Art Toronto is pleased to introduce Focus ASIA, an initiative designed to introduce collectors to the dynamic contemporary art practice of the world’s largest continent. Focus ASIA is an invitational section of 13 contemporary galleries from 7 countries as well as a related curated project by the South Asian Visual Arts Centre (SAVAC) and an engaging program of panel discussions and keynote presentations by leading art professionals from the international art community. This year’s feature project, Beyond Geography, is a thought-provoking exhibition of video work and installations that asks: What kind of art do audiences expect to be produced by a diverse group of artists who happen to have lived in Asia or are of Asian descent? When looking at specific materials used by these artists, is one more or less inclined to support or change our perceptions of ‘Asia’?
Curated by Shengtian Zheng and Katherine Don, the Focus ASIA highlight exhibition Beyond Geography presents mixed media and video installations, including The Village and Elsewhere series by Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook, Writing in the Rain by FX Harsono, Cheng Zhang De Fan Nao by Rutherford Chang, One by One by Kan Xuan, War of Java, Do You Remember? by Jompet Kuswidananto, Ons Aller Belang by Tromarama, Beyond Geography by Li Ran, the monumental work on paper Untitled 2008-2011(Map of the Land of Feeling) by Rirkrit Tiravanija, engraved Surfboard series by Tomas Vu, Anonymity lightbox series by Poklong Anading, the book of yellow by Sarindar Dhaliwal, Cloudscape fiber sculptures by Xiaojing Yan and Aaron Taylor Kuffner’s fully robotic Indonesian drum orchestra, The Gamelatron.
As the presenting sponsor of Focus ASIA, Yishu Journal of Contemporary Chinese Art will feature a series of 50 interviews with contemporary Chinese artists who have graced the cover of the publication from 2002 to 2012. Yishu Interviews marks the 10th year anniversary of the Vancouver/Taipei-based arts journal. A selection of these interviews will be launched at Art Toronto 2012 and will be accessible online at yishu-online.com. Yishu Interviews is produced by Shengtian Zheng, Don Li-Leger, Debra Zhou and Lin Li.
On View: October 26-29, 2012
Venue: Art Toronto, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, North Building, Exhibit Hall A & B, 255 Front Street West
For more info, visit: http://www.arttoronto.ca/focusasia/
