Hot on the heels of its most successful edition ever, Asia Week New York is kicking off a new edition dedicated to contemporary Asian art, to run during Frieze Week in May.
Despite a massive winter storm, Asia Week 2017 saw $423 million in sales, up from just $130 million the previous year. The 2016 edition was overshadowed by raids carried out by federal officials on the look out for looted antiquities. This year’s ten-day affair, the eighth edition, saw no such activity from law enforcement.
In addition to its record-breaking sales, Asia Week 2017 had 50 participating art dealers, its most ever. For its new May go-around, on view May 2–10, 2017, Asia Week will start small, with just seven galleries: Michael Goedhuis, Kaikodo LLC, Kang Contemporary Korean Art, Navin Kumar Gallery, Joan B. Mirviss Ltd., Onishi Gallery, and Scholten Japanese Art.
Paul Binnie, from the series “A Hundred Shades of Ink of Edo: Hiroshige’s Edo” (2004–2015). Courtesy of Scholten Japanese Art.
In “Changing China: Contemporary Ink Painting,” Micheal Goedhuis will present 15 new works. Many will have a political bent, by Chinese artists who are responding to the Donald Trump presidency and America’s changing position in the world, particularly in relation to China. Navin Kumar Gallery will show contemporary Indian art, while Scholten Japanese Art will offer a provocative solo show by Paul Binnie featuring the artist’s signature prints of nudes with tattoos.
News of Asia Week’s expansion to Frieze Week comes just one day after the SPRING/BREAK Art Show announced plans to hold a second fair in May, featuring large-scale public art installations similar to those seen at Art Basel Unlimited.
Ik-Joong Kang, Happy World: Blue Jumbo Airplane (1992–2015). Courtesy of Kang Contemporary Korean Art.
Both are welcome additions to the Frieze landscape, which took a big hit when NADA New York decamped to Armory Week in 2017. May will also see the first edition of TEFAF New York Spring—which replaces the short-lived Spring Masters—and the return of Art New York and sister fair Context New York, as well as Collective Design, 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair, Portal, and Fridge. Miami’s Superfine! is also making its first New York appearance.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for us to open our galleries to the contemporary collectors who are in town for TEFAF New York Spring and Frieze,” said Joan B. Mirviss in a statement.