The remarkable phenomenon of the twenty-first-century art world is contemporary Asian art. Fueled by a newfound openness in the East, and by an economic boom that has promoted a vibrant cultural confidence, art made in Asia or by Asian artists since the 1990s has become dynamic and exciting, acknowledged and appreciated by collectors, critics, and curators.

This authoritative, wide-ranging volume surveys the contemporary art of Asia, examining key issues and themes: art's relationship to history and tradition, its engagement with politics, society, and the state, its exploration of consumerism and popular culture, and its interplay with the urban environment.

Artists range from the established—Nam June Paik, On Kawara, Yoko Ono, Cai Guo-Qiang, Takashi Murakami—to the emerging, and represent the range of Asian countries, from Indonesia to Japan, Uzbekistan to South Korea, Iran to China. 230 illustrations include calligraphy, painting, sculpture, and photography to performance, installation, video, and Internet art.