ASIA NOW 2018: Presenting an Ever-Expanding Selection of Asian Artists

ASIA NOW continues once more to explore and immerse itself into the contemporary Asian art scene with a varied selection of established and emerging artists represented at this year’s edition. Now in its fourth year, ASIA NOW will take place from October 17 to 21, and welcomes over 40 Asian and Western galleries committed to promoting and supporting contemporary Asian artists internationally.

Reflecting the diversity and dynamism of the Asian art world, ASIA NOW presents galleries from over 10 countries within the region, from Japan to Thailand to China, offering a key insight into the region’s arts scene, how the market has developed and is likely to over the coming years.

SPOTLIGHT ON EMERGING JAPANESE CREATION

This year, ASIA NOW turns its attention to the Japanese artistic scene with a Japanese Platform that will be housed in a dedicated exhibition space and with a special programme curated by Emmanuelle de Montgazon. The scenography of the Japanese Platform will be designed by one of the most influential contemporary Japanese architects, Sou Fujimoto Architects.[1] Committed to discovering new talents, ASIA NOW will present a cutting-edge selection of contemporary Japanese artists, whose work has never before been shown in Europe.

ASIA NOW continues on its mission to act as a platform for discovery and this year offers an expanded selection of Special Projects to collectors and visitors. Emmanuelle de Montgazon, Associate Curator of “A Japanese Season” at the Centre Pompidou-Metz in 2017/2018 explained, “For the Japanese Platform of ASIA NOW 2018, I selected projects which would provide the keys to understanding the scene over the last twenty years, a scene which I saw evolve under renewed cultural, artistic, and political influences. I also wanted to establish a link between the current emerging scene, which has its own codes, and more historical and well-known periods, from the end of World War II to the year 2000.”

Among the Japanese galleries, ASIA NOW will welcome COHJU Contemporary Art (Kyoto), The Container (Tokyo), MORI YU GALLERY (Tokyo, Kyoto), S.O.C. Satoko Oe Contemporary (Tokyo), Talion Gallery (Tokyo), and Galerie Tokyoïte (Paris, Tokyo).[2]

Although Japan is at the forefront of ASIA NOW 2018, this edition will also feature strong contingents of Chinese and Filipino galleries, as well as the return of Korean galleries, following a third edition dedicated to Korean creation.

LEADING CHINESE ARTISTS TO BE SHOWN

The participation of Chinese galleries is particularly notable this year, with a selection of over ten galleries, including several market leaders. The breadth of contemporary Chinese creation is amply represented by a multitude of group shows and leading artists: Beijing-Commune (Beijing) will devote its collective space to an exhibition around concepts of identity featuring Ma Qiusha, Xie Molin and Zhao Yao, MadeIn Gallery (Shanghai) returns with Xu Zhen, Tang Contemporary Art (Bangkok, Hong Kong, Beijing) with Zhao Zhao, Cai Lei, and Xu Xiaoguo, and Vanguard Gallery (Shanghai) with Ye Linghan, among others. Other Chinese galleries participating include Amy Li Gallery (Beijing), C-Space+Local (Beijing), Fabien Fryns Fine Art (Beijing), Ginkgo Space (Beijing), HdM Gallery (Beijing, London), and Leo Gallery (Hong Kong, Shanghai).

Witnesses of the increasing visibility of Chinese artists, a number of international galleries, New Galerie (Paris), Magda Danysz Gallery (Paris, London, Shanghai), A2Z Art Gallery (Hong Kong, Paris) and VNH Gallery (Paris) will also devote their spaces to Chinese artists including Li Shurui, Li Hongbo, Li Donglu, and Zhao Zhao respectively. VNH Gallery (Paris) will also present a selection of Chinese artists, including Zhao Zhao.

If this edition confirms the central place of Chinese creation, the Chinese galleries will also be presenting artists from across the region, most notably, the presentation of Japanese artist Yuki Onodera by Vanguard Gallery (Shanghai).

A SELECTION OF RENOWNED SOUTHEAST ASIAN ARTISTS

The 2018 edition is also distinguished by the increased representation of Filipino galleries. The three participating galleries, from Makati City, will be representing the contemporary local scene: The Drawing Room (Makati City) returns this year with the works of Vermont Coronel Jr., Alvin Gregorio, and Dominic Mangila, while newcomers Finale Art File (Makati City) and Vinyl on Vinyl (Makati City) will show works by Ayka Go and Reen Barrera, respectively.

To reflect the increasing recognition of Filipino artists on the international stage, A3, a gallery based in Berlin and Singapore, and Primo Marella Gallery of Milan will dedicate their spaces to Filipino artists Yeo Kaa and Ronald Ventura.

A selection of artists from Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, and Burma will also be presented by the galleries Art Seasons (Beijing, Singapore), Galerie Da-End (Paris), and La Patinoire Royale-Galerie Valérie Bach (Brussels).

RETURN OF THE KOREAN GALLERIES

Following the success of last year’s focus on Korean art, ASIA NOW welcomes the return of a number of Korean galleries; 313 Art Project (Seoul), CHOI&LAGER Gallery (Cologne, Seoul), The Columns Gallery (Seoul), Gallery SoSo (Gyeonggi-do), Gallery SU: (Seoul).

South Korea is also represented by several leading European galleries who, buoyed by the success of the Korean Platform last year, devote their attention to this scene, at once established and evolving. Such is the case of the Parisian gallery Galerie Maria Lund (Paris), the Belgian ArtLOFT/Lee-Bauwens Gallery (Forest), as well as the Swiss newcomer, Gallery ARTVERA’S (Geneva).