Probing Arts and Emergent Forms of Life

“An ingenious intervention. Michael M. J. Fischer conducts an ethnography of experimental art as itself a ‘para-ethnography’ of life embedded in futuristic technologies that reshape bodies, histories, and ecologies across the hybrid cultures of Southeast Asia.” - Prasenjit Duara, Duke University

“Michael M. J. Fischer displays a rare gift for grasping epistemological configurations. His analysis is diagnostic and visionary at once. In Probing Arts and Emergent Forms of Life he straddles the boundaries between anthropology and the study of literature and the arts, demonstrating formidable interdisciplinary sensibilities and a robust grounding in these fields. His grasp of the diverse cultural scenes he considers is superb and, to the best of my knowledge, unique in its breadth.” - Gabriele Schwab, Distinguished Professor of Comparative Literature, University of California, Irvine

"[A] dynamic ethnography of prominent works by contemporary artists in Asia ... Probing Arts and Emergent Forms of Life goes far beyond introducing innovative artists and describing their artworks. It situates contemporary Asian art within ethnographic and geo-political contexts."

"This book stands as a remarkable contribution to contemporary global art scholarship. Fischer adeptly navigates complex art-related issues, skillfully interweaving anthropological and other theories with his characteristic depth and elegance. The work’s multilayered approach renders it valuable for experts, scholars, and advanced students. . . . Fischer has once again produced a masterpiece, further cementing his reputation in the field. Readers will undoubtedly look forward to his future contributions with great anticipation." - Pamela Karimi, American Ethnologist

". . . The book provides enough evidence to support its argument. It challenges the notion that anthropology as a discipline is majorly based on epistemological theories and texts. It asks the reader to see value in art from an anthropological perspective and makes it an important discussion to be had within the discipline." - Arjunvir Singh, Journal of the Anthropological Society of Oxford

“Fischer provides a fascinating insight into some of the most recent and radical contemporary art to emerge onto the global scene from Southeast Asia and the Far East. . . . This volume . . . provides a rich tapestry of fascinating contemporary, globally inflected, and globally impacting art from Southeast Asia and other parts of Asia, providing profound cultural, historical, and social insight.”