This month culture360.org launches a new series of articles entitled Curating culture360.org. Selected content ‘curators’ review and reflect on the news, articles and opportunities from Asia and Europe they discover on culture360.org. The curators then present a personal content selection, following a theme or narrative driven by their own artistic interests and direction. culture360.org intends to publish Curating culture360.org every two months, inviting artists and cultural commentators from Europe and Asia in turn. Europe Editor Judith Staines asked the Spanish visual artist collective Llobet & Pons to start the curatorial journey with Curating culture360.org #1

Reading through culture360.org’s website we found many relevant cultural events and opportunities for artists, as well as exciting reflections in the Magazine. We learned about self-sustaining networks of artists, and even discovered that budgets for culture are increasing these days in some places. We also introduce some unfamiliar terms like “Terebikko” and “Pali-pali”.

Between art and environment: a selection of case studies  We liked reading the selected case studies here, describing some really exciting art projects in Thailand, Mongolia, India, Malaysia and Singapore. These are part of an Asia-Europe Foundation commissioned research entitled ‘Linking the Arts to Environment and Sustainable Development Issues’ about art initiatives in nine Asian countries.

Korea | Government to expand Korean Wave and overseas cultural exchanges  It is always good to hear that public budgets for culture are increasing, especially in times of funding shortages. South Korea has been an active organiser of international exchange programmes in all arts disciplines for a long time. The country’s special geopolitical situation, with closed borders to the north and surrounded by the sea on the other sides, makes it practically an island. Relations in the past were not always smooth with neighbouring countries. That makes exchange essential in order to prevent cultural isolation.

Planete Manga | Centre Georges Pompidou | talks, workshops, screenings  When we first visited Japan, it was surprising to see how many everyday things were familiar to us. This might be because we spent too many hours watching Japanese animated cartoons on TV when we were little! Japanese Manga and Anime influenced us as much as Hollywood films or pop music. People in Japan told us we were part of what is called the “Terebikko” (television kids) generation. Now the Centre Pompidou dedicates a show to this important cultural form – it’s on until May 27 2012.

Top 2011 comments on culture360.org  Today we don’t just have access to lots of cultural information through the internet, but we can also interact with content in many ways. culture360.org’s articles are open for readers to comment on them and to discuss related topics. This article presents a selection of comments received during 2011. Feel free to add your own remarks in 2012 too, and to share and retweet. 

Asia – Europe | visual arts events 2012  Don’t miss this calendar of biennales and art festivals happening this year all over Asia and Europe. Coming up soon is the Berlin Biennale, curated by the controversial Polish artist Artur Żmijewski.

Edinburgh International Festival to host first International Culture Summit  Good to see that new cultural initiatives are being started. The Edinburgh International Culture Summit will be hosted in the Scottish Parliament from 13-14 August 2012 and will gather Ministers from around the world. We will keep an eye on the programme.

In conversation at the Angkor Photo Festival | Cambodia  An interview with the director of the Angkor Photo Festival in Siem Reap, Cambodia: this is an interesting platform that aims to give visibility to young photographers in Asia. The festival is already in its seventh edition.

Art Hong Kong 2010: Exploring new horizons  Looking through some of the older content on culture360.org, we found this revealing interview with the Director of Art Hong Kong Fair, Magnus Renfrew, who explained back in 2010 some of his ideas and hopes for the future development of the fair. And it seems that he was right in his assessment of Hong Kong as a place for contemporary art. Recently ArtHK confirmed that in future the fair would be organised and produced in collaboration with the renowned Art Basel. Is this the ultimate proof that the market is shifting towards Asia?

Triangle Conference | sustaining the global art ecologies through networking  The Triangle Network has developed its work in a non-hierarchical, self-sustainable way for more than 30 years. Recently they organised an international meeting of other similar networks, inviting artists from all over the world to London to share their own experiences and perspectives, and to discuss matters of importance to artists today.

Dialogue Across the Equator at the Jogja Biennale  In this interview with the curators of Jogja Biennale we read some insider details about this exhibition that closed early this year. The show offered a refreshing concept and an interesting selection of works by some big names but also by less well known artists.

Some other related content:

Seoul Art Space | Interdisciplinary network of residencies  A network of residencies located in Seoul offering programmes for performing arts, literature, media and visual arts. Each space has its own policy and deadlines. Check regularly for updates, as short notice and quick timing are the norm for Korean Open Calls to artists. This is the “Pali-pali” (Hurry up!) Korean way of life. It comes from a thrilling culture of doing things quickly; you need to know about that before you apply and be ready for it!

Busan Biennale  It is still too soon to know the programme, but the appointment of Roger M. Buergel as the Curator of the next edition of Busan Biennale is remarkable. Buergel directed the last controversial edition of Documenta in Kassel, which is probably the best-known event in the visual arts.

Llobet & Pons are a Spanish visual artist collective based in Berlin. They have participated in projects and residencies in European and Asian countries, for example at Akiyoshidai International Art Village (AIAV) in Japan; Seoul Art Space Geumcheon in South Korea and Platform Garanti in Turkey. They have presented their works at international art spaces such as Studio1 – Bethanien and The Process Room at the Irish Museum of Modern Art. In 2012 they will be residents at Lokaal01 in Belgium and Hangar in Spain.

Image: Jorge Paris

See also: 

Nomadic artists

Exchanging artistic ideals and values | residency programmes in Japan

Outside the mainstream | independent project spaces and artist-run initiatives in Japan