One of Paris’ most iconic buildings, La Monnaie is the venue for the eighth edition of Asia Now Paris, an ambitious art gallery that has brought together more than 75 galleries from across Asia.
In its first exhibition since the start of the pandemic and the first in La Monnaie, Asia has now expanded in size. I’ve also got buys from top galleries like Almine Rech, Perrotin, Richard Saltoun, Frank Elbaz and P21.
“This edition is special,” said Alexandra Fine, Now Asia Director. ARTnews In a preview on Thursday.
In addition to the well-presented booths, the gallery has a program that includes many talks and performances, as well as several commissions for the site. Among them are a long-term live painting session by Ayako Rokaku and a special ceramic project involving cannabis by artist Natsuko Ushino, who collaborates with 91530 Le Maraisa farm about 40 minutes outside of Paris founded by Victoire de Portales and Benjamin Emmer.
But most importantly, it showcases truly cutting-edge work by artists active across Asia. (The exhibition uses the definition of the continent provided by the Asia Society of New York, which represents not only East Asia but also the Middle East, Central Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.) Be prepared to learn about artists you haven’t come across on your radar; It’s a great experience.
One of the gallery’s goals is to offer “different types of booths that go beyond just the simple white cube,” said Kathy Aliu, the gallery’s artistic director. Many are single or pair booths, which is part of a larger goal to create a more curated gallery. It offers a very different experience than Paris +, where dealers often feature works by many of the artists on their listings. Also of note in the exhibition is its commitment to being environmentally friendly. To achieve this task, many walls are formed from little more than bare pieces of wood.
By showcasing Asia’s “diverse art scenes,” Aliu said, Asia now hopes to be a new kind of art gallery, one that’s “exploratory, committed, curated, ambitious, and welcoming.”
Here’s a look at the best booths in Asia Now Paris, which run through Sunday.
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