This presentation reflected on the Connecting Modern Art Histories in and across Africa, South and Southeast Asia (MAHASSA) project, which brought together a team of international faculty and emerging scholars to investigate the cultural histories of these regions. Shaped by shared developments, these regions are marked by similar experiences that include the rise of modern art practices associated with the withdrawal of colonialism and the consolidation of nationalism, the founding of institutions such as the art school and the museum, and increasing exchange with international metropolitan centers via travel and the movement of ideas through publications and exhibitions.
MAHASSA emphasized a connected and contextualized approach to better understand both common developments as well as divergent trajectories, and included two intensive 10-day workshops, Hong Kong (Aug 2019), and Dhaka (Feb 2020). Three Cornell doctoral students were among the participants: Anissa Rahadiningtyas (History of Art) was a regular participant. Ecem Sarıçayır (History of Architecture) and Kaitlin Emmanuel (History of Art) both assisted with coordination, and were also involved in all the sessions. For more details on MAHASSA, see https://www.past.dhakaartsummit.org/connectingarthistories
MAHASSA is a partnership between Dhaka Art Summit, Asia Art Archive, and Cornell Institute for Comparative Modernities (ICM). Professor Iftikhar Dadi was the recipient and Principal Investigator of the $238,000 grant from the Getty Foundation's Connecting Art Histories initiative.
