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The traditional Visual arts of Asia are manifested throughout the region in diverse ways. Folk or traditional handicrafts continue to be important in the daily lives of the villagers as well as in urban settings in utilitarian situations, despite the onslaught of technology which has resulted in a flood of factory manufactured articles. At the same time, a vast array of crafts continue to be used in decorative and ceremonial situations, particularly those marking the stations of life. Such crafts are encountered too in the large number of Asian festivals. Diverse modern visual arts and crafts, sometimes developed as a result of the Western impact upon Asian civilizations have come to have an important place in Asian societies, particularly in the urban centers. Large numbers of outstanding artists are active, making use of a wide range of materials and media for their explorations of life in their own societies. The original material in these pages and the selected links provide a picture of both the traditional and modern visual arts forms of Asia, and well as give biographical information on major artists