What to read after Phoenix Rising?

Phoenix Rising: Narratives in Nyonya Beadwork from the Straits Settlements is an exciting and original contribution to our understanding and appreciation of the diversity of Southeast Asian art. Decorative textiles are arguably the region's greatest existing art tradition, yet relatively little has been published on the brilliant beadwork of the Peranakan Chinese communities of Singapore and Malaysia. In this fascinating study based on recent research, art historian Hwei-Fe'n Cheah provides a lively and accessible account of the subtle nuances in the evolution of designs, materials and textile forms against a history of social change in the lives of their makers, the Nyonya women of the Straits Settlements. A visual feast, Phoenix Rising is richly illustrated with superb and rare examples of Nyonya beadwork from great international and local Southeast Asian public and private collections. Robyn Maxwell Senior Curator of Asian Art, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra --