Autumn is a busy season for art lovers and culture enthusiasts around Asia.
Sotheby's will hold its annual Asian art auctions in early October. Christie's will follow suit in November. And new kid on the block, Seoul Auction, holds its inaugural sales in the city next week, while the Hong Kong International Arts and Antiques Fair makes its debut this Saturday.
At about the same time, other major art events will be staged in the region, including the Guangzhou Triennale, Kwangju Biennale and Yokohama Triennale.
While the big commercial events are bound to attract most of the attention, there is an alternative for those seeking something different. The second October Contemporary is returning under the theme, Attr/Action. Eschewing major stars, it features the works of up-and-coming artists.
'October Contemporary wants to promote non-commercial contemporary art, such as media or installation art,' says Nadim Abbas, the project manager of the month-long event. 'It's more about the experimental and edgy kind of art.'
The theme 'Attr/Action', says Abbas, 'partly originates from the discussions about large-scale public events such as the Venice Biennale and the Beijing Olympics. It also refers, among other things, to cultural and tourist attractions, and how they're used to market the images of cities and nations. After all, art itself is a cultural attraction.'
