Asia NOW 2023: Mixed Quality at Paris Fair

Asia NOW, Paris's ninth edition (20–22 October), featured leading galleries but suffered from mediocre work. Held at the former Paris mint, the fair included a curatorial project by Slavs and Tatars, who commissioned 14 Central Asian artists to create textile interventions. Highlights included nomadic robes in the entrance stairwell and a full-scale yurt in the Cour d'Honneur, juxtaposed with a plastic-and-steel gazebo. However, labeling was confusing, and many works were forgettable. Notable stands included Galerie Michael Janssen showing Gulnur Mukazhanova's felt canvases and Gana Art presenting Park Sukwon's geometric drawings on Korean tracing paper. Alexander Ugay's AI-generated project at Nika Project Space stood out, recreating invented memories of Korean deportations to Kazakhstan. Overall, the fair lacked conceptual depth, dominated by safe paintings and shiny sculptures.