Alfredo and Isabel Aquilizan’s work in the Tainan Art Museum’s exhibition SUNDAY: Contemporary Art on Migrant Workers in Taiwan

The Filipino artist duo Alfredo and Isabel Aquilizan’s collaborative activities evolved within the spheres of family and community, deeply intertwined with their experiences immigrating to Australia. For years, while traveling extensively for work, the artists have explored notions of home and belonging. They examine themes of identity, the hardships of migration and displacement, and the absence and accumulation of memory. They continue to process these issues through materials and objects that are both abstract and referential, objects that serve as metaphors for everyday human life.

The exhibition at the Tainan Art Museum features Last Flight, a large-scale installation comprised of hundreds of colored rubber sandals collected from migrant workers. The slippers are skillfully arranged to form a symbolic pair of wings. These wings represent the aspirations of migrant workers striving for a better life in another country, while also reminding viewers that each pair of slippers carries the story of an individual, a family, and the sacrifices made in pursuit of a better future.

SUNDAY: Contemporary Art on Migrant Workers in Taiwan
| Duration: December 19, 2024 – April 13, 2025
| Venue: Tainan Art Museum, Taiwan
| Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10 AM – 6 PM; Saturday, 10 AM –9 PM

Ana Teresa Barboza at the Lima Art Museum, Peru

Ana Teresa Barboza’s solo exhibition Looking at the Horizon to Maintain Balance is currently on view at the Lima Art Museum.

Barboza’s installation evokes the environment of Lobitos Beach, on the northern coast of Peru, where the cold Humbolt Current and the warm Equatorial waters converge, creating one of the world’s most biodiverse marine ecosystems. The region’s desert forest relies on climatic oscillations, with cyclical rainy and dry seasons shaped by these currents. Global warming has intensified these shifts, altering the landscape. Since the last El Niño, the forest, waves, and beach have transformed daily, leaving visible traces of these forces.

In Looking at the horizon to maintain balance, Barboza seeks to create a fabric from living materials that reflects the balance we can achieve by our ability to transform the environment with our hands. Barboza’s work invites reflection on the need to slow down and restore harmony with the natural systems to which we are intrinsically linked.

Looking at the Horizon to Maintain Balance
| Duration: December 1, 2024 – March 2025
| Venue: Lima Art Museum, MALI, Second Floor, Room 13, Paseo Colon 125, Exposition Park, Lima 15046, Peru
| Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10:30 AM – 6 PM; Saturday, 10:30 AM – 5 PM

INSTALLATION VIEW OF Looking at the Horizon to Maintain Balance

Isabel and Alfredo Aquilizan at the Ateneo Art Gallery, Manila

Isabel and Alfredo Aquilizan’s exhibition Project Belonging: From There to Here is currently on view at the Ateneo Art Gallery. The Familiar in the Foreign is the second half of a two-part exhibition that marks the artist duo’s homecoming.

In the current exhibition, the artistic practice of the Filipino artist duo is intermingled in their lives as migrants, using objects that are both familiar and strange as these serve as signifiers in themselves, holding memories and sentiments. After eighteen years, they return to their homeland, bringing back a series of wrapped objects in the installation Nothing to Declare(2024). Most of these are personal objects that were collected through the years and are placed atop blue plastic pallets in the show. They seem to float in the sea amidst Horizon Line (2017-2024), a collection of postcards created with images of maritime landscapes. These objects represent an act of collecting, a collaborative process where individual narratives become part of a greater whole. Like the balikbayan boxes that represented their departure, the wrapped objects speak about their return — a future to be revealed — in a continuous performance intertwining art and life.

Project Belonging: From There to Here
Curator: Kristine Guzmán
| Duration: November 9, 2024 – April 16, 2025
| Venue: The Ateneo Art Gallery, Ateneo de Manila University, Manila, Philippines
| Opening Hours: Mon – Sat, 9am – 5pm

Isabel and Alfredo Aquilizan, Nothing to Declare, 2024, Mixed media (personal belongings), Variable dimensions. All images courtesy of the artist and The Ateneo Art Gallery

Isabel and Alfredo Aquilizan, Horizon Line (detail), 2013-2022, 230 “postcards” created with collected images from the Internet, 10.5 x 14.8 cm each. All images courtesy of the artist and The Ateneo Art Gallery

Ari Bayuaji’s work presented in Bangkok Art Biennale 2024

Montreal-based Indonesian artist Ari Bayuaji presents a group of new sculptures at BAB 2024. Rangda sculptures and masks are still used in Bali at temples and shrines. These figures serve as reminders of tragedy and natural disasters, to maintain people's awareness of the need of nurturing nature and culture for a peaceful and prosperous life. Barong is a creature with a lion or tiger head that symbolizes the good spirit that protects the land from the bad spirits in the Hindu Balinese mythology. Almost 70% of the materials Bayuaji uses in his work are upcycled plastic ropes found in forests and beaches. The artist started to collect them from the mangrove forest near his home in Bali during the pandemic lockdown. Witnessing how Balinese people suffered from the sudden lack of tourism, Bayuaji proceeded to employ people in Sanur to clean up the collected plastic ropes and to unravel them – contributing to their sustenance during challenging times.

Bangkok Art Biennale 2024
| Duration: October 24, 2024 – February 25, 2025
| Venue: Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC), Bangkok, Thailand
| Opening Hours: Tue – Sun, 10am – 8pm

Installation view of Ari Bayuaji’s work at Bangkok Art and Culture Centre

Kao Ya-Ting’s In the Name of the Mother exhibited at Keelung Museum of Art

Taiwanese artist Kao Ya-Ting’s ambitious and masterful work, In the Name of the Mother, was recently presented in the exhibition The 25 Hour Days at the Keelung Museum of Art in Keelung, Taiwan.

In the Name of the Mother intertwines the experience of pregnancy with Kao's understanding of mythology, faith, and dreams. It not only highlights feminine narratives and internal emotions within the social structure, but also weaves together a worldview that encompasses various mystical origins, emotional energies, and love. Drawing from her personal life experiences, the artist delves into an ancient and vast mystical world, attempting to evoke tactile sensations through materials such as embroidery and patchwork.

Kao Ya-Ting, In the Name of the Mother, 2024, silk, cotton, wool, glass beads, yarn, artificial pearls
121 x 430 cm｜47 5/8 x 169 1/4 in

Ishmael Randall-Weeks’ First Solo Exhibition in Asia at Nunu Fine Art Taipei

Peruvian artist Ishmael Randall-Weeks' first solo exhibition in Asia, Collective Measure, opened this October at Nunu Fine Art Taipei and will be on view until January 26, 2025. Born in Cusco, Peru, Randall-Weeks’ work reflects on the relationship between architecture and its social context. By borrowing formal and material bases of everyday elements, his work initiates conversations about urbanism, education, and time.

During the artist talk at Nunu Fine Art Taipei, Randall-Weeks shared insights from his artistic journey spanning over two decades, highlighting the themes underpinning his work. These include reflections on historical heritage, education, and the environment while challenging the concepts of "progress" and "development" under capitalism. His thought-provoking approach invites deep reflection, allowing viewers to find resonance within his works.

To view the video clip featuring highlights from the talk, please click the image below.

Ishmael Randall-Weeks: COLLECTIVE MEASURE
Duration: Oct. 5, 2024 – Jan. 26, 2025
Opening Hours: Wed – Sun, 1 PM – 6 PM
Venue: Nunu Fine Art Taipei

Petah Coyne’s Maximalist Art Lays Bare Women’s Oppression

We are delighted to share Debra Brehmer’s insightful review of Petah Coyne’s solo exhibition at the Chazen Museum of Art, University of Wisconsin-Madison published in Hyperallergic.

In her article “Petah Coyne’s Maximalist Art Lays Bare Women’s Oppression” Brehmer states that “Coyne wields remarkable force in addressing female oppression, going directly for the roots of control: the often disguised or invisible forces that diminish female agency. At age 71, the artist has stayed a maximalist course. Her work sits between abundance and suffocation, landing squarely in the sublime. She uses the very tools of seduction (flowers, velvets, pearls) to serve uncomfortable truths.”

Petah Coyne: How Much A Heart Can Hold is on view through December 23rd.
Duration: Sept. 9 – Dec. 23, 2024
Opening Hours: Mon – Fri, 10 AM – 7 PM. Sat – Sun, 11 AM – 5 PM
Venue: Chazen Museum of Art (University of Wisconsin)
750 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706

Rona Pondick at Alsova Jihoceska Galerie and the Nasher Sculpture Center

We are pleased to highlight Rona Pondick's work currently on display at two prestigious institutions:

Alsova Jihoceska Galerie
Exhibition: Let It GROW Again!
Curator: Miroslav Halak
Location: Hluboká nad Vltavou, Czech Republic
On View Through: November 11th

Rona Pondick's Slim Jack (2011-22) is featured in this exhibition, which explores the role of trees as a significant art-historical motif and examines the relationship between art, humankind, and ecology. This exhibition is part of the GROW project at the Belvedere Gallery in Vienna (2022-2023), where Pondick's work Head in Tree was also displayed.

Rona Pondick, Slim Jack, 2011-22, patinated bronze
47 x 24 x 27 in | 119.38 x 60.96 x 68.58 cm

Nasher Sculpture Center
Artwork: Red Platter (21)
Location: Dallas, Texas, US
On View Through: 2024

In Red Platter (21), Pondick presents a surreal reinterpretation of a bowl of apples, incorporating casts of her own mouth. This striking work evokes themes of consumption, mortality, and transformation, balancing humor and unease. It exemplifies Pondick’s ongoing exploration of the intersection between the body and the organic, as well as her investigation of hybridity and metamorphosis.

Rona Pondick, Red Platter (21), 1994, painted epoxy and wooden bowl
8 x 16 x 16 in | 20.32 x 40.64 x 40.64 cm
All images courtesy of the artist and Nasher Sculpture Center

Chiao-Han Chueh Work Acquired by King Car Cultural & Educational Foundation’s Collection

Chiao-Han Chueh, Mantis Playing in Spring Field, 2023
acrylic on canvas
76 3/4 x 76 3/4 in | 195 x 195 cm

We are excited to announce that Chiao-Han Chueh’s Mantis Playing in Spring Field has been acquired by the King Car Cultural & Educational Foundation’s Collection.

Chueh, a Hamburg-based Taiwanese artist, is known for her vibrant paintings that explore themes of desire and abandon, often challenging societal norms with imagery that is both innocent and transgressive.

Mantis Playing in Spring Field is distinct within her body of work because of its absence of human figures. The idea for this painting arose from Chueh’s curiosity about what could emerge when she focused solely on the dynamics of painting. Chueh explains, “at the time, I imagined myself as a mantis moving through fields, darting between flowers and grass. The different perspectives that emerged while leaping and flying, especially in the beautiful European spring, after a long, melancholic winter, brought me back to life. It was with this pure joy and curiosity that I created the piece.”

Nunu Fine Art has presented Chueh’s work in solo exhibitions in both Taipei and New York, the latter being the artist’s first presentation in the United States.

Petah Coyne: How Much A Heart Can Hold at the Chazen Museum of Art, University of Wisconsin

Petah Coyne: How Much A Heart Can Hold. All images courtesy of the artist

Petah Coyne’s solo exhibition at the Chazen Museum of Art, University of Wisconsin-Madison, is on view through December 23rd. The New York-based artist is renowned for her large-scale sculptures and installations incorporating diverse materials such as wax, silk flowers, taxidermy, and resin, which examine themes of life and death, spirituality, and fragility. How Much A Heart Can Hold explores multiple decades of Coyne’s career, featuring expansive sculptural works made of cloth, human hair, scrap metal, wax, silk flowers, and other unorthodox materials that challenge conventional aesthetics and reflect life’s complexities.

“We looked across Coyne’s long career and were inspired to focus on the creative work of women as interpreted through Coyne’s artistic process,” said Amy Gilman, director of the Chazen Museum of Art and exhibition curator. “Coyne looks at the woman as a heroine, cultural leader, dissident and activist and as a fellow creative who seeks to transform the deep aspects of consciousness and societal awareness.”

Duration: Sept. 9-Dec. 23, 2024
Opening Hours: 10:00am-19:00pm
Venue: Chazen Museum of Art
University of Wisconsin
750 University Avenue
Madison, WI 53706

New Developments in Franziska Fennert’s The Monument of Anthropocene Project

The Monument of Anthropocene project view. All images courtesy of the artist

The Monument of Anthropocene project view. All images courtesy of the artist

Since its inception in 2020, German artist Franziska Fennert's The Monument of Anthropocene has been an innovative endeavor that transforms plastic waste into bricks for a temple-inspired monument rooted in the principles of a circular economy. Based in Yogyakarta, this project has gained support from the Indonesian Circular Economy Forum, Germany, Indonesia, and CSIRO (Australia).

In its latest phase, Fennert's team produces artwork and interior items from recycled plastics, such as tiles and ornamental bricks. Local residents in Bawuran are trained to carve artistic reliefs, while scientists fromBRIN (National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia) areoptimizing the use of recycled materials. Fennert is seekingfurther governmental support toexpand this sustainable art initiative, all while championing sustainability and circular economy principles for the benefit of society.

Kaspar Bonnén Artwork Featured in Aalborg University’s Art on Campus Exhibition Series

Kaspar Bonnén artwork installation view. All images courtesy of the artist

Kaspar Bonnén's artwork is now on view at the BIO auditorium of Aalborg University, as part of the Art on Campus initiative. In collaboration with the association "Kunst på Arbejde," Aalborg University’s Copenhagen campus (AAU) features a rotating selection of contemporary art every eight weeks. This exhibition presents a diverse range of art, including work by Bonnén alongside other renowned artists from the 1950s to the present. The exhibition invites the university community to engage with thought-provoking art as they navigate campus.

Chiao-Han Chueh’s First Residency in the US

Chiao-Han Chueh (b. 1989) is a Taiwanese painter who earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Taiwan from the Taipei National University of Arts and her Master of Fine Arts from HFBK Hamburg in Germany. Relocating from Taiwan to Germany inspired her to explore new narratives, intertwining her cultural background and personal history. Her work delves into the complexities of human interactions, societal pressures, and the psychological tension between desire and restraint, presenting imagery that is both transgressive and innocent.

Chueh is now in a residence program on Governors Island. Joining the Taiwanese American Arts Council (TAAC), she will spend one month in New York.

Chueh’s work will be on view in the group exhibition, IN THE MOMENT  (即刻, 無須等待), featuring six Taiwanese artists born and raised in the 1990s, opening at Nunu Fine Art New York on the evening of Friday, September 6th. Curated by Taiwanese art historian Ching-Wen Chang, IN THE MOMENT highlights a generation of artists who have grown up with the pervasive influence of social media. At a time when digital media permeates both our lives and the visual arts, these young painters operate at the intersection of digital innovation and traditional artistic expression.

IN THE MOMENT (即刻, 無須等待)
Chiao-Han Chueh, Ning Fu, Guan-Hong Lu, Bing-Ao Li Guan-Jhen Wang, and Qi Heng Xiao

| Venue: Nunu Fine Art New York (381 Broome Street, New York, NY 10013)
| Opening: Friday, Sept. 6, 6-8 PM
| Duration: Sept. 7 – Oct. 31, 2024
| Opening Hours: Tue. – Sat. 11 AM – 6 PM

Peter Zimmermann's "Spiga" in the King Car Cultural & Educational Foundation’s Collection

Installation in King Car Cultural & Educational Foundation

"spiga" (2023)，Peter Zimmermann／彼得．辛莫曼，Epoxy on Canvas／環氧樹脂於畫布，78 3/4 x 57 1/8 in；200 x 145 cm

German artist Peter Zimmermann has a rich and diverse body of work. His "Book Cover Paintings" series focuses on epoxy resin representations of book covers of atlases, art books, and more. By defining the relationship between text and image, Zimmermann interprets his views and explores the gap between our "perception" and "presentation" of objects.

Zimmermann's abstract paintings draw inspiration from collected photographs or documentary images. The work titled "Spiga" originates from a forest on the outskirts of Cologne, a place Zimmermann frequents. The roots of an ancient tree in this century-old forest inspired the creation of the painting.

Zimmermann’s mother is German, and his father was Italian. Following his father's early death, Zimmermann developed a deep connection with Italian culture and language. "La Spiga" refers to the Italian word for "wheat ear." His original intention derives from a parable from the Bible about appreciating blessings, echoing the cyclical growth of the ancient tree roots in the Colognian forest.

Chiao-Han Chueh's Solo Exhibition "Fancy Diving" Opens at the King Car Cultural & Art Center!

Chueh's work delves into the complexities of human relationships, the social pressures on individuals, and psychological factors such as insecurity, validation, anxiety, empowerment, and attraction. Her depictions of desire and abandon, which challenge the constraints of civilization, present imagery that is both innocent and transgressive. Chueh’s practice reflects both her Taiwanese upbringing and heritage and the profound influence of Western art history. Additionally, her work also expresses her experience living and working in Europe, particularly her perspective as an Asian woman in the West.

The series of Chiao-Han's works disclose the profound connection between painting and humanity's most primal memories—the inherent dangers and challenges of survival. The pieces portray figures driven by instinct, merging madness with revelry, showcasing the boundless tension of bodily movement, and an impactful, striking and dangerous power in visual language.

We eagerly await the compelling artworks that Chiao-Han Chueh will unveil in this exhibition.

| Venue: No 131, Sec. 3, Chengde Rd., Datong Dist., Taipei City, Taiwan
| On view: July 6 - September 1, 2024

Ana Teresa Barboza and Ariamna Contino in the exhibition Mother Earth→

On View at The Meridian Center for Cultural Diplomacy in Washington D.C. on June 13, 20, and 27 and July 11, 2024.

An exhibition of more than 30 artworks by 18 women artists showcases the critical role of artists in shaping the climate narrative, curated by Virginia Shore and Sarah Tanguy.

“The climate crisis is no longer a distant threat; it is a stark reality that demands our immediate attention. Our planet is undergoing unprecedented changes that include rising global temperatures and sea levels, extreme weather events, and the loss of biodiversity. In a time when the enormity of this crisis can be overwhelming, art provides a means to process and channel our emotions, engendering a sense of ownership and empowerment,” shared Shore and Tanguy.

By confronting uncomfortable truths through artistic expression, the curators and Mother Earth artists create the foundation for a deeper connection to the environment, a greater sense of urgency to protect our natural world, and a more holistic vision for a sustainable future. 

Petah Coyne Honored with 2024 Lifetime Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award

On January 18, the International Sculpture Center in New York honored Petah Coyne and Melvin Edwards with its 2024 Lifetime Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Awards.

Established in 1960, the Center promotes the creation and critical understanding of sculpture through multiple initiatives. Its members include artists, art writers, dealers, educators, and collectors.

Kaspar Bonnén featured in group exhibition at Nikolaj Kunsthal, Copenhagen.

Last fall, the group exhibition THE ARTISTS’ COPENHAGEN focused on various representations of Copenhagen as seen through the eyes of artists in a wide selection of media, formats, and materials. The works provided space for reflection and alternative experiences of known as well as unknown places in the city, which was the World Capital of Architecture in 2023.

Rona Pondick's "Slim Jack" will be shown in South Bohemian Gallery, Czech Republic, from June 8th to November 11th, 2024.

Rona Pondick, Slim Jack, 2011-22, patinated bronze, unique, 47 x 24 x 27 in | 119.38 x 60.96 x 68.58 cm

Taiwanese artist Chiao-Han Chueh featured in GODDESSES, AMAZONS, & MOTHERS at the Romanian Cultural Institute

Celebrating International Women's Day at the opening of the group exhibition "GODDESSES, AMAZONS, and MOTHERS | A Celebration of Female Creativity,” at the Romanian Cultural Institute.

Curated by Aida Bianca Balamaci, this exhibition features work by international female artists, including Nunu Fine Art artist Chiao-Han Chueh, alongside Angela China, Hortensia Mi Kachin, Ana Maria Morar, Mariana Cromeyer, Ekatherina Savtchenko, and Nana Afya. Their unique voices transcend borders and cultures in an inclusive and empowering artistic dialogue on the current status of femininity, motherhood, and creativity.

| Venue: Brâncuşi Gallery (200 East 38th Street, New York, NY 10016)
| On view: March 8 - April 12, 2024