Asia NOW 2024: Celebrating a Decade with Art as Ceremony

Pauline Loeb, in front of Marcos Kueh’s textile piece (Ron Mandos gallery) at La Monnaie de Paris for the 10th edition of Asia NOW © artfairmag

Alexandra Fain, the founder of Asia NOW, had promised it. This 10th edition of the fair would go further, pushing the boundaries of the traditional art fair model and inviting visitors into a true ceremonial experience. Mission accomplished with a fully immersive journey including talks, specially commissioned installations, music, dance, and other performances, all made possible by this year’s guest curators, the international curatorial cooperative Radicants.

October 17, 2024. While Art Basel Paris opened its doors the day before in the newly reopened Grand Palais, I step into the iconic Monnaie de Paris to discover the 10th edition of Asia NOW, the must-visit fair for contemporary Asian art. I always like to start my fair visit in the Cour d’Honneur, which this year hosted a work commissioned by Asia NOW and curated by Kathy Alliou, ‘Water in One Hand and Fire in the Other’ by the artist and architect, founder of Counterspace, Sumayya Vally. Composed of 350 jars made of baked and raw clay, the artwork resonated with climatic realities. Under the natural action of time, weather, and human interaction, the installation lives, transforms, and regenerates until it eventually dissolves. The performance by three women dressed in white heightened the emotion it evoked.

The second commissioned installation, The Social Kitchen, invited visitors into an ecological, social, and diasporic space shaped by the Bengali palan and pakghor. Artists from Britto Arts Trust were there cooking, sharing their cuisine with those interested in engaging through both food and conversation.

At the top of the grand staircase, adorned this year with a stunning textile work by Malaysian artist Marcos Kueh (Galerie Ron Mandos), the galleries of the Salon d’Honneur unfolded. It was crowded on this opening day—which is always a good sign—and I had to gently elbow my way through to admire the works. I was very impressed by the geometric and colorful views, almost like dreamlike landscapes, by Korean artist Hyunsun Jeon, showcased at the Esther Schipper gallery stand.

I was also completely captivated by the delicacy of Chinese artist Ya Chin Chang’s paintings at the Perrotin stand. The artist draws on all the hallmarks of 17th-century Dutch still lifes, adding a touch of humor or an unexpected twist. The realistic rendering of fruits, materials like glass and ceramics, and the treatment of the brown background were truly breathtaking.

Ya Chin Chang, Watermelon Needs Cupping Therapy, 2024. Perrotin at Asian NOW 2024 © artfairmag

A torrential rain then poured down on Paris, but that wasn’t going to deter me—and those downpours definitely added a theatrical touch to the visit! Inside the main tent, set up in the center of the Cour d’Honneur, I loved the solo show by Mongolian artist Odonchimeg Davaadorj at Backslash Gallery, featuring watercolors on fabric, ceramics, and drawings. Her monochrome, naïve universe radiates endless poetry.

Just a few steps away, it was impossible to miss a table set with some truly original ceramics by Nguyễn Duy-Mạnh. The artist learned ancient Vietnamese ceramic techniques in Chu Dâo, and once he mastered them, he transformed the craft to create a new language. For instance, there was a plate filled with noodles, a dish displaying an open wound, a peeled vase, and more. I absolutely loved it, and I wasn’t the only one—the red stickers indicating sales on the very first day of the fair said it all!

Nguyễn Duy-Mạnh’s ceramics, featured by Galerie Bao at Asia NOW 2024 © artfairmag

Finally, in the second tent, alongside the beautiful stand by Galerie Louis & Sack showcasing a solo show by South Korean artist Seungsoo Baek—who works with polystyrene in an innovative and spectacular way—I was particularly moved by the presentation from Belgian gallerist Felix Frachon. He was showcasing the work of four women artists, each unique yet complementary, whose works wove an intriguing dialogue. On the right wall, body impressions by Indian artist Ratna Gupta added a touch of sensuality and mystery. The sense of mystery deepened with the black-and-white photos by Iranian artist Tahmineh Monzavi, depicting wedding dresses in deserted settings. An explosion of colors and intertwined lines covered the left wall, with works by Belgium-based Toufan Hosseiny echoing the delicacy of the large bottle by Nandita Kumar, an artist who works at the intersection of art, science, technology, and community to create interactive installations.

Felix Frachon’s booth at Asia NOW 2024 featuring Ratna Gupta, Toufan Hosseiny, Tahmineh Monzavi & Nandita Kumar © artfairmag

Under the same tent, the gallery Quand les fleurs nous sauvent showcased a fascinating solo exhibition by Paris-based Korean artist Junseok Mo. His metal structures, bearing poetic titles like Path to the Sky and Collapsed Perfection, took the form of hollowed-out houses and buildings with winding staircases that invited viewers to get lost within them. These intricate metalworks were complemented by colorful preparatory drawings and augmented reality digital sculptures. A delightful discovery.

Junseok Mo featured by quand les fleurs nous sauvent gallery at Asia NOW 2024 © quand les fleurs nous sauvent

Art Dealers Interviews

Exclusively female interviews! I couldn’t resist asking Eisa Jocson, a young Filipino artist represented by The Column Gallery, to introduce me to her striking work. It featured two life-size figures of Snow White lying on the ground in poor condition, questioning the role of women in her home country. Another artist’s work also captivated me—Nguyễn Duy-Mạnh, previously mentioned, at Galerie Bao’s stand. At Nika Project Space, founder Veronika Berezina introduced me to a solo show by Lisbon-based Palestinian artist Mirna Bamieh, including her remarkable ceramics. Finally, Sabrina Amrani, founder of her namesake gallery in Madrid, presented a meditative and thought-provoking piece by Pakistani artist Waqas Khan.

How Much Does It Cost?

Four works under €5,000 particularly caught my eye. The lovely watercolor on fabric by Odonchimeg Davaadorj at Backslash Gallery, priced at €5,000. It was hard to resist the colorful universe of Mirna Bamieh at the Nika Project Space stand, with a bottle from the ‘Sour Jars Series’ priced at €3,300 (before tax). Eric Frachon, as previously mentioned, preferred to sell the entire series by Ratna Gupta to the same collector, as he had done with the artist’s other series. However, the price per piece was €1,600. Lastly, I was drawn to the solo presentation of Paris-based Korean artist Junseok Mo, represented by the gallery Quand les fleurs nous sauvent. The shadow of Mont Saint Michel, created by a simple wire attached to the wall and offered at €5,000, particularly captivated me.

As I leave Asia NOW 2024, I’m struck by the depth and diversity of the works I’ve encountered. From interactive installations to thought-provoking sculptures, this edition truly felt like a ceremony—a celebration of contemporary Asian art that breaks boundaries and engages the senses. Asia NOW has once again proven that it’s more than just an art fair; it’s a journey, one I’ll be eager to revisit next year.