From left: Thaiwijit Puengkasemsomboon, Li Qi; from right: Heidi Zuckerman, Rirkrit Tiravanija.
Under the framework of the Asian Art Roundtable, the research project “Buddhism and Global Art” examines contemporary developments while offering fresh insights into historical phenomena spanning East Asia, the Indochinese Peninsula, Europe, and the United States.
This field research seeks to identify significant works within the portfolios of selected artists and to explore other practitioners from Thailand and neighboring Southeast Asian countries—both historical and contemporary—who engage with Buddhist themes. The project delves into the distinct characteristics and philosophies of Buddhism and conceptual art within this region, analyzing their broader global influence.
The research involves a series of studio visits to prominent artists, including Rirkrit Tiravanija, Kamin Lertchaiprasert, Ubatsat, Tawatchai Pansawasdi, Chitti Kasemkitvattna, and Montien Boonma (1953–2000) Atelier.
Dr Zhu Ruolin and Alexandra Von Przychowski, Curator of Chinese Art, Museum Rietberg.
The research at Museum Rietberg and Kulturmuseum St. Gallen forms a key component of the Global Guanyin Initiative. This study involves the inspection and acquisition of firsthand knowledge of wooden sculptures in the museum collections, which are crucial for understanding the geographic distribution of styles and workshops in Shanxi Province and neighboring regions during late Medieval China. Notably, the research uncovered the remains of a possible 15th–16th century wooden Bodhisattva statue, a discovery that has garnered significant interest for the Initiative.
In 2023, the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, launched a long-term initiative to foster and strengthen networks among the next generation of art professionals across the Asia-Pacific region. The initiative seeks to explore new artistic visions generated by the synergies within these networks while identifying strategies to expand their potential. Positioned as a cornerstone of this effort, the program was officially named the “Asian Art Roundtable” during its inaugural in-person summit in Tokyo.
Over four intensive days of presentations and group discussions, the roundtable members organized their ongoing research into four thematic areas: Community, Spirituality, Migration, and Digital/Materiality. By integrating the diverse perspectives of its participants, the program aspires to shape a dynamic platform for collaboration. Envisioned outcomes include research projects, discussions, publications, exhibitions, workshops, and other initiatives, all of which will be developed and implemented over the coming years.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs is pleased to announce its International Roundtable: The possibility of Collaborating in a Divided World, scheduled to take place on February 16, 2024 at the National Art Center, Tokyo. The aim of this roundtable is to discuss specific ideas for building an international network of curators from/in Asia region among the next generation, as well as involving artists and researchers, and creating new collaborative possibilities in the mid- to long- term perspective. In Session 1, we welcome Ms. Kataoka Mami, Ms. Kim Sunjung, and Dr. Pi Li as panelists to explore international networking and collaboration in the coming era through case studies of international collaborative projects since the early 2000s. In Session 2, following the presentations, the three panelists and participating curators will join the discussion.
A beat—compact, persistent, and full of life—emanates from the depths of darkness. Interwoven with flickering light, it beckons the inquisitive mind on a journey into the unknown. Thus the Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone’s exhibition at the Fosun Foundation captivates visitors through sound, with this acoustic overture setting the stage for the film burn to shine—the pulsing heart of a selection of works made over the past four years, which now converges with the eponymous exhibition.
The evocative title, burn to shine, hails from a poem “You must burn to shine” by Rondinone’s late partner, John Giorno. While this phrase likely traces its roots to the Sanskrit word तप् (tap) meaning “to shine; to be burnt”, in a broader sense, it gestures towards the path to liberation through bodily penance known as तपस् (tapas), a meditative and self-disciplinary Buddhist practice. Yet Rondinone’s film does not dwell on suffering; instead, it pulsates with fervent celebration. Orchestrated by Franco-Moroccan choreographer Fouad Boussouf and brought to life by percussionists and dancers, the film references a panoply of spiritual rituals; prevalent across cultures, these practices resonate with myths of regeneration through fire. In the synchronised video projection in the exhibition, the six monumental screens form an enveloping circle, which is augmented by darkened window foils that occlude external views, thereby creating a sanctuary that nurtures a meditative experience.
While burn to shine portrays the cyclical motion of sunrise and sunset in an infinite loop, this motif is also echoed in the Mattituck series, inspired by the Long Island locale where Rondinone has a home and studio. These fourteen paintings, spaced evenly apart, evoke the face of a sundial, representing the perpetual dance of the sun and the moon. Each painting captures, through a triad of harmonious or contrasting hues, a moment of natural phenomena, their dimensions intimate and reminiscent of a personal journal: imbued with a gentle melancholy, the paintings offer reflections on the passage of time. Varying in size, they are aligned along the walls at the horizon line—where painted skies touch the sea.
This horizon extends even to the horses sculptures that inhabit the gallery floor. Appearing at the juncture of their upper and lower parts, the horizon offers up the illusion of air and water respectively. The works’ equine forms, moreover, represent the earth, while their glass bodies were cast out of fire. Together, they symbolize the four natural elements essential to the artist’s creation. Named after the world’s oceans, the works also suggest a Romantic notion of a voyage. Ultimately, these sculptures prompt viewers to appreciate the dynamic dualities often embedded in Rondinone’s work: here, abstract fluidity paired seamlessly with tangible solidity.
Another duality emerges in the seven bronze sculptures, standing sentinel just under three meters tall on the roof terrace overlooking the Huangpu River. Their natural rock textures are recast and painted in an aggressive DayGlo palette, with nature’s delicate equilibrium transformed into monuments of artifice. Part of the nuns + monks series, these sculptures draw inspiration from the geologic wonders called hoodoos, rock pyramids forged by natural erosion. These stacked figures exude the gravitas of holy sages, offering a compelling juxtaposition against the gleaming skyscrapers along the riverbank. Meanwhile, an eighth sculpture, one meter higher than the group, stands poised at the ground level entrance, a public sculpture inviting shared contemplation, its pink and yellow colors radiating optimism.
In sum, Ugo Rondinone’s exhibition “BURN TO SHINE” unfurls a holistic experience that pulsates from dusk to dawn, from the oceans to the sky, and from the individual to the collective. Rooted in the fundamental motif of landscape, the artist’s works transform the marvels of nature into simple yet sublime subjects, existentially capturing the profound emotions thus elicited.
