Rekindling Past Connection Between India and the Malay World through Textiles
John, born in Chicago, USA, to Singaporean parents, holds a BA and MA in Asian Art History from the University of Michigan. After two years as an art journalist in Tokyo, he founded a gallery in Taipei specialising in Asian antiques, furniture, textiles, ceramics, and jewellery.
During his 28-year directorship, John contributed numerous articles on Asian art to esteemed magazines in Hong Kong, Singapore, and the US. His expertise led to invitations to share knowledge in cities like New York, Minneapolis, Beijing, Singapore, Brunei, Bangkok, Taipei, and Hong Kong. He curated exhibitions in Taipei, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, Brunei, and Malaysia. He also wrote books on Chinese antique furniture, yoga and Asian cuisine.
John's journey into Malay textiles began in 2014, evolving into a fervent collection that took him across Asia. In 2018, he relocated to Malaysia to focus on collecting and researching Malay textiles. In 2019, he organised an exhibition on Malay kelingkam embroidery at the Terengganu State Museum. In July 2023, his second exhibition, "Splendours of Malay World Textiles," for 3 months, featured 700 textiles and highlighted 12 major categories of Malay world textiles. In the process of collecting, John saw many connections between India and the Malay world and he would like to share these connections to rekindle past relations between India and the Malay world that have been neglected or forgotten.
Date: January 5, 2024
Time: 11:00 AM - 11:45 AM
Venue: Hybrid Mode
Online Via Zoom | 008, Amrut Mody School of Management, Central Campus, Ahmedabad University
