Navigating Multiplicity: Artistic exchanges in East, Southeast, and South Asia in the 1950s-1980s.

Co-organized by documenta Institut and Goethe-Instituts Bandung, Beijing, Delhi, Hanoi, Jakarta, Kyoto, Manila, and Seoul.

The Emerging Scholars Workshop is part of a three-day symposium examining the cultural and artistic exchanges that contributed to (trans)national narratives while navigating geopolitical, ideological, and institutional dynamics across East, Southeast, and South Asia during the transformative decades of the mid-20th century. Part of a long-term research project supported by documenta Institut and Goethe Instituts Bandung, Beijing, Delhi, Hanoi, Jakarta, Kyoto, Manila, and Seoul, the project investigates the role of art in constructing (trans)national identities and institutional formations amid geopolitical transformations.

The Bandung Conference in 1955 often serves as a reference point for the solidarity among "Third World" countries across Asia and Africa. The symposium investigates how artistic practices aligned with, diverged from, or reinterpreted the ideals of Third World solidarity amidst contestations on political, ideological and economical fronts. It also examines overlooked or dogmatically framed artistic expressions, counter-hegemonic aspirations, and their resonance in regional and international collaborations as well as domestic contexts.

The symposium will take place from May 23 to 25, 2025. The first two days (May 23–24 ) will feature presentations and discussions by Arlette Tran Quynh-Anh (Hanoi), Grace Samboh (Yogyakarta), Katleen Ditzig (Singapore), Koichiro Osaka (Kyoto), Merv Espina (Manila), Maria Neuman (Kassel), Michelle Wong (Hong Kong), Mi You (Kassel), Nikolay Smirnov (Kassel), Priya Jaradi (Singapore and Mumbai), Sooyoung Leam (Seoul), and Su Wei (Beijing), among others. The Emerging Scholars Workshop on May 25, 2025 will offer early-career academics an opportunity to engage deeply with the symposium’s themes, present their research, and participate in collaborative discussions.

Dates: Friday, May 23–Sunday, May 25, 2025
Conference: Friday, May 23– Saturday, May, 24 2025
Emerging Scholars Workshop: Sunday, May 25, 2025
Location: Fridericianum and University of Kassel

Call for Papers

We invite submissions from emerging scholars and researchers whose work engages with topics related to the symposium’s themes, including but not limited to:

Artistic and cultural exchanges between East, Southeast, and South Asia in the 1950s-1980s, including their interactions with the West and Socialist Bloc .

Counter-hegemonic artistic practices and their roles in transnational and regional dialogues in the second half of the 20th century.

Case studies on artists, collectives, or institutions that navigated and negotiated political, ideological, or cultural frameworks in the historical framework.

Methodologies and frameworks for studying and comparing artistic narratives, cultural policies and artistic practices historically and today.

Participants selected for the workshop will have the opportunity to present their work, receive feedback from conference participants and peers to develop new insights and methodologies.

Submission Guidelines
Abstract: Please submit an abstract of 300 words outlining your research.

Biography: Include a brief biography (max. 100 words) detailing your academic background and research interests.

Deadline: March 31, 2025

Submission Email: officedocumenta-institut.de

Accepted participants will be notified by April 15, 2025

Funding Details
A small stipend will be provided to each selected workshop participant. Participants are expected to arrange their own travel and accommodation.