Asian Contemporary Art Fair

Happening now through Mon. Nov. 10th, the 2nd annual Asian Contemporary Art Fair will be held at Pier 92, 52nd St at Twelfth Ave.. One of the most extensive exhibitions of contemporary Asian art in the country, 80 international galleries and non-profit organizations will be displaying a wide range of work by artists from 14 countries including China, Japan, Korea, India, Bangladesh, Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam. This year, the scope has been diversified to include art from the Middle Eastern and Central Asian countries of the United Arab Emirates, Georgia, Iran, Turkey, and Kazakhstan. Many of the paintings, sculpture, photography, works on paper, and video installations will be on view for the first time in the U.S.. In case you're unfamiliar with the themes shaping modern Asian art, think Buddha, Mao and Warhol all wrapped into one.

But this isn't merely a collage randomly mixing Surrealism with Pop Art. Warhol often painted Mao as a comical pop culture icon but this is all tongue-in-cheek because his cultural image invokes real 20th-century political and social pain. This mocking representation often in an ancient context (Buddha), suggests an underlying desire to eliminate his influence by wiping it out with modern consumer imagery. The fair also provides a great opportunity to view loads of brand new talent that departs from this cultural interplay. Admission ranges from $5-$25. Procrastinators come out ahead because admission is free on Monday.