SYNOPSIS

Indonesia: Design and Culture, by Clifford A. Pearson, is a visual celebration of the great design traditions found in the island nation of Indonesia. A large- format book with more than 200 four-color photographs by Bryan Whitney, this work examines all kinds of design--from new and old houses to shadow puppets and the colorful offerings made for Balinese cremations. The book focuses on four Indonesian islands--Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi, and Bali--and includes essays on each island, as well as text and photographs of more than 20 houses. Anyone interested in architecture, interior design, Asian culture, and travel should find this book interesting.

FROM THE CRITICS

Architectural Record

The work is a thorough survey, revealing what is modern, traditional, imported, inventive, and--to us--unusual in Indonesian design. The plurality of cultures and building practices makes generalization risky. "Indonesian," after all, may only mean what the regime wants it to mean. Pearson, however, finds meaningful commonalities among the major cultures he surveys. Indonesians, he writes, are bold designers, brave enough to be open to nature, combine clashing elements, and absorb foreign influences.

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