Call for Papers | Young Scholars’ Symposium in Asian Art 2025 | Asian art and material culture: new ways of seeing

The Royal Society of Asian Art in the Netherlands (Koninklijke Vereniging van Vrienden der Aziatische Kunst, KVVAK) is pleased to announce the Young Scholars’ Symposium in Asian Art on 14 June 2025.

The symposium is now open for abstract submissions from BA and MA students, PhD candidates, and early career researchers in the fields of art history, material culture history, archaeology, environmental art history, architecture, anthropology, contemporary art and design.

Proposals for research papers (max. 20 min) on any aspect of Asian art and the art and material culture of exchange between Asia and Europe are welcome.

The symposium will be held at the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, the home of the KVVAK’s collection.

Applications should include:

• an abstract of 300 words
• note for which format you wish to apply (research paper or focus paper)
• a CV and a short biography (150 words)
• joining the pre-event on 13 June at the Wereldmuseum Rotterdam, yes or no.

Please send your application materials to secretariaat@kvvak.nl under the subject of: 2025 application Young Scholars Symposium.

Application deadline:                                   16 March

Acceptance notification:                             31 March

Full paper submission deadline:                  1 June

For the selected speakers, the KVVAK will organize an optional pre-event on 13 June from 14.00-17.00 hrs. At the Wereldmuseum Rotterdam. At this event we will take you on a tour through the collection of Asian art and we visit the exhibition Made in China, introduced by Willemijn van Noord, curator China of the Wereldmuseum.

• Anne Gerritsen, Chair of Asian Art, Universiteit Leiden*
• Royal Society of Asian Art in the Netherlands (KVVAK)
• Ikigai (KVVAK young professionals’ network)
• Rijksmuseum
• National Museum of World Cultures

Rosalien van der Poel and Denise Campbell (KVVAK)

secretariaat@kvvak.nl

For selected presenters from within Europe, we can offer a small bursary for travel costs.

*The Chair of Asian Art at Leiden University is generously sponsored by KVVAK, Hulsewé-Wazniewski Stichting, Isaac Alfred Ailion Foundation and Jan Menze van Diepenstichting.