Influence, trade and innovation This display draws connections
between the material and visual cultures of Asia as they are
represented in the Gallery’s collection. Focusing on ideas of
exchange and interaction, the display also engages with the
effects of European trade and colonialism on the region. Ongoing
inter-regional cultural influences can be seen in several
displayed works, particularly those that adopt and adapt ancient
mediums such as ceramics, lacquerware and calligraphy. From
early Chinese and Japanese Neolithic ceramic cultures to the
refinement of Japanese kilns and Korean earthenwares, it is
possible to trace in these works not only innovations in
production but also the convergence of philosophy and art. The
significance of Chinese calligraphy in the development of
Japanese painting is introduced here by juxtaposing works from
the Gallery’s historical and contemporary Asian art collections,
ranging from nineteenth-century Japanese scrolls to the
contemporary art of Lee Ufan. From the sixteent