Indonesian multimedia artist Dian Suci has won the 10th edition of the Max Mara Art Prize for Women, as announced by curator and jury chair Cecilia Alemani in Venice at the Serra dei Giardini. Suci was selected from a shortlist of five finalists that included Betty Adii, Dzikra Afifah, Ipeh Nur, and Mira Rizki. The jury was organized and chaired by Alemani and included Museum MACAN director Venus La.
Xiaowen Zhu, director of Esea Contemporary in Manchester, discusses her journey and the evolving representation of Asian artists in the global art world. Born in Shanghai, Zhu reflects on her formative encounter with Ai Weiwei's *Fairytale* at Documenta 12 in 2007, which shaped her understanding of diaspora and belonging. She now leads the UK's only non-profit art center dedicated to East and Southeast Asian (ESEA) artists, and serves on the British Council’s Arts and Creative Economy Advisory Group.
Ho Tzu Nyen has been named the 2026 Grand Prize laureate of the Fukuoka Prize, becoming the first Singaporean artist to receive the JPY five million (USD 31,500) award. The prize, announced on May 22 by the Fukuoka Prize Committee, honors individuals who have made significant contributions to Asian studies and arts and culture. Ho, born in 1976 in Singapore, creates films, performances, and video installations that explore Southeast Asian history and the legacy of Japanese imperialism, often blending folklore with reality. He has represented Singapore at the 54th Venice Biennale and participated in major exhibitions including the Shanghai Biennale, Aichi Triennale, and Sharjah Biennial. He co-curated the Asian Art Biennial in Taiwan and is currently artistic director of the 16th Gwangju Biennale.
Curator and writer Reuben Keehan has been appointed artistic director of the forthcoming Kontempo – Center for Contemporary Art in Manila, a new institution developed by the Ayala Foundation. Keehan will relocate from Australia, ending his 15-year tenure as curator of contemporary art at Brisbane’s Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art. In other career moves, Manuel Rabaté has become CEO and director of New Delhi’s Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, bringing over 25 years of museum leadership including his previous role as inaugural director of Louvre Abu Dhabi. Additionally, the Kochi Biennale Foundation has named board member and Mumbai-based artist Jitish Kallat as president of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, succeeding Bose Krishnamachari who resigned in January.
ArtReview interviews Amar Kanwar, a New Delhi-based artist known for films and multimedia installations that blend poetry, activism, and documentary to explore power, conflict, and social justice. Kanwar discusses his career trajectory from documentary filmmaking to occupational health research in a coal mining region, and back to filmmaking on his own terms. His best-known work, *The Sovereign Forest* (2012), addresses government-corporate collusion in Odisha, while his latest, *The Peacock's Graveyard* (2023), is a seven-channel film installation currently paired with *The Torn First Pages* (2004–08) at Palazzo Grassi in Venice under the heading "Co-Travellers." Kanwar has participated in four consecutive editions of Documenta (2002–2017) and was a curator of the 2022 Istanbul Biennial.
Adrian Cheng, the mega-collector and regular on ARTnews' Top 200 Collectors list, has announced his new venture ALMAD Group after resigning as CEO of his family's Hong Kong property firm New World Development Co. (NWD) last year. The company will focus on digital assets, blockchain technologies, and immersive digital experiences across entertainment, sports, and media in mainland China, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. ALMAD has absorbed Cheng's art-meets-commerce platform K11 by AC, which includes the K11 Craft and Guild Foundation, the K11 Art Foundation, and the K11 Art Malls that pair luxury retail with exhibitions by artists like Damien Hirst and Takashi Murakami.
Singaporean artist Vanessa Liem, a 23-year-old recent graduate of the University of the Arts, London, creates surreal, dreamlike paintings that explore themes of performance, vulnerability, and the impact of the outside gaze on the human body. Her works, characterized by humanoid figures with smooth faces and unusual light effects, have been exhibited at the ArtScience Museum and won the top prize in the Emerging Category for UOB's 2019 Painting of the Year. She is preparing for a solo exhibition titled 'The Third Person in the Room' at Cuturi Gallery in Singapore, her first show in the city in three years, marking a homecoming and artistic maturation.
La giuria della Biennale d’Arte di Venezia 2026 sarà tutta composta da donne
The organizing body of the Venice Biennale has announced the international jury for its 61st International Art Exhibition, titled 'In Minor Keys.' For the first time, the five-member jury is composed entirely of women: Solange Oliveira Farkas (president), Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma, and Giovanna Zapperi. They will award the prestigious Golden Lions and special mentions during the awards ceremony on May 9.
Thai artist and filmmaker Chantana Tiprachart has been awarded the 2026 Southeast Asian Video Art Production Grant by the Han Nefkens Foundation. The prize provides $15,000 for the production of a new moving-image work over a nine-month period, which will subsequently tour several international institutions including the Rockbund Art Museum in Shanghai and Nottingham Contemporary. The jury selected Tiprachart for her ability to locate social and political narratives within quiet, everyday spaces, praising her commitment to reflection in an era of information overload.
Art Basel has unveiled the 33 medalists for its 2026 global honors program, recognizing a diverse group of artists, curators, and institutions. The selection highlights a strong Southeast Asian presence, including architect Kulapat Yantrasast and filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul, alongside international figures like Laurie Anderson and Julie Mehretu. These awards celebrate practitioners across categories such as Emerging Artist, Established Artist, and Cross-Disciplinary Creator, with winners to be celebrated at the upcoming Basel fair in June.
A new wave of gallerists in Singapore is emerging, creating platforms to elevate the city-state's contemporary artists. These young dealers are opening spaces that prioritize local talent, offering exhibition opportunities and market access in a scene historically dominated by international blue-chip galleries. The article profiles several of these gallerists and their efforts to build a sustainable ecosystem for Singaporean artists.
Taiwanese-American visual artist James Jean visited Jakarta for the first time in July 2025, laying groundwork for a solo exhibition at BAIK Gallery in spring 2026. During his trip, he met with Indonesian fashion designer Biyan to discuss a potential collaboration, and also visited the atelier of Beyond. In an exclusive interview with Prestige Indonesia, Jean discussed his creative process, his approach to collaborations (including past work with Prada), and his interest in blurring boundaries between fine art, fashion, and pop culture.
Elaine Holt has stepped down as Chairman of Modern and Contemporary Art, Asia at Sotheby's after just one year in the role. Jasmine Prasetio, Managing Director of Sotheby's Southeast Asia, will temporarily assume leadership of the Modern and Contemporary Art department in Asia, relocating from Singapore to Hong Kong. Alex Branczik, Chairman and Head of Modern and Contemporary Art, Europe, will continue to oversee the Asia team remotely from London. Holt, a well-known figure in Asian modern and contemporary art, previously spent a decade at Christie's and held roles at Opera Gallery and Ravenel before joining Sotheby's in July 2024.