Over 200 artists to present works at 6th ACAW
Over 200 artists will present their works at 35 museums and galleries during the sixth Asian Contemporary Art Week (ACAW), May 10-18th, featuring over 60 receptions, exhibition viewings, screenings, artist conversations and walkthroughs throughout New York City. ACAW aims to promote increased public awareness of the richness and diversity of Asian contemporary art. This year, participating artists are from virtually every region including, for the first time, Cambodia and Tibet.

"Asian Contemporary Art Week aims to celebrate Asian contemporary art, and to promote an expansive understanding of what it can be," says Asia Society Museum Director Melissa Chiu. "This year's event, presents the latest trends in Asian contemporary art, highlighting for example, the new vitality and increased international profile of artists from Central Asia and the Middle East."

"Since its inception in 2001, ACAW has grown tremendously, increasing the visibility of featured artists and inciting critical dialogue about their works," notes ACAW director Leeza Ahmady. "The new Open Portfolios format will provide participants with a unique opportunity to get up close and personal with some of Asia's most resilient artists."

This year's ACAW has a record number of artists participating from both the U.S. and Asia, and includes many countries whose artists rarely exhibit work in the U.S. Among the countries represented are Afghanistan, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Korea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Pakistan, Palestine, Taiwan, Thailand, and Turkey, and Vietnam.

ACAW events will be held throughout the city Sunday May 10-Monday, May 18, with each day focusing on a different neighborhood: uptown on Tuesday, May 12, midtown on Wednesday, May 13, Chelsea on Thursday, May 14, downtown on Friday, May 15, and in all boroughs on Saturday, May 16, and Sunday, May 17.

New to this year's ACAW is Open Portfolios, a series of 20 artist talks, screenings, performances, and gallery walkthroughs that will each focus on an aspect of an artist's work. This gives artists the opportunity to share a part of their work that they find important, and allows viewers to explore the diverse group of ACAW artists on a more personal level. In addition, seven selected artists will discuss their work in exclusive interviews available at www.acaw.net

The complete schedule of events and program details, and information about participating artists and organizations is available at: www.acaw.net

Asian Contemporary Art Week is a collaboration of the Asian Contemporary Art Consortium, which includes: Jung Lee Sanders, Art Projects International; Melissa Chiu and Miwako Tezuka, Asia Society and Museum; Steve Pacia and Shumita Bose, Bose Pacia; France Pepper, China Institute; Ethan Cohen, Ethan Cohen Fine Arts; Thomas Erben, Thomas Erben Gallery; Joe Earle, Japan Society; Philippe Koutouzis, Marlborough Gallery; Esa Epstein, Sepia International, The Alkazi Collection; Alexandra Munroe and Sandhini Poddar, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum; Jack & Susy Wadsworth, Collectors; Xiaoming Zhang, China Guardian Auctions Co., Ltd.; and Leeza Ahmady, ACAW Director (Independent Curator).

ACAW 2009 is sponsored by Art Asia Pacific and Event Public. ACAW participating organizations and other details are available at www.acaw.net