Asian Art Biennial 2019 explores 'marebito' concept with 33 artists

The 7th Asian Art Biennial, curated by Ho Tzu-Nyen from Singapore and Hsu Chia-Wei from Taiwan, will showcase both new commissions and existing works from 33 artists and artist collectives. The theme, 'The Strangers from beyond the Mountain and the Sea', is inspired by Japanese ethnologist Shinobu Orikuchi's notion of 'marebito', which refers to beings that arrive from distant lands bearing wisdom. This idea includes diverse figures such as migrants, ethnic minorities, colonists, foreign merchants, smugglers, partisans, shamans, and traitors—individuals who bridge unknown territories and question societal limits. Set to launch in October 2019 at the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, the biennial will also host conferences, workshops, and performances. Participants come from Taiwan, India, Thailand, Iraq, China, Israel, Germany, Japan, Burma, and Indonesia, including artists like Shilpa Gupta and Gilad Ratman.