The City in Time: Contemporary Art and Urban Form in Vietnam and Cambodia

In The City in Time, Pamela N. Corey explores how artists in Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh have responded to social transformations by engaging with urban space and form, revealing multiple and layered senses and concepts of time. The book features a diverse range of creative productions that illustrate how artists have envisioned their rapidly changing worlds.

Format: Hardback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 29 October 2021
Publisher: University of Washington Press

In her groundbreaking work, The City in Time, Pamela N. Corey offers fresh perspectives on contemporary artistic practices in a region often perceived as perpetually "postwar." By examining art produced over the past two decades, Corey intricately weaves together artistic developments with the social transformations evident in the urban landscapes of Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh. Through her compelling argument, she reveals how artists engage with urban spaces and forms to perceive and comprehend time in multifaceted and complex ways, whether aligned with colonialism, postcolonial modernity, communism, or postsocialism.

The City in Time delves into the intricate process by which collective memory and aspirations are intricately mapped onto the landscape and built environment, shedding light on how these vibrant Southeast Asian cities shape artistic practices. The art serves as a powerful medium for consolidating the city as an image and an imaginary, while simultaneously capturing the essence of these rapidly changing worlds.

This captivating book features a diverse range of creative productions, including staged and documentary photography, moving images, public performances, and installation art. Through these diverse mediums, artists from Vietnam and Cambodia have envisioned their rapidly evolving societies, offering a profound insight into their perspectives and experiences.

Pamela N. Corey's The City in Time is a groundbreaking exploration of contemporary artistic practices in a region that continues to defy simplistic categorizations. By examining art produced over the past two decades, Corey offers a nuanced and multifaceted understanding of how artists engage with urban spaces and forms to perceive and comprehend time in diverse and complex ways. Through a dynamic array of creative productions, the book showcases how artists from Vietnam and Cambodia have envisioned their rapidly changing worlds, contributing to a deeper appreciation of the rich cultural tapestry of this region.

Weight: 907g
Dimension: 254 x 178 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780295749235