As a venue for the FotoFest 2018 Biennial’s central exhibition, the presentation at Asia Society Texas Center will focus on the larger geopolitical role India plays in Asia and the West, as well as its impact through Indians living and working globally in the diaspora. The installation at Asia Society features works by Mohini Chandra, Tenzing Dakpa, Sarindar Dhaliwal, Chandan Gomes, Vinit Gupta, Abhishek Hazra, Annu Palakunnathu Matthew, Anoop Ray, and Gigi Scaria in photography, videos, and installations.
About the FotoFest 2018 Biennial
The FotoFest 2018 Biennial will focus on contemporary photography and new media art from India and the global Indian diaspora. Lead Curator Sunil Gupta is organizing the INDIA | Contemporary Photographic and New Media Art exhibition program with Steven Evans, FotoFest Executive Director. The exhibition is presented at three adjacent spaces in Houston’s Washington Avenue Arts District, and in a new collaboration, in the Louisa Sarofim Gallery at the Asia Society Texas Center in the Houston Museum District.
The FotoFest 2018 Biennial exhibition features 48 artists, and will be among the largest presentations of contemporary Indian art ever presented in the United States. In addition to the INDIA exhibitions, the FotoFest 2018 Biennial features a number of related programs including a film program, presented with The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; a two-day Symposium, featuring artists and experts on Indian art and culture; literary events; artist and curator led tours; a family day; and a special curriculum for students and teachers. FotoFest is pleased to coordinate with these other institutions to present timely and concurrent exhibitions showcasing #IndiaInHouston.
Exhibitions at Asia Society Texas Center are presented by Wells Fargo. Major support comes from Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, Nancy C. Allen, Leslie and Brad Bucher, the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance and the Anchorage Foundation. Generous funding also provided by The Clayton Fund, Texas Commission on the Arts, Ann Wales, Wortham Foundation, and through contributions from the Friends of Asia Society, a premier group of individuals and organizations committed to bringing exceptional exhibitions and programming to Asia Society Texas Center.
Presenting Sponsor
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Program Sponsors
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Regular admission to this exhibition is free for Asia Society Members and children ages 12 and under, $8 for Nonmembers.
Asia Society is part of VisitHouston's Houston Museum Pass, which offers gallery admission to 10 museums at a discounted price.
Hours
Tuesday – Friday, 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Saturday– Sunday, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Closed Mondays.
Photography
Photography of the exhibition without flash is permitted.
Exhibition Opening and Panel Discussion
Sunday, March 11, 12:00–3:30 pm
Celebrate the opening of the new FotoFest 2018 exhibition at Asia Society with light bites and sparkling wine, followed by a discussion with the biennial’s curators and featured artists.
FotoFest 2018 Biennial Symposium
Friday, March 23, 6:00 pm–9:30 pm
Indian journalist and photojournalist P. Sainath will be the keynote speaker for this symposium addressing contemporary art and social issues in India.
Monthly Tours
To schedule a group tour outside of these designated days, please fill out the form below or contact Michael Buening at [email protected]..
School Tours
School tours, facilitated by the education department staff and volunteers, provide educationally rich interactive opportunities for students to learn about Asian art, culture, and traditions. These free tours are open to all public, private, charter, alternative, and home schools. Visits take place on weekdays, Tuesday through Friday, for one to two hours.
All school tours and subsequent interactive projects are tethered to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and district curriculum standards. They may include:
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Docent-led tour of exhibitions in the Louisa Stude Sarofim Gallery
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"Introduction to Asia” PowerPoint Presentation highlighting essential information about Asian art, culture, geography, and politics
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Guided tour of the Texas Center and discussion of its unique architecture
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Interactive projects based on the current exhibition (unavailable during summer months, June through August)
At least two weeks’ notice is required for school tours and additional advance notice is required for groups larger than 25.
For more information, please Michael Buening at [email protected].
HOUSTON, March 10, 2018 —FotoFest International and Asia Society Texas Center will unveil their first-ever collaboration starting this weekend. Asia Society will serve as one of the four venues for INDIA|Contemporary Photographic and New Media Art, the central exhibition of the FotoFest 2018 Biennial.
Organized by Lead Curator Sunil Gupta and FotoFest Executive Director Steven Evans, the FotoFest 2018 Biennial exhibition features 47 artists, and will be among the largest presentations of contemporary Indian art ever presented in the United States. In addition to the main exhibition, the FotoFest 2018 Biennial will feature a number of related programs across Houston. More information on the exhibition, and programs, may be found at www.fotofest2018.art.
FotoFest venues are opens in all four spaces March 10 through April 22, but the exhibition at Asia Society will extend through July 29.
“We’re so pleased to share the work of these nine artists,” says Bridget Bray, Asia Society Texas Center’s Nancy C. Allen Curator and Director of Exhibitions. “They delve into issues which are deeply relevant to our audience and demonstrate the stunning diversity of contemporary Indian photography.”
Asia Society Texas Center’s exhibition will focus on the larger geopolitical role India plays in Asia and the West, as well as its impact through Indians living and working globally in the diaspora. The photography, videos, and installation pieces are by artists Mohini Chandra, Tenzing Dakpa, Sarindar Dhaliwal, Chandan Gomes, Vinit Gupta, Abhishek Hazra, Annu Palakunnathu Matthew, Anoop Ray, and Gigi Scaria. Collectively, their work has won awards and fellowships throughout the world and covers topics as diverse as the struggle between industrial expansion and indigenous communities; the juxtaposition of historical icons such as Mahatma Gandhi and Mao Zedong; the reconciliation of one’s upbringing with an adult sense of identity; and the practice of religion in hostile places; among others.
A free reception will be held at Asia Society THIS Sunday, March 11, 12 – 2 pm for guests to enjoy light bites and view the art. Then at 2 pm, a panel discussion will spotlight the biennial’s curators Sunil Gupta and Steven Evans and featured artists Tenzing Dakpa, Sarindar Dhaliwal, and Annu Palakunnathu Matthew.
Asia Society will also present the kick-off of a two-day symposium as part of the FotoFest exhibition schedule, on Friday, March 23, at 6 pm. The keynote presentation by Indian journalist and author P. Sainath will focus on social and economic inequality, and the aftermath of globalization in India.
Admission to the exhibition is FREE for members and children ages 12 and under, $8 for nonmembers. Asia Society Texas Center, located at 1370 Southmore Boulevard, is open Tuesday – Friday, 11 am – 6 pm, and Saturday – Sunday, 10 am – 6 pm.
Exhibitions at Asia Society Texas Center are presented by Wells Fargo. Major support comes from Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, Nancy C. Allen, Leslie and Brad Bucher, the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance and the Anchorage Foundation. Generous funding also provided by The Clayton Fund, Texas Commission on the Arts, Ann Wales, Wortham Foundation, and through contributions from the Friends of Asia Society, a premier group of individuals and organizations committed to bringing exceptional exhibitions and programming to Asia Society Texas Center.
About Asia Society Texas Center
With 12 locations throughout the world, Asia Society is the leading educational organization promoting mutual understanding and strengthening partnerships among the peoples, leaders, and institutions of Asia and the United States. Asia Society Texas Center executes the global mission with a local focus, enriching and engaging the vast diversity of Houston through innovative, relevant programs in arts and culture, business and policy, education, and community outreach.
About FotoFest International
Founded in Houston in 1983, FotoFest International promotes international awareness of museum-quality photographic and new media art from around the world. The first and longest running photographic arts festival in the United States, the first FotoFest Biennial was held in 1986. It is considered one of the leading international photography Biennials in the world. As an international platform for photographic and new media art, the FotoFest Biennial has become known as a showcase for the discovery and presentation of important new work and talent from around the world. The Biennial takes place citywide in Houston with participation from leading art museums, art galleries, non-profit art spaces, universities and civic spaces. The Biennial has an audience of 275,000 people from 34 countries. This audience includes a select group of 150 museum curators, gallerists, publishers, editors, photography collectors, directors of non-profit art spaces and international festivals from Asia, Europe, Latin America, Canada and the United States.
FotoFest. Photograph Magazine. March, 2018.
Indians Celebrating India at Houston FotoFest. The New York Times. February 27, 2018.
Celebrating Contemporary Indian Photography - In Pictures. The Guardian. March 9, 2018.
Focus on India in Houston. The Hindu. March 24, 2018.
Plan Your Visit
1370 Southmore Blvd, Houston, TX 77004
713.496.9901
