Contemporary Asian Art and Biennales

• Contemporary Asian art has gained recognition internationally in recent decades due to globalization, political changes, and cultural exchanges.
• Asian art representation is influenced by curatorial biases, market demands, and geopolitical interests.
• Asia is seeing a rise in large-scale international art exhibitions, particularly in East Asia.
• Many events use the biennial or triennial format, which is a key structure in the global contemporary art scene.
• Since the late 1990s, numerous biennials and triennials have emerged, establishing Asia as a major player in contemporary art.

Key Art Events

• Kwangju Biennale (1995): An early significant event.
• Shanghai Biennale (1996).
• Taipei Biennial (1998).
• Fukuoka Triennale (1999).
• Yokohama Triennale (2001).
• Chengdu Biennale (2001).
• Singapore Biennale (2006): Attracted attention to contemporary Asian art within and beyond Asia.
• Biennials and triennials have helped elevate Asian contemporary art globally.
• Private art foundations and auction houses are boosting Asian art visibility.
• Sotheby's and Christie's have launched sales and exhibitions featuring Asian contemporary artists, increasing recognition and value.

Popularity of Biennials/Triennials in Asia

• They have become internationally acclaimed models for art exhibitions.
• Asia has shown interest and capacity in art production and dissemination.
• Several Asian countries have actively founded new biennials/triennials, contributing to the worldwide boom.
• Biennials/triennials have become an important part of contemporary art development, accelerating globalization's cultural impact.
• Since the 1980s, the art world has experienced changes due to globalization, affecting economic, technological, socio-cultural, and political domains.
• Globalization, driven by electronic communications and transnational travel, has prompted an increase in international exhibitions.
• Biennials and triennials have gained a reputation as powerful forms of cultural communication.

Kwangju Biennale (1995)

• Featured 660 artists from 58 countries, showcasing over 817 artworks.
• Theme: “Beyond the Borders,” promoting global citizenship and transcending divisions.
• Aesthetically, it aimed to overcome meaningless pluralism and establish new orders between the arts and mankind.

Fukuoka Asian Art Triennale

• It is an international exhibition held every three years.
• Showcases the latest art tendencies from various countries and regions in Asia.
• Includes artists from 21 countries, introducing their up-to-date work.

Yokohama Triennale

• Organized by The Japan Foundation, City of Yokohama, Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK), The Asahi Shimbun, and the Organizing Committee for Yokohama Triennale.
• Included 109 participating artists.
• Exhibited 113 works.
• Asian art communities share a perception about the biennial/triennial exhibition model, explaining its popularity in Asia.
• Rapid economic growth in many Asian nations has facilitated the establishment of biennials/triennials.
• Many Asian countries participate in international programs and global cultural competitions.
• China has shown a pattern of economic growth linked to interest in holding international biennials, with five exhibitions since 2000.
• Star curators are seen repeatedly at biennials/triennials, resulting in the repetitive showcasing of familiar artworks.

Questioning Trends

• The actual operation of biennials and triennials in Asia has called into question whether Asian communities are following global trends passively.
• Exhibitions aim to transform the international art world by addressing local traditions, promoting local art resources, and formulating new relationships between artists and locals.
• They are shaping their unique identity and maintaining local expressions.
• Asian biennials and triennials are complex in execution.

Beijing Biennale

• Established in 2003 by official art institutions and funded by the central government.
• Aims to create an international biennial with Chinese characteristics to accommodate local demands and resources.
• Distinguishes itself by rejecting non-traditional media and individual star curators.
• Showcases painting and sculpture, employing a large collective curatorial group.
• Challenges the established norms and practices of international biennials through its curatorial approach.

Asian Communities' Desire

• Showing a desire to create international biennials/triennials that work for Asian interests and situations.
• Busan Biennale: Emphasizes promoting Korean art culture.
• Yokohama Triennale: Seeks new relationships between art and the public.
• Guangzhou Triennial: Focuses on theoretical interrogations.
• Singapore Biennale: Utilizes local religious sites and historic buildings to demonstrate Singapore's social values.

International Art Residencies

• The Beijing Contemporary Art Foundation facilitates development and cooperation of young artists internationally.
• Residency programs in the United States and Europe offer more resources and professional experience.
• These programs provide project funding, mentorship, and personalized support.
• Longstanding artist residencies observe the community of international artists and the effects of international exchange.
• Many Chinese artists have gained experience abroad, leading to transformative impact.
• The ACC/BCAF Contemporary Arts Fellowship Program along with international organizations enriches the lives and creativity of artists.
• International residencies foster relationships between artists, scholars, and arts professionals across cultures.

Art Residencies in Asia

• Lijiang Studio: A residency program in Lashihai, Yunnan, China.
• Chronus Art Center (CAC): A new media art nonprofit in Shanghai's M50 Art District.
• Swatch Art Peace Hotel: Located in Shanghai, it was built in 1906, opened in 1908 as the Palace Hotel, and later renamed Peace Hotel South Building.
• Residencies in the UK and Pakistan: Provide platforms for artistic growth, research, and international exposure.
• Seoul Dance Center: Part of an exchange between Movement Research in New York City and Seoul Dance Center in South Korea.

Asian Art Recognition

• International art institutions play a vital role in showcasing and supporting diverse artistic voices.
• Asian Art Museum in San Francisco and the Asia Society Gallery in New York promote Asian artists, culture exchange, and offer exposure to a global audience.
• They curate exhibitions, offer platforms for artists, and foster dialogue.
• The Asia Society focuses on fostering relationships between artists, academics, and policymakers to promote a global dialogue about art and culture.

Major Exhibitions

• Beyond museums and biennales, large-scale exhibitions are vital in representing Asian art.
• This often focuses on specific themes related to Asian identity, history, and contemporary issues.
• They bring together artists from multiple Asian countries and allow for deeper engagement with Asian artistic narratives.
• These exhibitions help bridge the gap between Asian and Western audiences.
• Focus on creating new narratives about Asian artistic contributions.
• Highlight Asian artistic perspectives on the diversity of artistic practices.
• "Sunshower: Contemporary Art from Southeast Asia" (2017, Japan) was a landmark exhibition that explored Southeast Asian contemporary art.

The 11th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art

• Collectives and projects from more than 30 countries feature in the eleventh chapter, the Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art.

Hindu Divine Representations

• "Envisioning the Hindu Divine: Expanding Darshan and Manjari Sharma" exhibit at the San Antonio Museum of Art transformed everyday individuals into representations of Hindu deities.

Legacies Exhibition

• "Legacies: Asian American Art Movements in New York City (1969-2001)" at New York University's Grey Art Gallery expanded the concept of Asian American art.
• It examined the Asian American art experience in NYC, pulling from key organizations.

Chinese Art Representation

• Chinese art started to attract attention in international exhibitions in the late 20th century.
• Passaggio a Oriente (Passage to the Orient) marked one of the first appearances of Chinese contemporary art on the international art stage.
• Survey shows of contemporary art from China have been introduced to the West in the early 1990s, for instance, Art Chinois 1990: Chine Demain pour Hier (1990) in Aix-en-Provence in France.
• In the last two decades, Chinese contemporary art has been invited by important museums, galleries and institutions, for example, Inside Out: New Chinese Art (1999), at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

The Shanghai Spirit

• Contemporary art exhibitions in China started to welcome international artists from the beginning of this millennium, marked by the third Shanghai Biennale, precisely, in 2000.
• Following the success of the first two editions of the Shanghai Biennale (1996, 1998), major contemporary art events were considered as an alternative opportunity to connect China to the world.5
• It’s title- Shanghai Spirit appears to be perfectly local, or indeed, as a port of departure to the world.

Forces Joining

• The two major art institutions in Asia are joining forces to present a groundbreaking exhibition that promises to reshape our understanding of Japanese contemporary art.
• This will mark a milestone in the institutional relationship between Hong Kong and Japan.
• Japanese Contemporary Art and the World 1989-2010 will examine the international networks that defined Japanese art during a pivotal period of globalisation.
• International collaborative opportunities and maintaining such platforms is increasingly important in a rapidly changing world.