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Remote Lands: Contemporary Art in Asia

If you travel for the mind and the soul, Remote Lands can design an inspiring journey of discovery through Asia’s challenging, inventive contemporary art scene.

Asia’s urban centers are the beating heart of the art world. From the streets of Malaysia to the galleries of Taipei, if you travel for the mind and the soul, Remote Lands can design an inspiring journey of discovery through Asia’s challenging, inventive contemporary art scene, a world of engaging historical stories and exceptional vision for the future. 

Top Museums

From world-famous art galleries in buzzing metropolises to quiet hideaways, there are endless museum options for the art lover throughout Asia. Bask in the glory of the new Louvre Abu Dhabi, 260,000 square feet of culture and art, or make your way to Leeum Samsung Museum of Art in Seoul for mind-bending sculptures. Similarly, in Japan, visitors can enjoy the surreal magic of the Digital Art Museum in Tokyo and then make their way to the island of Teshima, a magical rural island of creativity.

The Digital Art Museum, pictured above, is a Remote Lands favorite. The museum is the latest venture of a company that is involved in information technology business projects, product development, architecture, and art. The visionary behind teamLab, Toshiyuki Inoko, founded the art collective with his four best friends while completing his graduate studies in mathematical engineering and information physics at the famous University of Tokyo in 2001.

Events

Looking to 2022 and beyond, the art world of Asia is revitalized and ready to host some of the most star-studded art events of the decade. In China, travelers can look forward to the Shanghai Art Fair in February and the world famous Art Basel in Hong Kong in March. South Korea is gearing up to host both the Frieze Seoul and KIAF ART Seoul in the capital and Art Busan in the southern coastal city. Other events, such as Art SG in Singapore and Taipei Dangdai Exhibit are set for next year as well, but the key event of the year is set to be the Setouchi Triennale, an art festival held on 12 islands in the Seto Inland Sea once every three years.

Of particular interest to art lovers should be Teshima Art Museum that resembles a water droplet at the moment of landing. The rural island of Teshima boasts a rich cultural tradition that manifests largely in its many modern art pieces, strewn throughout the island incorporating raw materials.

Living Legends

Yoshitomo Nara, Ai Weiwei, Lee Ufan — the minds behind the planet’s greatest art movements use Asia as their canvas. From the manic colors of Yayoi Kusama to the delicate minimalism of Cai Guo-Qiang, the emotional story of the human race is being told in the fine galleries of Singapore, bohemian enclaves in Seoul, and the streets of Bangkok in bold, innovative ways. With Remote Lands, travelers can get a behind-the-scenes look at the continent’s most fascinating art worlds, traipsing former factories in Beijing’s 798 and whirlwind art adventures through Saigon. 

Galleries and Installations

Travelers can waltz through the fashion forward Pearl Lam Galleries of Hong Kong or the foodie-friendly Alserkal Avenue of Dubai or explore the motifs of outdoor spaces like the SengKang Sculpture Garden in Singapore or sculptor Isamu Noguchi’s Moerenuma Park. Skyscrapers, back alleys, sculpture gardens — the geography of Asia’s cities are alive with otherworldly inspiration. The streets, too, are filled with the creativity of Asia, with walls and entire neighborhoods from Seoul to Penang painted in the ingenuity of the next generation. 

Installation art can involve the spiritual as well, such as the “White Temple” of Chiang Rai, considered by many to be Thailand’s most creative religious structure and the brainchild of Chalermchai Khositpipat, considered by many to be Thailand’s greatest modern artist. He took the aging, dilapidated ruins of a temple 10 kilometers south of Chiang Rai and turned it into what is today one of the city’s most popular art attractions.