Arts of Ancient Viet Nam at the Asia Society

The geography of Vietnam --- thousands of miles of coastline and rivers at the edge of the Asian mainland --- has made its culture a vibrantly diverse mix of influences from throughout the region. The Asia Society's current exhibition of ancient Vietnamese art reflects the intermingling of Hindu, Buddhist, and Chinese motifs and beliefs with local traditions. Some of the material is of primarily historic interest, but much of it, especially the objects from the coastal area of Champa, is forceful, energetic, and just plain cool.

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