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Associated Press
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Asian Emerging Artist List Exhibition Wraps Up in Hong Kong, Spotlights Rising Talent Across Asia
06/02/2025, Toronto Ontario // KISS PR Brand Story PressWire // Hong Kong, June 1, – Younes Bensebaa, International Arts News —The Asian Emerging Artist List Exhibition concluded on Sunday after a four-day run at AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong, drawing international acclaim for its showcase of promising new voices in contemporary Asian art. Curated by Tingting Fang, Dean of the Asian Academy of Arts, the exhibition has become a cornerstone of Hong Kong's annual art season. Held from May 30 to June 2, the exhibition featured works from artists across Asia and beyond, including participants from Singapore, London, Shanghai, and New York. Mediums ranged from traditional painting and sculpture to digital works, immersive installations, and virtual reality experiences. The show attracted collectors, curators, and art professionals from Europe, North America, and across Asia, underscoring its growing global relevance. A Platform for Emerging Talent The Asian Academy of Arts announced the successful conclusion of the exhibition, which was curated and led by Tingting Fang — a prominent figure in contemporary Asian art and a champion of emerging artists. Held at AsiaWorld-Expo, one of Asia's premier venues for cultural events, the exhibition earned wide recognition and high attendance, further solidifying its position on the international art calendar. Timed to coincide with Hong Kong's vibrant art season, the exhibition drew significant attention from collectors, critics, and global institutions. Tingting Fang: Visionary Curator and Mentor Central to the exhibition's success is Tingting Fang's inspired curatorial leadership. For over a decade, Fang has devoted herself to identifying and nurturing emerging talent across Asia, building platforms for new voices to connect with global audiences. Her ability to elevate raw artistic talent into internationally recognized names has made her one of the region's most respected mentors and curators.. Combining a deep knowledge of traditional Asian aesthetics with a sharp eye for contemporary trends, Fang has helped bridge generations of artistic practice. Under her leadership, the Asian Academy of Arts has offered young artists valuable grants, exhibition opportunities, and access to galleries, biennales, and collectors worldwide. 'The Asian Emerging Artist List is more than an exhibition — it's a movement,' said Tingting Fang. 'These artists represent the future of Asian art, and our role is to ensure their voices are heard on the global stage. This exhibition is about giving them the visibility and confidence they need to thrive.' Asian Art on the World Stage Now in its latest edition, the Asian Emerging Artist List Exhibition has become one of the most important platforms for discovering new talent in the region. Artists are selected through a rigorous vetting process by the Academy's curatorial team, who review thousands of submissions based on originality, technical skill, and conceptual depth. Many artists featured in the exhibition have gone on to show at major global institutions. As a result, the List is increasingly regarded as a barometer for future success, attracting close attention from collectors, galleries, and art foundations worldwide. This year's exhibition stood out for its diversity of media — from traditional fine art to cutting-edge technology — reflecting the breadth of contemporary artistic innovation in Asia. Participating artists came from global cities such as Singapore, London, Shanghai, and New York, underscoring the international scope of the event. Through her curation, Fang ensured that forward-thinking, boundary-pushing work was at the forefront of the visitor experience. Championing the Next Generation Beyond its visual impact, the exhibition plays a pivotal role in promoting younger Asian artists who often face challenges entering the global art scene. By featuring their work on a high-profile platform, the exhibition creates valuable exposure and facilitates connections with key players in the art world. Strategically positioned during Hong Kong's peak art season, the event receives maximum visibility and media coverage, helping to propel participating artists toward international recognition. In doing so, the exhibition contributes to a broader conversation about the evolving identity of Asian contemporary art. Global Interest and Cultural Impact Interest in the exhibition circulated well before its official opening, with collectors, journalists, and art world insiders from Asia, Europe, and North America expressing strong anticipation. Many traveled to Hong Kong specifically to attend, driven by Tingting Fang's reputation for discovering exceptional talent. Several artists she has championed in previous exhibitions have since emerged as leading figures in the global art world. Join the Movement The Asian Emerging Artist List Exhibition is more than a display of talent — it is a cultural movement redefining the future of contemporary art in Asia. It not only showcases the region's brightest new artists but also fosters the next generation of artistic leadership. For collectors, it offers rare opportunities to acquire early works from rising stars. For curators, it introduces fresh perspectives and emerging themes. And for art lovers, it is a chance to witness the shaping of tomorrow's visual culture. The exhibition fosters global connections, sparks cross-cultural dialogue, and supports the professional growth of artists poised to define the next era of contemporary art. Through acquisitions, partnerships, and increased visibility, the global art community can help elevate these voices — amplifying Asia's dynamic creative presence on the world stage. Original Source of the original story >> Asian Emerging Artist List Exhibition Wraps Up in Hong Kong, Spotlights Rising Talent Across Asia
The Guardian
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Koyo Kouoh obituary
At a conference held at London's Somerset House as part of the 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair in 2015, the name of the organiser came up again and again. 'Koyo Kouoh' hooted an Iranian participant to her eager audience. 'We need to have her cloned.' Over the decade that followed, it seemed as thought this might actually have happened. Kouoh, who has died aged 57 after being diagnosed with cancer, was impossibly ubiquitous. In 2015, she was living and working in Dakar, Senegal, where in 2008 she had set up an artists' residency called Raw Material. Seven years later, Raw Material had come to include a gallery, exhibition space and a mentoring programme for young Senegalese artists. Four years after that, in 2019, Kouoh was made director of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary African Art (MOCAA) in Cape Town, South Africa – the largest institution of its kind in the world, but at the time on the point of closing down. 'I was convinced that the failure of Zeitz would have been the failure of all of us African art professionals,' Kouoh recalled in a podcast in 2024. 'For me, it became a duty to save it.' Among other groundbreaking exhibitions curated by Kouoh during her tenure at Zeitz MOCAA was When We See Us: A Century of Black Figuration in Painting, in 2022. This was still running at the time of her death, having moved to Brussels' Bozar centre earlier this year. (It closes on 10 August.) The New York Times praised the 'sophisticated breadth … aesthetic and art historical, painterly and political' of the show, and the curatorial thinking behind it – in particular, its exploration of what Kouoh called Black self-representation from across Africa and the Afro-diaspora. Kouoh described herself as a pan-Africanist, embracing the term 'Black geographies' to include all those parts of the world in which Africans had, for the most part involuntarily, found themselves. 'Their cultures have evolved, transformed and taken root,' she said. 'Their territories become extensions of the continent. So, from my point of view, Brazil is an African country, Cuba is an African country, even the United States.' As well as her formal posts, Zeitz's director had twice been on the curating board of Documenta in Kassel, Germany, organised Ireland's EVA International biennial in 2016 and a keynote exhibition at the Carnegie International in Philadelphia in 2018. At the end of 2024, Kouoh was named as commissioner for the 61st Venice Biennale, only the second African to be chosen for the job, and the first African woman. She died the week before she was due to announce the biennale's programme and theme. There was little in her past to suggest a stellar career in the international arts. Born in Douala, the economic capital of Cameroon, Kouoh described her background as 'very modest'. Her great-grandmother had been forced into a polygamous marriage as a teenager; her grandmother was a seamstress; her mother, Agnes, left Cameroon in the 1970s to look for work in Switzerland. 'This is the family I come from,' Kouoh told ARTnews. 'That is the essence of my feminism.' At 13, Kouoh joined her mother in Zurich. Like many children of aspirational immigrant parents, she was nudged towards a career in finance, studying economics and becoming an investment baker at Credit Suisse. Her heart was not in it. As she told the New York Times in 2023, she was 'fundamentally uninterested in profit'. It was while working in Zurich that she met a pair of Swiss-German artists, Dominique Rust and Clarissa Herbst. The world they introduced her to was captivating. In October 1995, Kouoh left for Senegal as cultural correspondent for a Swiss magazine. There were other reasons for her departure. Shortly before, she had given birth to a son, Djibril. True to her matriarchal roots, she would bring him up by herself: 'I couldn't imagine raising a Black boy in Europe,' she said. The discovery, in Senegal, of her own, non-European identity had come as a surprise to the young, Swiss-educated banker. 'I realised I was African and Black,' she told Le Monde in 2015. 'It was then that I first felt a hunger for Africa.' Her early studies in economics helped clarify her later thinking. 'Money is a fundamental component of our existence,' she said. 'Every sphere has its own economy, and art is no exception.' In this, too, she saw an African exceptionalism. The western model has been to measure artistic success by success in the saleroom. 'In Africa, it's a completely different story,' Kouoh said. 'I'm happy for artists who are successful in the market, but that is not synonymous with worth.' Her own philosophy, central to her curating and directing, was collaborative rather than competitive. One of the more surprising things about her appointment as commissioner for the Venice Biennale was that it was made by Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, the one-time leader of the youth wing of the neo-fascist Italian Social Movement party and an ally of Italy's far-right prime minister, Giorgia Meloni. What form Kouoh's biennale might have taken – indeed, whether the biennale will now take place – remains for the moment unknown. 'I will, of course, be bringing my intellectual and aesthetic baggage to Venice,' she said recently, in an interview on the website Next Is Africa. 'It will be true to my obsessions and my values.' Punning in French – one of a number of languages she spoke fluently – she laughingly said: 'Venice has given me carte blanche, and I am going to play my carte noire (black card).' Educated by Jesuits as a child in Douala, she came to embrace broader beliefs. After a merry interview in the Financial Times earlier this month, in which the brightly dressed curator confessed to a shoe obsession and shared the view that 'champagne is the only thing you can drink at any time of the day,' Kouoh grew more thoughtful. 'I do believe in life after death, because I come from an ancestral Black education where we believe in parallel lives and realities,' she said. 'There is no 'after death', 'before death' or 'during life'. It doesn't matter that much.' She is survived by her husband, Philippe Mall, by Djibril, and by her mother, Agnes, and stepfather, Anton. Marie-Noëlle Koyo Kouoh, art curator and director, born 24 December 1967; died 10 May 2025
The Guardian
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
A sumptuous rehang, jumbo jellyfish and naive manly paintings – the week in art
The Wonder of Art New ways of seeing European art from Jan van Eyck to Cézanne and Picasso in a sumptuous rehang of one of the world's richest and deepest art museums. And all for free. Read the five-star review. National Gallery, London, from 10 May Chantal Joffe: The PrincePaintings of men and masculinity by this deliberately naive-looking, but in reality psychoanalytical, artist. Newlyn Art Gallery and the Exchange, Cornwall, from 15 May to 1 November Rene MatićNew photographs by one of the nominees for this year's Turner prize. Read the review. Arcadia Missa, London, until 3 June Barbara NichollsAbstract watercolours that look like giant jellyfish risen from the deep. Patrick Heide Contemporary Art, London, until 21 June Martin CreedEverything Is Going to Be Alright – so Creed keeps telling us in neon, this time on the facade of a new arts centre. Camden Arts Projects, London, until 29 June After years of supposedly bringing good luck to whoever touched the breasts of Dublin's Molly Malone statue, they are now off-limits as the city council is notifying would-be gropers to leave her cleavage alone. Read the full story. Robbie Williams's art is 'incredibly bad' Desmond Morris's first film was an eye-opening surrealist love romp Artist Huma Bhabha is squaring up to Giacometti with wellies, skulls and teeth Japan's love hotels are wild A rare LS Lowry painting bought for £10 in 1926 sold for £800,000 An 'extreme' mould is threatening some of Denmark's most important paintings A Berlin art legend has put on a non-stop performance art piece for 25 years Sign up to Art Weekly Your weekly art world round-up, sketching out all the biggest stories, scandals and exhibitions after newsletter promotion Artist Su Yu-Xin makes her paint from pearls, crystals and volcanic dust The Virgin and Child, possibly by Antonello da Messina, c 1460-69 You can see a modern world emerge from the middle ages in this painting. It's full of ripely gothic religious imagery, including the little angels with their stiff angular wings holding an ostentatiously bejewelled crown over Mary's head. Yet look at her face. Her features are depicted with stunning precision as she looks down with gentle affection and modest reverence at her holy child. No one could portray a face this accurately before the 15th century, and the skill and technique were first perfected in Flanders by Jan van Eyck. Yet this may not be a northern work at all. It's tentatively attributed by the National Gallery to Antonello da Messina, one of the first Italian artists to assimilate Van Eyck's discoveries. It was even said he journeyed from Naples to Bruges, befriended Van Eyck and stole his secrets. That is just a legend. Yet if this is by him, it shows his profound debt to the northern master. National Gallery, London If you don't already receive our regular roundup of art and design news via email, please sign up here. If you have any questions or comments about any of our newsletters please email newsletters@
The National
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Weekly UAE museum and gallery guide: Malaysian art and a celebration of Arab women
This weekend offers the chance to experience beautiful art from around the world. In Dubai, an exhibition at Al Habtoor Palace puts the spotlight on Central Asian art, while Kutubna Cultural Centre explores the diverse identities of Arab women through modern and contemporary works. In Abu Dhabi, an exhibition at the Cultural Foundation offers a compelling look at Malaysia's artistic evolution through works by contemporary pioneers. Al Habtoor Palace is hosting Dreams of Spring, a vibrant exhibition presented by Andakulova Gallery and Legends Art Club under the patronage of the Consulate General of Uzbekistan in Dubai. The exhibition showcases the works of renowned Central Asian artists Timur D'Vatz, Timur Akhmedov and Alfiz Sabirov. Their art, rich in mythology and symbolism, has attracted an audience of collectors, creatives and diplomats. The exhibition celebrates the intersection of art, luxury and cultural heritage, highlighting the growing global appreciation for Central Asian art. Until May 31, Al Habtoor Palace, Dubai The Women in Contemporary Arab Art exhibition at Dubai's Kutubna Cultural Centre features more than 30 works spanning modern and contemporary styles. Sourced from International House Group's private collection, which has been assembled over 25 years, the exhibition brings together diverse scenes and artistic interpretations — from intimate domestic moments to powerful group depictions. The collection features prominent artists such as Adham Wanly, Hafez Droubi, Fateh Moudarres and Najat Makki, showcasing both traditional and avant-garde techniques. Each piece highlights the many roles and identities Arab women embody, challenging monolithic perceptions. Monday to Sunday, 10am-10pm, until May 18, Kutubna Cultural Centre, Dubai To Know Malaysia is to Love Malaysia: Highlights from the AFK Collection is a group exhibition running until September 10 at the Cultural Foundation. It features works by influential first-generation Malaysian contemporary artists, selected from the AFK Collection, one of the most extensive archives of Malaysian art from the 1980s to the present. Artists represented include Ahmad Shukri Mohamed, Ahmad Fuad Osman, Ali Nurazmal, Anniketyni Madian, Yusof Ghani, Zulkifli Yusoff and others. The exhibition traces Malaysia's transformation from a newly independent, rural society to a modern nation. While spotlighting individual artistic practices, it also explores how these works engage with the country's evolving social, cultural and political narratives. Blending diverse styles and perspectives, the show offers visitors a rich journey through Malaysia's contemporary art landscape and its deeper reflections on identity, progress and national heritage. Saturday to Thursday, 9am-8pm, Friday, 2pm-8pm, until September 10, The Cultural Foundation, Abu Dhabi
The Guardian
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
The best of the Contemporary African Art Fair 2025
Photograph: Courtesy of Clint Strydom Cover Me, 2021, by Hazel Mphande Photograph: Courtesy of Berman Contemporary La réunion syndicale, 2021, by Marc Padeu Photograph: Courtesy of Larkin Durey O' my body, make of me always a man who questions!, 2020, by Shikeith Photograph: Courtesy of Yossi Milo Gallery Les Jeunes Mélomanes, by Sanlé Sory Photograph: Courtesy of Yossi Milo Gallery Visitor, Johannesburg, 2024, by Clint Strydom Photograph: Courtesy of Clint Strydom African Spirits, 2008, Samuel Fosso (series; portrait of Angela Davis) Photograph: Courtesy of Yossi Milo Gallery Caste and Chaos, 2023, by Lavett Ballard Photograph: Courtesy of Galerie Myrtis Say Your Prayers, Eat Your Vitamins & Don't Be Racist, 2021, by Habib Hajallie Photograph: Courtesy Larkin Durey Ubuntu, 2024, by Gavin Goodman Photograph: Courtesy of Filafriques Hair market (no.1), 2025, by Joseph Eze Photograph: Courtesy of Filafriques Turmi, 2024, by Girma Berta Photograph: Courtesy of Nil Gallery Marhouna, 2025, by Sara Benabdallah Photograph: Courtesy of Nil Gallery African Spirits, 2008, by Samuel Fosso (series) Photograph: Courtesy of Yossi Milo Gallery
