Southeast Asia Link Gallery
The Southeast Asian Link Gallery presents the art and material culture of Southeast Asia
demonstrating the beauty and complexity of cultures from this region. The Gallery’s purpose is to increase our understanding and awareness of Australia’s nearest regional neighbours, with whom Australia’s future is inextricably linked.
The displays featuring ancient and contemporary art, craft and artefacts are selected from the Southeast Asian Art and Material Culture collection of the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. The diversity of regions, materials and styles reflect the depth of this continually expanding collection.
Ten Southeast Asian countries, including the oldest kingdom of Cambodia to the recently independent nation of Timor-Leste, are represented in the Southeast Asian collection. Other nations represented include China, Indonesia, Laos, Burma (Myanmar), Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. However, the collection particularly focuses on the rich ethnic traditions of Indonesia and Timor-Leste, whose national capitals Jakarta and Dili are closer to Darwin than Australia’s national capital, Canberra.
