Asia Art Weekly News Bulletin – ISSUE 14 Week of 12 May 2025
(1) Shanghai’s Rockbund Art Museum offers free admission for visitors
Shanghai’s Rockbund Art Museum offering free admission to all visitors.
(2) Hong Kong’s Kiang Malingue Gallery Expands to New York, With the Aim of Fostering Dialogues
Kiang Malingue, a leading Hong Kong gallery, is opening a new space in New York’s Chinatown.
(3) 19th Century Japanese artist takes over the Outernet
A new installation at the Outernet is bringing the legendary work of Hiroshige to the big screens, in a collaboration with the British Museum.
(4) The Grand Lisboa Palace Art Gallery debuts with a Macao history exhibit
The new gallery’s inaugural exhibition, ‘The Lisboa, Stories of Macau’, offers an immersive journey through 500 years of history.
(1) Shanghai’s Rockbund Art Museum offers free admission for visitors
(Photo Credit: China Daily)
Shanghai’s Rockbund Art Museum is now offering free admission to all visitors, reflecting its commitment to making art accessible to everyone. According to director Zhu Xiaorui, the museum aims to create a space for imagination and new possibilities within the community, which features a blend of historical and modern architecture.
Currently, three exhibitions are on display, including “A Crack in the Shape of Light Getting In,” which is the first survey exhibition in Asia by Canadian artist Ash Moniz. This exhibition showcases over a decade of Moniz’s research, focusing on the hidden violence within global supply-chain logistics and the fragile areas where resistance and political imagination can thrive.
The exhibition spans three floors of the museum, inviting visitors to engage with the themes of solidarity and struggle that underpin contemporary global issues. Through this initiative, the Rockbund Art Museum continues to foster a dialogue around art and its role in society.
News Source: https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202505/13/WS68231135a310a04af22bf102_2.html
(2) Hong Kong’s Kiang Malingue Gallery Expands to New York, With the Aim of Fostering Dialogues
(Photo of Edouard Malingue and Lorraine Kiang/ Photo Credit: Nicholas Wong)
Kiang Malingue, a prominent Hong Kong gallery, is set to open a new commercial space in New York’s Chinatown. Known for nurturing emerging talents and representing acclaimed Asian artists, the gallery has established itself over the past 15 years. Its founders, Edouard Malingue and Lorraine Kiang, aim to connect with the growing community of young Asian American collectors and foster dialogue between the West and Hong Kong.
The inaugural exhibition will feature new work by Japanese artist Hiroka Yamashita, marking her New York solo debut. Kiang Malingue plans to mount three to four exhibitions in its first year, with programming that connects both its Hong Kong and New York locations while being rooted in the local context. The gallery seeks to provide a space for greater understanding of Asian artists and art.
Despite challenges posed by geopolitical tensions and tariffs, Malingue emphasises the importance of dialogue between New York and Hong Kong. The gallery will continue to showcase a variety of mediums, including video art, while exploring opportunities such as artist residencies to adapt to the current market conditions. The founders remain optimistic about the potential for engagement with a broader audience interested in contemporary art.
News Source: https://www.artnews.com/artnews/news/kiang-malingue-gallery-new-york-expansion-1234741670/
(3) 19th Century Japanese artist takes over the Outernet
(Photo Credit: The Standard)
A new collaboration between Outernet London and the British Museum aims to enhance visits to Tottenham Court Road by showcasing the work of renowned Japanese artist Utagawa Hiroshige. This project will feature an animated reimagining of Hiroshige’s print “Ferry on the Fuji River, Suruga Province” from his Famous Places in Japan series, displayed on Outernet’s impressive 16K wraparound screens.
The installation will coincide with the British Museum’s major exhibition, “Hiroshige: artist of the open road,” which celebrates the artist’s legacy through the landscapes and cityscapes of Edo-period Japan. This dynamic presentation will bring Hiroshige’s serene landscapes to life, offering a unique digital experience that engages a wider audience.
Nicholas Cullinan, Director of the British Museum, emphasised the significance of this partnership in extending the reach of art and culture beyond traditional museum settings. By merging Hiroshige’s exquisite 19th-century prints with modern technology, the installation aims to provide an immersive and accessible experience that highlights the timeless nature of art. The installation is free to visit at Outernet London’s flagship Now Building.
News Source: https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/exhibitions/19th-century-japanese-artist-takes-over-the-outernet-b1227659.html
(4) The Grand Lisboa Palace Art Gallery debuts with a Macao history exhibit
(Photo Credit: The Macao News)
The Grand Lisboa Palace Art Gallery opened its doors to the public, featuring “The Lisboa, Stories of Macau,” an exhibition that showcases 500 years of Macao’s history through innovative exhibits. Visitors enter a circular room where a five-minute immersive animation illustrates Macao’s transformation from a fishing village to a modern city. The main exhibition room highlights the stories of eight iconic landmarks, including the Kuan Iam Temple and the Ruins of St. Paul’s.
The gallery employs engaging displays, including suspended sculptures and a colourful city map on the floor. Rare artefacts and life-sized models recreate historical scenes, while interactive elements allow visitors to explore miniature building models and listen to recorded memories from local hockey players.
Admission to the gallery is free, and it invites visitors to share their own Macao stories, with select entries displayed monthly. The gallery adds to Macao’s cultural scene, which includes other recent openings like the Poly MGM Museum and the House of Dancing Water, as casino operators invest significantly in non-gambling infrastructure.
News Source: https://macaonews.org/life/history/grand-lisboa-palace-art-macao-stories/
