Asia NOW

The DNA of ASIA NOW is to show artists and scenes that are still off the radar and to put contemporary art in Asia on the global map. Our mission is therefore to introduce great emerging and established artists in a more global conversation. Tan Boon Hui, who has just passed away, rightly said: “art and culture are some of the best connectors of people and communities at this point in history”. This idea is at the core of ASIA NOW which is an edited fair with a strong curatorial platform. Offering carte blanche to guest curators has become one of the components of our identity. ASIA NOW gives the possibility of looking at the world with other eyes and make the people travel through performances, screening programs and platforms of talks curated for now two years by Thanks for nothing.

The galleries we choose to exhibit are coming from Asia, Europe and from all around the world as long as they present Asian artists or an Asian program for the fair. All the galleries are chosen for the quality of their work and their artistic statements.

The price range of pieces is very large, as we not only promote established artists but also emerging artists. Last year, prices were between one thousand and one million euros. With such a large range of prices, the average buyer is hard to paint. However, the average buyer is first and foremost, one enthralled by a piece.

Unlike other more commercial fairs, ASIA NOW aims not only to expose this scene to collectors and art market professionals, but also to the general public. This is especially true with our new and bigger venue, La Monnaie de Paris, ASIA NOW is ready to welcome all publics taking an interest in Asian contemporary art. Our aim is to connect art specialists and a large typology of visitors.

The core of our strategy is to focus on our physical fairs. Our arrival this year at the Monnaie de Paris, one of the most ancient but innovative institution of Paris, contributes greatly to the opening of the fair, to an ever wider and diversified audience while maintaining the excellence and relevance of our artistic selection. However, the COVID crisis that has disrupted the art world in the last two years has prompted us to develop our digital presence and imagine new ways to access art. From 2020, when we were able to maintain the fair during the pandemic, we developed an online platform which allowed us to maintain a bond between the public and the artists. Our partnership with Artsy this year goes in the same direction. Finally, our aim is to share our model in other European capitals, where the offer for contemporary Asian art remains limited to this day.

I would recommend S.E.A. Focus in Singapore and Art Basel Hong Kong. S.E.A Focus showcases contemporary art from Southeast Asia. Its non-commercial approach and dedication to bringing out fresh artistic perspectives from this specific region, strongly echoes with Asia Now’s core values. It is a great source of inspiration for us. As for Art Basel Hong Kong, it provides, directly in Asia, an in-depth view of Asia-Pacific’s artistic diversity which complements our project here in Paris.