Contemporary Asian Art at Biennials

Explores the impact of biennials and other large-scale, global exhibitions of Asian art.

How did contemporary Asian art move from the margins to the global stage, and what role did biennials play in shaping its trajectory? In this incisive study, renowned art historian John Clark unpacks the rise of biennials in Asia since the 1990s and depicts how these sprawling exhibitions have challenged and reinforced the forces of globalization. By examining key biennials in Australia, China, Japan, and Singapore, Clark exposes the tensions between national agendas, independent curatorial ambitions, and the neoliberal art economy that transformed once-radical movements into global spectacles. He explores how biennials create networks of artists and curators who simultaneously resist and reproduce the very systems they critique, shaping not just regional art scenes but the broader narrative of contemporary art itself.

As the euphoria surrounding global contemporary art fades, Clark’s deeply researched history offers a crucial reexamination of the structures that have defined Asian art on the world stage. Richly illustrated and rigorously argued, Contemporary Asian Art at Biennials is a valuable resource for scholars, curators, and those interested in the shifting dynamics of the art world.

John Clark is professor emeritus of art history at the University of Sydney.