alfredo Esquillo, Lyra Garcellano and Emmanuel Santos--held at Milan's Primo Marella Gallery.
