- Asia Contemporary Art Week : Asia Contemporary Art Week

A Brief History of ACAW

Asia Contemporary Art Week (ACAW) was established in 2001 through an independent joint initiative of the Asia Society and a group of visionary individuals from leading museums and galleries in New York, known as the Asian Contemporary Art Consortium (ACAC). Its primary mission was to heighten the awareness and visibility of contemporary art practices from Asia within the United States.

The first edition of ACAW took place in November 2002 as a two-day symposium, marking a pivotal shift in the perception of art from Asia—from being seen as derivative of Western discourses to being recognized for its critical contributions to the field. Renowned New York Times critic Holland Cotter described the event as “a turning point for the discussion of art from Asia in America.” Beginning in 2006, ACAW expanded its initial focus on East Asia to include less-visible regions such as Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East. The curatorial and educational platform welcomed mainstream institutions such as The Museum of Modern Art, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and Brooklyn Museum as partners and hosts for ACAW programs.

Over the years, ACAW evolved from a week-long event into an entire season of exhibitions and signature programs curated by ACAW in New York and off-site. Since 2005, these programs have filled regional representation gaps and brought lesser-known Asian artists into mainstream spaces. During the “Asian art bubble” (2008–2011), numerous galleries from China and India established impressive new spaces in New York’s Chelsea and other neighborhoods, introducing a large number of artists from diverse Asian regions to the city. ACAW played a crucial role in contextualizing this burgeoning scene through collaborative public programs, spotlighting hundreds of artists.

By 2014, ACAW’s consortium had expanded to include institutions, galleries, and grassroots arts organizations beyond New York, reflecting the growing significance of Asia’s contemporary art scenes. Partners included INK Studio (Beijing), Alserkal Avenue (Dubai), The Korean Art Museum (Seoul), Galeri Zilberman (Istanbul), Mori Art Museum (Tokyo), and M+ (Hong Kong).

In 2014, ACAW Director Leeza Ahmady conceived FIELD MEETING, an annual forum for arts professionals designed as an alternative exhibition model that prioritizes process over objects. FIELD MEETING transformed the studio visit experience into a large-scale communal gathering, where more than 40 artists, curators, scholars, and institutional leaders presented their practices in formats such as performances, lecture performances, and curatorial talks. Hosted by prominent institutions—including Asia Society Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, SVA Theater, Performa, and Hunter College Art Galleries—FIELD MEETING has engaged over 2,000 arts professionals across six editions. In 2019, it took place off-site for the first time at Alserkal Avenue in Dubai.

In 2016, ACAW launched FIELD REVIEW, an online journal extending FIELD MEETING’s discursive impact by offering a platform for writers, curators, and art historians.

By 2019, ACAW had outgrown its original format. While the expansion from a week-long event to seasonal programming was an incredible achievement, sustaining large-scale initiatives that addressed the needs of artists, curators, galleries, and institutions became increasingly challenging. FIELD MEETING emerged as a response to these evolving demands, creating a space for deep engagement among artists and professionals across disciplines, including architecture, literature, philosophy, science, anthropology, and environmental studies. However, the complexity of simultaneously managing FIELD MEETING and the larger ACAW programming highlighted the need for a strategic pause.

Following years of non-stop programming, ACAW took a hiatus in 2019 to reflect on its achievements and reassess its long-term sustainability. Progress was underway when the COVID-19 pandemic struck, prompting a profound reevaluation of ACAW’s mission and future direction. The team embraced this period of silence as an opportunity to reimagine the platform, leading to its formal incorporation as a non-profit organization under a new name: Asia Contemporary Art Forum (ACAF). This change honored ACAW’s two-decade legacy while better representing its expanded scope.

The pandemic underscored both the persistent misconceptions about Asia and the vital need for human connection. While ignorance and biases about Asia continue to shape global narratives, ACAW—and now ACAF—remains committed to education, increasing awareness, and amplifying Asia’s contributions to the worldwide art ecosystem. At the same time, the pandemic reinforced the importance of in-person exchange. FIELD MEETING had always relied on live interaction, particularly for artists who rarely had opportunities to travel and present their work internationally. ACAF continues to facilitate these meaningful connections, fostering global collaboration and strengthening the artistic community.

Since 2021, ACAF has shifted focus to an internal-facing program, Talking Peers. Conceived by ACAF board directors Leeza Ahmady, Megha Ralapati, and Christopher Ho, Talking Peers facilitates collaborative engagements among Asia-based and Asian diaspora artists, curators, and educators. This initiative activates, empowers, and revitalizes professional networks by cultivating artistic connections and establishing expansive peer-to-peer mentorship structures. The program fosters collaboration across art collectives, institutions, and academia at both local and global levels.

Designed to emulate the intimacy of a studio visit, Talking Peers prioritizes sharing creative processes, resources, and knowledge over final artworks or exhibition outcomes. This approach nurtures deep, meaningful relationships, fostering professional development and creative renewal among participants.

In September 2021, ACAF launched a special edition of Talking Peers: Arts for Afghanistan. This mentorship program supports Afghan artists and creative professionals who, due to the country’s recent regime change, have resettled in new countries. Co-facilitated by Leeza Ahmady (Director of ACAF and Programs Director for the Foundation for Spirituality and the Arts), the program provides monthly online Zoom sessions in both English and Farsi. These sessions offer practical, psychological, and professional development support to help participants navigate the challenges of rebuilding their careers in unfamiliar environments.

Each month, a leading artist, curator, museum director, or academic joins the program to share insights and strategies for artistic growth and career development. Beyond fostering confidence and strengthening creative capacities, Talking Peers: Arts for Afghanistan builds a support system for displaced Afghan artists, ensuring they remain connected to an international artistic community while forging new pathways for their practice.

ACAF remains committed to supporting artists, curators, and art practitioners through dynamic, meaningful programs that cultivate collaboration, knowledge exchange, and sustainable artistic development. By continually evolving, ACAF ensures that Asia’s critical contributions to contemporary art are recognized and actively shape the global discourse.