ASCL 70.31 Art, Business, and Soft Power in Asia

This class examines the intersection of art, business, and soft power through two key areas of inquiries. First, we explore how Asian art acquires both symbolic and economic value across various institutional contexts, including art fairs, museums, and commercial galleries. Through an analysis of pricing, authentication, interpretation, and marketing strategies, we will investigate how artistic value is created, negotiated, and sustained in these spaces.

Second, we examine the role of corporate sponsorship in the Asian and Asian-American arts. This includes analyzing how corporate funding influences artistic production, curatorial decisions, and public accessibility to art. We will also explore how businesses and governments leverage the arts as tools of soft power—engaging in nation branding and cultural diplomacy to project national identity, shape global perceptions, and assert cultural influence. Additionally, we will critically assess the ethical and political implications of corporate involvement in the visual arts, considering how financial interests shape artistic trends and determine which artists, styles, and movements gain prominence.

The course includes guest speakers from diverse fields, such as artists, curators, museum and gallery directors, and corporate professionals. An optional two-day field trip to New York offers students the opportunity to visit auction houses and commercial galleries specializing in Asian art and attend lectures by art management experts. ASCL will cover accommodation and transportation for the trip.

The Timetable of Class Meetings contains the most up-to-date information about a course. It includes not only the meeting time and instructor, but also its official distributive and/or world culture designation. This information supersedes any information you may see elsewhere, to include what may appear in this ORC/Catalog or on a department/program website. Note that course attributes may change term to term therefore those in effect are those (only) during the term in which you enroll in the course.

Department-Specific Course Categories

Asian Societies, Cultures, and Languages