Everyone likes to bring a souvenir back from a trip. They remind us of places we’ve been and hopefully bring back pleasant memories whenever we look at them. As we get older, we tend to become more discerning about the types of souvenirs that we buy.

The tacky mass-produced souvenirs that are sold at the ubiquitous souvenir stalls that surround almost every major tourist attraction in Asia (many of which are made in China anyway, and not in the country selling them) no longer appeal, and we look for something that is higher quality, more unique and can be used upon returning home.

Pewter goblets from Malaysia, hand woven rugs from Pakistan, wooden bowls from the Philippines, silk tablecloths from Thailand and hand embroidery from Vietnam are the types of souvenirs that fall into this category, but for me my passion has been to collect art on my travels around Asia.

Art, of course, is a very broad term, and over the years I’ve collected paintings, sculptures, pottery, metal art and leather art, but as our display cabinets at home started filling up, I focused on buying original paintings that we now have hanging on walls throughout our house.

We have a very bold and colourful original abstract by a now famous Balinese oil painter in our living room, along with an incredibly detailed painting from Rajasthan of an Indian temple in Mughal-style that is fascinating to study for its intricate brushwork.

In our entrance hallway there is a large Thangka-style cloth painting of a Buddhist mandala from Nepal, and in other rooms there are original watercolours and oil paintings of landscapes and tropical scenes by artists from Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

All of those paintings not only provide beautiful decorations for our home, but they serve to remind us of enjoyable times spent in those countries browsing markets, art shops and galleries looking for the right souvenir to bring home from that particular trip.

When buying paintings in outdoor markets — usually the cheapest source for those travelling on a budget — try to ensure that you are buying an original and not copy-art produced in a nearby backstreet art factory. Copy-art has negligible resale value, but an original produced by a budding local artist might have some value in the future if that artist becomes known.

The Dafen Oil Painting Village near Shenzhen in China has long been known as the world’s largest copy-art factory, and there are many other places in China and Vietnam where copy-art is produced in assembly-line type factories, and sold throughout Asia. 

For those unfamiliar with the art world, trying to distinguish between copy-art and originals can be very difficult, but generally speaking an original will cost at least 2-3 times the price of a similarly sized reproduction, and pieces by known artists will cost a lot more.

Where to buy paintings

Bali is a great place to find original art to suit every budget.  You’ll find paintings there of Bali’s beautiful landscapes — which make great souvenirs — as well as both contemporary and abstract art that reflects Hindu and Javanese influences.

There are many small galleries in and around Ubud where you’ll find unique pieces from up-and-coming young artists as well as works by the island’s more established artists. And most of Ubud’s galleries will provide certificates of authentication, which are very useful should you wish to sell any of your paintings in the future.

The two big art markets in the middle of town — the Sukawati Art Market and the Bali Art Market between Jalan Raya Sukawati and Jalan Lettu Wayan 1 — sell mainly copy-art or reproductions, but you’ll find plenty of original art in the small art shops in the alleyways around the market stalls.

Battambang in Cambodia and Yangon in Myanmar are other destinations that have thriving contemporary art scenes, but it is the Thai capital, Bangkok, that has the largest concentration of galleries in Southeast Asia. However they are spread out all over the city, so you’ll need a few days to get a good feel of what Bangkok has to offer.

To start, head to the Chatuchak Weekend Market (also spelled Jatujak), next to the Chatuchak MRT and BTS stations, and check out the myriad of small galleries in Section 7 at the far northern end of the market near Gate 2. If the hustle and bustle of the weekend market becomes too much for you, then head back into the city on the Skytrain and get off at National Stadium (you’ll need to change trains at Siam) and visit the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC).

The BACC offers a cool respite to the heat and crowds of the weekend market. It combines art exhibitions with small art shops where you can buy directly from the artists. There are four floors of exhibition galleries featuring primarily local artists, and four floors housing about 30 shops and cafes.

In Vietnam you’ll find shops and galleries all over the country selling mainly copy-art and reproductions, but there are many small art shops in Hanoi’s Old Quarter where you’ll find some very good original paintings at reasonable prices. Be prepared to bargain though, and bargain hard!

In nearly all other Asian countries you’ll be able to find art that is worth buying as souvenirs. Generally speaking the higher the cost of labour, the higher prices will be, so expect to pay considerably more for paintings in Japan than you would in say the Philippines or Sri Lanka.

How to transport paintings

Most original paintings will be displayed either fully framed or with the canvas tacked to wooden frame bars. If the painting is one in a pile of canvasses, it will almost certainly be mass produced copy-art. To transport the painting home, it will be necessary to dismantle the frame and remove the painting from the wooden frame bars.

The canvas can then be rolled up and placed inside a protective tube made of plastic or thick cardboard, and capped or sealed with masking tape on either end. Most high end galleries and art shops will do that for you. Whether you pay extra for that on top of the price of your painting will largely depend on your negotiating skills.

If you are travelling to other destinations after purchasing your painting, you may wish to mail it home from wherever you bought it. If you are heading straight home, check with your airline in advance to determine the maximum length of tube that the airline will accept for check-in.

Budget airlines have very strict rules for the dimensions of both check-in and hand carry baggage items. Full service airlines are generally more flexible, but in either case you may have to send your painting by mail or airfreight if it is too long. If you are lucky enough to be flying business class, many airlines will permit you to carry a painting in a travel tube on board for no additional charge.

In most cases the price of the painting will not include the frame, but if you want to buy the frame because it is something special that you don’t think can be purchased in your home country, then include the cost of the frame in your price negotiations. You will need to have the frame dismantled and packed separately.

Most countries require travellers bringing wooden frames home from overseas to be inspected by quarantine officers upon arrival. If there is any sign of woodworm or borers, then the frame will be taken away for fumigation (at the passenger’s expense) before release. In some cases quarantine officers may determine that the frame has to be destroyed, so that’s a risk you will be taking when importing a wooden frame.

Where to see paintings 

If you are an art lover visiting Asia, but are not looking to buy, then there are a very large number of art museums and galleries, in almost every city, which will provide insights into the enormous diversity of art styles — both classical and modern — that exist throughout the region.

The National Art Museums in Singapore and Beijing, and the Museums of Contemporary Art in Bangkok and Shanghai have been attracting large numbers of overseas visitors for many years, and over the past two decades many new art museums and galleries have opened in the Middle East showcasing both traditional Islamic art and contemporary Arab art.

Tokyo, Kyoto, Seoul and Delhi also have their fair share of major art museums and galleries, and Beirut and Istanbul further west have long been established as destinations for art lovers. However, google ‘art galleries [city name]’ for any city on your itinerary, and you may be surprised at how many smaller galleries there are to visit.

If you happen to be planning a trip to Hong Kong in March, then you should not miss the biggest annual art fair in Asia — the Swiss-managed Art Basel event. It’s held over three days at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre and features galleries from all over Asia.

In 2020, Art Basel will launch its first-ever art fair in the Middle East in Abu Dhabi. The event will be held from 14 to 16 February. But be aware that these art fairs are not places where you’ll be picking up paintings as souvenirs. Some of the paintings at these Art Basel events sell for over a million dollars!

Other annual art shows that serious art lovers might want to include on their Asian travel itineraries include Art Stage held in Singapore every January — the biggest event in Southeast Asia — and JINGART in Beijing in May and ART021 in Shanghai in November. 

Header image: © Vladimir Grigorev