■INTRODUCTION The changes in the 21st century’s socio-cultural paradigms bring about transformations in our culture and lives. The expansion of new technologies and global capitalism continues to reorganize the very roots of cultures and social relations. Not only lives and perspectives but also our institutional systems are undergoing changes calling for the need to redefine the mechanisms, territories, and functions of art. The rapid economic growth of Asian countries during the last decades in particular is restructuring even the very foundation of the global contemporary art practices; necessitating us to shift the existing intercultural balance in a way favorable to Asia. As such, those changes have indeed provided the basis of breakthrough for Asian contemporary art. In other words, the call for new definition of mechanisms, territories, and functions of art can be narrowed down to creation of discourses on Asianess along with the vision for the 21st century art. These are of course overlapped with the matter of capital, from which today’s art is inseparable. A3 aims to build networks among artists, curators and thinkers. Advocating artistic innovation, diversification, and coalition, A3 is committed to discovering new voices and visions in art as well as founding grounds for new forms of communicative communities. Its concrete aims include the following:
Firstly, Asia Art Award is designed to nourish the next generation of artists. A network of 50-100 active, cutting edge critics, producers and theorists of Asia will select the recipient.
Secondly, Asia Art Forum promotes a coalition among critics, curators, journalists, gallerists, scholars and experts from various fields to create interdisciplinary discourses.
This project strives to introduce the art beyond the late 20th century art that is represented by art fairs and biennales.
Organized by CJ Culture Foundation, Alternaive Space LOOP, Korea Sports Promotion Foundation
Managed by Asia Art Award Forum Committee
Supported by Ministry of Culture Sports and Tourism, Office for Hub City of Asian Culture, Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture Arts Council Korea, British Council, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Australian Embassy Seoul Australia Korea Foundation, Nonprofit Art Space Network, aA design museum, 99ART