Michael Backman: Art History & Material Culture

This is the second of eight episodes in which Michael Backman tells the story of the Malay people - their history, their rulers, their culture & their traditions - through the beautiful items of gold and silver that were made for the Malay sultans and the Malay aristocrats. This particular episode looks at how late 19th century and early 20th century collecting influenced what

This is the first of eight episodes in which Michael Backman tells the story of the Malay people - their history, their rulers, their culture & their traditions - through the beautiful items of gold and silver that were made for the Malay sultans and the Malay aristocrats. More broadly, this series looks at how Malay silver and gold items were made, what types of items were pro

What is it like to be an 'independent' scholar & researcher? Three published art historians who are tell. Annemarie Jordan and Hugo Miguel Crespo in conversation with Michael Backman on what it is like to being published researchers and art historians but doing it outside the structure of a university, museum or other institutional organisation. Annemarie Jordan is the author o

Dr Sigrid van Roode discusses her research into the Zar spirit possession cult of Egypt - a relatively new cult that emerged at the end of 19th century and still has many practitioners. The cult gave rise to the need for a specific form of jewellery - a practice that has only recently died out. www.michaelbackmanltd.com

Graham Honeybill has been a banker most of his adult life, rising to become CEO of a bank in the UAE. He has also been a collector for much of his life. Colonial Burmese silver has long been a passion. A book has just been published on his collection and he has lent several pieces to an exhibition on Burmese art at the British Museum. Surely the pinnacle of any collector's collecti

Dr Annemarie Jordan is one of the world's most important, independent scholars on luxury goods imported to Europe from Asia during the Renaissance. The trade in such goods is fascinating and much of it was destined for Europe's royal families who delighted in exotica from faraway lands for whom possession of such items was a mark of their power and prestige. In this podcast, Dr Jor

Fiona Kerlogue, one of the world's leading authorities on Indonesian Batik, former senior curator at London's Horniman Museum and author discusses with Michael Backman her career, being a curator, and her latest book on a little-known Batik collection in Prague, in the Czech Republic. www.michaelbackmanltd.com

Thweep Rittinaphakorn's new book 'Unseen Burma' presents a rare and stunning photographic record of Burma during the period 1862-1962. In this podcast with Michael Backman, he discusses his motivations for writing the book and his research methods, and discusses Burma's recent history, as well as touching on its current problems. www.michaelbackmanltd.com

In this Podcast, Michael Backman, writer and gallerist, asks why are we attracted to items that have antiquity? Do such items have a sacredness, or are we attempting to tap into some version of immortality. Is this why we pay more for items with good patina? He looks at the role of collecting and collectors in the preservation of the world's material culture. www.michaelbackmanltd.

Istanbul-based Oytun Evliyazade Camcigil, the author of the magnificent volume 'Eastern Treasures: Ottoman, Oman, Yemen, Turkmen Jewellery' discusses with Michael Backman the process of writing her book, collecting Middle Eastern jewellery and Istanbul's collecting scene. 'Eastern Treasures: Ottoman, Oman, Yemen, Turkmen Jewellery' is available on Amazon. www.michaelbackmanltd.com