The Japan Foundation produced a series of guidebooks for introducing art spaces with active roles in the Asian art scene. These three volumes aspired to provide initial pointers for people with varied interests in Asian contemporary art—from those hoping to get a firsthand look at the latest Asian practices, to professionals seeking to connect with peers in the field, or others wanting to research Asian contemporary art.

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Guidebook 1

The first edition showcased 76 spaces in nine countries or regions, including Japan. Each country was introduced through an article by a curator familiar with the local art scene. As suggested by the use of the word “alternative” in its title, the book was not only a guide to alternative spaces, but was also instilled with the expectation that both the situations and institutions governing how art is made in Asia were likely to differ from those in Europe and the United States.

Alternatives: Contemporary Art Spaces in Asia
Edited by Furuichi Yasuko; Hoashi Aki

• Publisher:
  Tokyo: The Japan Foundation Asia Center
• Year:
  2001
• Total Number of Pages:
  168
• Size:
  21 cm
• Language:
  Japanese (jpn); English (eng)
• NCID:
  BA54898064

[Contents]

p. 4	Foreword
	The Japan Foundation Asia Center
p. 9	China
p. 12		Contemporary Art Spaces in China
		Pi Li (Assistant Researcher, Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing)
p. 14		The Loft New Media Art Space
p. 15		MSG—Mustard Seed Garden
p. 16		BASH (Beijing Artist Storehouse)
p. 18		East Modern Artcentre
p. 19		China Art Archives & Warehouse
p. 20		Red Gate Gallery
p. 21		The CourtYard Gallery
p. 23		Shanghai BizArt LTD
p. 24		ddm warehouse
p. 25		ShanghART Gallery, Shanghai
p. 26		Shanghai Art Museum
p. 27		Guilin Yuzi Paradise
p. 29	Hong Kong
p. 32		Re-mapping Hong Kong
		Howard Chan (Administrator, 1aspace, Hong Kong)
p. 34		Para/Site Art Space
p. 36		Museum of Site (MOST)
p. 37		Shanghai Street Artspase
p. 38		Artist Commune
p. 40		Videotage (new media artist collective)
p. 42		1aspace
p. 43		Ngau Pang Sue Yuen
p. 45	Indonesia
p. 47		Les Enfants Terribles in Indonesia
		Suzuki Ben (Arts Department, The Japan Foundation)
p. 48		Komunitas Utan Kayu
p. 49		ruangrupa
p. 51		Cemara 6 Galeri
p. 53		Bentara Budaya Jakarta
p. 54		Galeri Soemardja
p. 56		Selasar Sunaryo Art Spase
p. 58		Rumah Seni R-66 (R-66 Arthouse)
p. 59		Cemeti Art House
p. 61		Taring Padi
p. 62		Bentara Budaya Yogyakarta
p. 63		Taman Budaya Jawa Tengah
p. 65	Japan
p. 68		Alternative Spaces in Japan
		Hara Hisako (Art Coordinator)
p. 70		commandN
p. 71		Saison Art Program (SAP) Gallery
p. 73		Scrathi Tile
p. 74		studio BIG ART
p. 75		artport
p. 77		canolfan
p. 78		N-mark
p. 80		Art Drug Center
p. 81		art house nanafukutei / Scroll 37℃
p. 82		Sabae Contemporary Art Center
p. 84		Kyoto Art Center
p. 85		CAS (Contemporary Art and Spirits)
p. 87		kiti.
p. 88		CLEAN BROTHERS
p. 89		SUMISO
p. 90		CAP HOUSE
p. 91		KITANO Pocket Bijutsukan
p. 93		Kobe Art Village Center
p. 95		List of Art Museum
p. 99	Korea
p. 102		Non-profit Art Spaces in Seoul
		Kim Sun Jung (Chief Curator, Artsonje Center, Seoul)
p. 104		SSamzie Space
p. 106		Loop
p. 107		Insa Arts Space
p. 109		Project Space Sarubia
p. 110		Rodin Gallery
p. 112		Artsonje Center
p. 114		National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea
p. 117	Malaysia
p. 119		Contemporary Art Spaces in Malaysia
		Valentine Willie (Director, Valentine Willie Fine Arts, Kuala Lumpur)
p. 120		Valentine Willie Fine Arts
p. 121		National Art Gallery
p. 122		GALERI PETRONAS
p. 124		Art Salon
p. 125		Rimbun Dahan
p. 127	The Philippines
p. 130		Artist-Run Spaces: Art Initiatives in the Case of “Surrounded by Water”
		Wire Rommel Tuazon (Artist)
p. 132		Big Sky Mind
p. 133		Green Papaya Art Projects
p. 135		Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP)
p. 136		Blind Tiger Bar and Gallery
p. 139	Singapore
p. 141		Art Spaces in Singapore: In Which Direction will the Government-led Art Infrastructure Go?
		Ushiroshoji Masahiro (Chief Curator, Fukuoka Asian Art Museum)
p. 142		Plastique Kinetic Worms
p. 143		The Substation
p. 145		Earl Lu Gallery, LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts
p. 147		Singapore Art Museum
p. 148		MITA Building
p. 149	Thailand
p. 151		Scratchy Art Scene
		Gridthiya Gaweewong (Director, Project 304)
p. 152		About Studio/About Café
p. 154		Project 304
p. 156		Tadu Contemporary Art
p. 158		Space Contemporary Art / Gallery 253
p. 159		Si-Am Art Space
p. 160		The Art Center, Chulalongkorn University
p. 161		Bangkok University Art Gallery
P165		Afterword

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Guidebook 2

Published three years after the 2002 edition, the second edition of the guidebook increased significantly in volume in accordance with the dramatic changes in the regional art scene. It covered 170 spaces or organizations in 16 countries and territories in the Asia-Pacific region.

Alternatives 2005: Contemporary Art Spaces in Asia
Edited by Furuichi Yasuko; Hoashi Aki

• Publisher:
  Kyoto: Tankosha Publishing
• Year:
  2004
• Total Number of Pages:
  352
• Size:
  21 cm
• Note
  Produced by: The Japan Foundation
• Language:
  Japanese (jpn); English (eng)
• ISBN
  4473032116
• NCID:
  BA69351822

[Contents]

p. 6	A Tour of Today's Asian Art
	The Japan Foundation
	EAST ASIA
p. 11	CHINA
p. 13		From Guerilla Operation to Base Camp: Experimental Art Spaces in China
		Qiu Zhijie (Artist; Independent Curator)
p. 14		Beijing Tokyo Art Projects
p. 15		China Art Archives & Warehouse (CAAW)
p. 16		China Art Seasons
p. 18		The CourtYard Gallery
p. 19		Red Gate Gallery
p. 20		798 Space
p. 22		Soka Art Center
p. 23		Today Art Gallery
p. 24		25000 Cultural Transmission Center
p. 25		Aura Gallery
p. 26		BizArt Art Space
p. 28		ddm warehouse
p. 29		ShanghART Gallery
p. 30		Guangdong Museum of Art
p. 31		Vitamin Creative Space
p. 33	HONG KONG
p. 36		Hong Kong Art Ecology
		Phoebe Wong (Researcher, Asia Art Archive)
p. 38		Asia Art Archive Ltd.
p. 39		Fringe Club
p. 40		Goethe-Gallery, Goethe-Institut Hong Kong
p. 42		Hong Kong Museum of Art
p. 43		Museum 63, Artist Commune
p. 45		1aspace
p. 46		Para/Site Art Space, Para/Site Central
p. 48		Shanghai Street Artspace
p. 50		Videotage
p. 52		List of Commercial Galleries
p. 53	TAIWAN
p. 56		Contemporary Art Development and Art Spaces in Taiwan
		Yao Jui-chung (Artist)
p. 58		Etat Lab
p. 59		Hong-gah Museum
p. 60		Hua Shan Cultural And Creative Industry Center
p. 62		IT Park
p. 63		Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei
p. 64		Taipei Fine Arts Museum (TFAM)
p. 65		Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts
p. 66		Stock 20
p. 68		Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts
p. 71	JAPAN
p. 74		Japanese Alternative Spaces at the Crossroads
		Hara Hisako (Art Producer)
p. 76		Arts Initiative Tokyo Non-profit Organization
p. 77		commandN
p. 78		FADs art space
p. 79		Contemporary Art Factory
p. 81		VIDEOART CENTER Tokyo
p. 82		BankART1929
p. 83		canolfan
p. 84		+Gallery
p. 86		Kyoto Art Center
p. 88		OSAKA ARTS–APORIA
p. 89		CAS (Contemporary Art and Spirits)
p. 91		graf media gm
p. 93		[remo] record, expression and medium organization
p. 94		CAP HOUSE
p. 95		Kobe Art Village Center
p. 97		gallery soap
p. 98		Maejima Art Center
p. 100		List of Art Museums
p. 104		List of Commercial Galleries
p. 107	KOREA
p. 110		The Current Korean Art Scene from the Perspective of Alternative Spaces
		Beck Jee-sook (Chief Curator, Marronnier Art Center of Korean Culture and Arts Foundation)
p. 112		Alternative Space Loop
p. 113		Alternative Space Pool
p. 114		Artsonje Center
p. 116		Artspace hue
p. 117		Brain Factory
p. 119		Daelim Contemporary Art Museum
p. 120		Gallery Jung Mee-Soh
p. 121		Ilju Art House
p. 123		Ilmin Museum of Art
p. 124		Insa Art Space
p. 126		Marronnier Art Center
p. 127		National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea
p. 128		Project Space ZIP
p. 130		Project Space SARUBIA
p. 131		Rodin Gallery
p. 133		Seoul Museum of Art
p. 135		SSamziespace
p. 137		List of Commercial Galleries
	SOUTHEAST ASIA
p. 141	INDONESIA
p. 144		The Altered Spaces in the Indonesian Contemporary Art Scene
		Agung Hujatnikajennong (Lecturer, Bandung Institute of Technology)
p. 146		Cemara 6 Galeri
p. 147		Galeri Lontar
p. 148		Oktagon Gallery
p. 149		ruangrupa
p. 150		Common Room (Bandung Center for New Media Arts)
p. 152		GaleriKita
p. 153		Galeri Soemardja
p. 154		rumahproses
p. 156		Selasar Sunaryo Art Space (SSAS)
p. 157		benda, art space
p. 158		Cemeti Art House
p. 160		Kedai Kebun Forum (KKF)
p. 162		Ruang Mes 56
p. 163		Rumah Seni Muara (Muara Art House)
p. 164		Gaya Fusion of Senses
p. 165		Klinik Seni Taxu Foundation—Klinik Seni Taxu Art Space
p. 167	MALAYSIA
p. 170		Contemporary Art Spaces in Malaysia
		Beverly Yong (Managing Director, Valentine Willie Fine Arts)
p. 172		Balai Seni Lukis Negara (National Art Gallery)
p. 173		GALERI PETRONAS
p. 174		Rumah Air Panas (R.A.P.)
p. 176		TAKSU Malaysia
p. 177		Valentine Willie Fine Arts, Kuala Lumpur
p. 179		NN Gallery Sdn Bhd
p. 180		Reka Art Space
p. 181		Rimbun Dahan
p. 182		Yayasan Kesenian Perak (Perak Arts Foundation)
p. 185	THE PHILIPPINES
p. 188		Gone Alternative
		Eileen Legaspi-Ramirez (Writer; Researcher)
p. 190		Big Sky Mind Artists Projects Foundation
p. 191		Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP)
p. 192		The Cubicle Art Gallery
p. 194		Green Papaya Art Projects
p. 195		ufo
p. 197		Tam-awan Village
p. 198		Art Attack Studio
p. 199		Luna Art Collective
p. 201		Mariyah Gallery
p. 202		The Space Between
p. 203		Dugukan Gallery
p. 204		Linya Gallery
p. 207	SINGAPORE
p. 210		Contemporary Art in Singapore
		Lindy Poh (Art Consultant)
p. 212		Art Galleries at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts
p. 213		The Art Gallery @ NIE
p. 214		The Arts House (at the Old Parliament)
p. 217		Earl Lu Gallery
p. 218		Jendela (at Esplanade)
p. 220		National University of Singapore Museums (NUS Museums)
p. 221		Plastique Kinetic Worms
p. 223		Sculpture Square
p. 224		SG Private Banking Gallery—Alliance Française de Singapour
p. 225		Singapore Art Museum
p. 227		Studio 19
p. 229		The Substation Ltd.
p. 231		List of Commercial Galleries
p. 233	THAILAND
p. 236		Art Space the Thai Way
		Klaomard Yipintsoi (Director, About Art Related Activities)
p. 238		About Studio / About Café
p. 240		Bangkok University Art Gallery
p. 241		Tadu Contemporary Art
p. 243		CMU Art Museum (Chiang Mai University Art Museum)
p. 244		The land foundation
p. 246		List of Commercial Galleries
p. 247	VIET NAM
p. 250		Contemporary Art in Viet Nam
		Tran Luong (Artist)
p. 252		Art Space Salon Natasha
p. 253		British Council Viet Nam
p. 254		Goethe-Institut Hanoi
p. 255		L'Espace—Alliance Française de Hanoi
p. 256		Nha san Dục
p. 257		RYLLEGA: Experimental Contemporary Art Gallery
p. 258		New Space Art Gallery
p. 260		Gallery La Gai
p. 261		Blue Space Contemporary Arts Center
p. 262		mai's Gallery
	SOUTH ASIA
p. 267	BANGLADESH
p. 270		Contemporary Art Scene of Bangladesh
		Lala Rukh Selim (Editor, ART a quarterly journal)
p. 272		Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy
p. 273		Drik Gallery
p. 274		Britto Arts Trust
p. 277	INDIA
p. 280		Contemporary Art in India
		Pooja Sood (Independent Curator)
p. 282		Apeejay Media Gallery
p. 283		Khoj studios (KHOJ International Artists Organization)
p. 284		National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA)
p. 286		Nature Morte
p. 287		Sanskriti Foundation
p. 289		Gallery Chemould
p. 290		OPEN CIRCLE ARTS TRUST
p. 292		Pundole Art Gallery
p. 293		Sakshi Gallery
p. 294		Gallery Sumukha
p. 295	PAKISTAN
p. 298		Contemporary Art in Present Day Pakistan
		Quddus Mirza (Artist; Art Critic)
p. 300		Croweaters Gallery; Rohtas 2
p. 302		Canvas Gallery
p. 303		V.M. Art Gallery (at ZVMG Rangoonwala Center)
p. 304		Nomad Centre & Art Gallery
p. 307	SRI LANKA
p. 310		Contemporary Art in Sri Lanka
		Sharmini Pereira (Independent Curator)
p. 312		The Barefoot Gallery
p. 313		Finomenal Space—Gallerie d'Art de Colombo
p. 315		Paradise Road Galleries
p. 316		The Serendib Gallery / Art Sri Lanka
p. 317		Theertha International Artists' Collective
p. 319		VIBHAVI Academy of Fine Arts (VAFA)
p. 321	AUSTRALIA
p. 324		‘Alternative’ Art Galleries in Australia
		Billy Crawford (Program Officer, Visual Arts/Craft Board, Australia Council for the Arts)
p. 326		Asia-Australia Contemporary Arts Centre
p. 327		Australian Centre for Photography
p. 329		Performance Space
p. 330		Gertrude Contemporary Art Spaces
p. 332		West Space Inc.
p. 333		Institute of Modern Art (IMA)
p. 334		KickArts Contemporary Arts LTD
p. 336		Umbrella Studio Association Inc. / Umbrella Studio Contemporary Arts
p. 337		EXPERIMENTAL ART FOUNDATION INC.
p. 339		Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA)
p. 340		Darwin Visual Arts Association (DVAA)
p. 342		24HR Art: Northern Territory Centre for Contemporary Art
p. 343		Watch this SPACE
p. 345		Contemporary Art Services Tasmania (CAST)
p. 347		List of Art Museums

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Guidebook 3

Based on information gathered from an art survey conducted as part of the Mekong–Japan Exchange Year 2009, data on 54 organizations in five countries in the Mekong River were compiled and included in this volume. Short comments on the trends at the time of publication were also added for each country.

Art Guide to Asia: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam
Edited by Furuichi Yasuko

• Publisher:
  Tokyo: The Japan Foundation
• Year:
  2009
• Total Number of Pages:
  88
• Size:
  21 cm
• Language:
  Japanese (jpn); English (eng)
• NCID:
  BA90876633

[Contents]

p. 3	Journey of Encounter: Contemporary Art in the Mekong Region
	The Japan Foundation
p. 4	Countries in the Mekong Region
p. 9	Cambodia
p. 11		From Reproduction to Expression: Changes Instigated by Foreign Countries
		Hanada Shinichi (Independent Curator)
p. 12		Amrita Performing Arts
p. 13		Centre Culturel Français
p. 14		Java Café & Gallery
p. 15		Meta House
p. 16		REYUM Institute of Arts and Culture
p. 17		Sa Sa Art Gallery
p. 18		Bophana Audiovisual Resource Center; Royal University of Fine Arts (Faculties of Archeology, Architecture and Urbanism, and Fine Arts Campus)
p. 19	Laos
p. 22		Change Symbolized in the Opening of a Truly Laotian-run Gallery
		Edan Corkill (Staff Writer, The Japan Times)
p. 24		5 Arts Gallery
p. 25		M Gallery
p. 26		National Institute of Fine Arts
p. 27		National Institute of Fine Arts Ban Anou Campus Gallery
p. 28		Treasures of Asia
p. 29		National Cultural Hall; National School of Music and Dance; Lao Textile Museum; Saylom Art Gallery; Si-Savath Art Gallery
p. 31	Myanmar
p. 34		Inheritance and Progress: Developing Contemporary Expression
		Hinuma Teiko (Curator, Aomori Contemporary Art Center)
p. 36		Centre Culturel et de Copération Linguistique(CCCL) / Alliance française de Rangoun
p. 37		New Zero Art Space
p. 38		Golden Valley Art Centre; The Inya Gallery of Art; Lokanat Art Gallery; Myanmar Photographic Society; New Treasure Art Gallery; ORIENT Art Gallery; Studio Square
p. 39	Thailand (Bangkok)
p. 41		The Course of Thai Art in Siam
		Hashimoto Azusa (Assistant Curator, The National Museum of Art, Osaka)
p. 42		ARDEL Gallery of Modern Art
p. 43		Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC)
p. 44		Bangkok University Gallery (BUG)
p. 45		Gallery VER
p. 46		The Jim Thompson Art Center
p. 47		The Art Center, Chulalongkorn University; The National Gallery; 100 Tonson Gallery; Kathmandu Photo Gallery; SOL (Space of Liberty); Tadu Contemporary Art
p. 49	Thailand (Chiang Mai)
p. 51		The Resiliance of Chiang Mai: Proliferation of Artist-Run Experiments
		Kuroda Minori (Coordinator, The Institute of Ceramic Studies, The Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park)
p. 52		CMU Art Center (Chiang Mai University Art Center)
p. 53		the land foundation
p. 56		Alternative Spaces Never Die
		Gridthiya Gaweewong (Artistic Director, The Jim Thompson Art Center)
p. 59	Viet Nam (Hanoi)
p. 61		An Active Art Community Takes Root in Hanoi
		Nose Yoko (Curator, Toyota Municipal Museum of Art)
p. 62		British Council, Hanoi
p. 63		Goethe-Institut Hanoi
p. 64		L'Espace-Centre Culturel Français
p. 65		Nha San Duc (Nhasan Studio)
p. 66		Art Vietnam Gallery; Gallery 39; Viet Art Center; Youth Theatre
p. 67	Viet Nam (Ho Chi Minh City)
p. 69		Ho Chi Minh, a City Where Future Progress Intersects with Past History
		Nose Yoko
p. 70		Galerie Quynh
p. 71		Himiko Visual Saloon
p. 72		Sàn Art
p. 73		Art Museum Ho Chi Minh City; Duc Minh Private Museum; Ho Chi Minh City University of Fine Arts
p. 76		The Recent Developments in Vietnamese Contemporary Art
		Tran Luong (Artist, Independent Curator)
p. 82	Afterword: On Contemporary Arts and Cultural Exchange within the Mekong Sub-region Countries
	Alan Feinstein (Former Acting Director, Southeast Asia Office, Rockefeller Foundation, Bangkok & Associate Director in charge of grant-making in Creativity and Culture)