Asia is not all about ancient civilizations, temples or beautiful landscapes. Its culture can also be avant-garde and revolutionary, with a powerful art scene and amazing galleries. Let’s open up our eyes to this new Asia with a selection of some of its finest spaces.
LONG MARCH SPACE in Beijing
Long March was one of the first Chinese galleries participating in prominent international art fairs. Opened in 2002 by International curator Lu Jie in Beijing’s 798 Art District, this amazing space focusing on contemporary art has participated to Art Basel in Hong Kong, Art Basel in Basel, Art Basel in Miami Beach, Frieze Art Fair London, Frieze Art Fair New York. With over a hundred exhibitions on its plate, Long March doesn’t only showcase the best Chinese contemporary artists, it also hosts a residency program that allows curators, scholars, and artists to live and work in China for up to six months. Long March Project and Long March Space are the only organizations in Asia award art review power 100 in 2008 and 2009. The gallery tirelessly revolutionizes the ways in which art is perceived and presented, offering one of the most comprehensive resource platforms for the local arts community in China.
PROJECT 88 in Mumbai
Created in 2006 by Sree Goswami, Project 88 has developed a context for the exhibition of experimental and ambitious work in all media by artists whose practice have strong conceptual foundations. The 4,000-square-foot gallery, located in 100-year-old printing-press space in downtown Mumbai, remains committed to the discovery and nurturing of emerging talent, even as it works with cutting-edge, intelligent, internationally known mid-career artists from South Asia and elsewhere. The gallery regularly participates in various art fairs, including Frieze, FIAC, Arco, Hong Kong Art Fair, Art Dubai, and India Art Fair. Many of its artists are in major international collections and are featured regularly in the most prestigious biennales and museum shows.
GALLERY HYUNDAI, in Seoul
Part of the Korean art scene since the 1970’s, Gallery Hyundai established itself as an organization presenting some of the latest, most contemporary trends in the art scene at the time, exhibited in the works of such artists as Do Sang-Bong, Nam Kwan, Yoon Jung-sik, and Chun Kyung-ja, in contrast to other Insa-dong-based galleries, which mainly exhibited and dealt in old, traditional paintings. The history of GALLERY HYUNDAI has been almost half a century of leadership at the forefront of the Korean art scene, particularly contemporary art, and is the result of the devoted efforts and volition of Ms. Park Myung-ja. Today’s GALLERY has soundly succeeded to this heritage, and is vigorously working together with the most outstanding artists in Korea and overseas to fulfill its role and responsibility as one of the leading art galleries in Korea as well as on the international art scene. GALLERY HYUNDAI will continue to present artists’ works and exhibitions of the highest quality based on its discerning eye, transcending all borders and boundaries.
Galerie Quynh in Ho Chi Minh City
Established in 2003, Galerie Quynh has spent a decade promoting contemporary art practice in Vietnam. Working with a select group of emerging mid-career and established Vietnamese artists, the gallery also exhibits the work of talented international artists. In keeping with its mission to support education and develop an infrastructure for the arts in Vietnam, the gallery collaborates with artists, curators, museums and art spaces locally and internally to organize talks and lectures as well as to produce publications in English and Vietnamese. The gallery’s main exhibition space occupies a 200 square-meter former factory near a street market in a bustling neighborhood in District 1. A second location in an historic French colonial building in downtown Ho Chi Minh City opened in April 2013.
The gallery launched its non-profit initiative Sao La, in late may 2014 on the grounds of the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Art Museum. Its mission is to make contemporary art accessible to the Vietnamese population through educational programs and to nurture Vietnam’s growing arts community.
WEI-LING Gallery, in Kuala Lumpur
Wei-Ling Gallery, previously known as the Townhouse Gallery was set up by Lim Wei-Ling and Yohan Rajan in a townhouse in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur in May 2002 to showcase the works of contemporary artists in Malaysia. The gallery moved to its current premises in Brickfields in 2005. The gallery is at the forefront of the Malaysian art scene and intends to nurture and promote contemporary art nationally. Wei-Ling Gallery plays host to up to 12 exhibitions annually. In April 2008, Wei-Ling Gallery became the first Malaysian gallery to participate in the China International Gallery Exposition (CIGE), a prestigious international art fair in Beijing, which focuses on global contemporary art. Wei-Ling Gallery continues to participate in international art fairs including Art Taipei (2012), Art Stage Singapore (2011 & 2014) and Art Basel Hong Kong (2013/2014). In addition the gallery has held various other exhibitions in China, India, Pakistan and Singapore.
Have you visited those art galleries ? Do you recommend other ones ? Leave us a comment !
Voyage Vagabond 