Gifts of Recognition: Modern and Contemporary Art from the SOAS Collections

Gifts of Recognition is an exhibition drawing upon the School's remarkably rich but little known artistic collection. Concentrating on modern and contemporary art, it displays a selection of gifts and donations to the School, and constitutes a further stage in the Treasures of SOAS Project , designed to display and research the SOAS collections.

The exhibits include modern Japanese calligraphy, modern and contemporary Chinese paintings, including one by the famous Huang Junbi, and a remarkable "Moonlight" by the Korean Ki Chang Kim. Among a wealth of material from South East Asia, two striking paintings by Min Wae Aung will be exhibited, while South Asia will be represented by such father figures of modern Indian, Bengali and Pakistani art as Jamini Roy, Bashir Mirza and Jamil Naqsh. Paintings by the famous Iranian artist Nasser Ovissi, donated to SOAS in 2010, will also figure, while prominent and seminal artists such as the South African Billy Mandini and the Nigerian Iyoghiojie will provide examples of modern and contemporary African art. The exhibition will also include a small selection of modern European paintings associated with Asia and Africa by three remarkable women, Elizabeth Keith, Margaret Trowell and Barbara Robinson.

"I am thrilled that we have the opportunity to display some of our best modern and contemporary examples from Asia and Africa, which is such a topical theme within the art world in general" says Anna Contadini, the Curator of the exhibition. "The viewer will have the opportunity not only to see for the first time unpublished pieces by some very famous artists, but also to compare them within a show that includes examples from different parts of Asia and Africa. The exhibits are eclectic, but have in common that they have all been donated to SOAS in recognition of its standing as a world institution for the study of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. They range from paintings given by artists who themselves studied at SOAS to items gifted by relatives of SOAS students in appreciation of the quality of their learning experience."

While Gifts of Recognition will cover the front ground floor of the Brunei Gallery, the viewer will also have the opportunity to visit the Foyle Special Collections Gallery at the back of it, where "Treasures" from the SOAS permanent (rotating) display highlight the historical periods of the artistic traditions of the regions taught and studied at SOAS. The exhibition is linked to the creation of the new School of Arts (SoA) which will be formally inaugurated in the Autumn.

Contact email: gallery@soas.ac.uk

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