About one-quarter of the world’s Muslim population is settled in Southeast Asia, mainly in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. Muslim minorities can also be found in Singapore, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, and the Philippines, making up just under half of the region’s population. The earliest traces of Islamisation in the region date to the 13th century, and with this came unique artistic expressions dedicated to the new faith, often contrasting with art forms from the rest of the Islamic world. Not only were ritual and liturgical accessories created, but also ceremonial and scientific objects, mostly artifacts excluded from the traditional Islamic art narrative. These unique art forms can be found in textiles, metalwork, woodcarving, and manuscripts, mainly from countries across Island Southeast Asia.
