5 Asian Artists and Galleries to Check Out at the Armory Show

Let’s admit it, summer is over in New York City. Everyone is back in the city, from international students who went home to China for summer break, to your rich neighbor who has returned from Koh Samui with a new tan. When everyone’s back, small talk is back, and the talk of the town in September is undoubtedly the Armory Show.

Held at the Javits Center this year, the art fair that started off scrappy and experimental now features galleries and artists from around the world. Do not fret, because here is RADII’s list of Asian artists and galleries featured in the Armory Show to casually bring up at a dinner party and seem extremely cultured. 

Li Hei Di

Li is a London-based emerging artist originally from Shenyang in northeastern China, and her three panel painting Of Mercy to Shelter and Shield (2024) is on offer at the Michael Kohn Gallery booth. Born in 1997, in her paintings Li explores themes of gender and sexuality through a visual language that she considers to move fluidly between figuration and abstraction. Li told Artnet that her aesthetics are heavily influenced by her obsession with on-screen depictions of women in Hong Kong movies from the 80s and 90s. The ambiguous hybridity between femininity and masculinity that Li observes in these female film protagonists is embodied in the natural abstraction on her canvases.

Artist Li Hei Di in her London Studio. Image via Artnet. - RADII
Li Hei Di in her London studio. Image via Artnet.

Yoonhee Choi

Yoonhee Choi is a Korean artist represented by G Gallery, a leading contemporary art gallery in Seoul. Choi’s paintings are abstract, but her thread-like lines seem to imply an orderly rhythm, or as G Gallery describes them, “depict accumulated time that remains like a trace.” Last December, Choi’s work appeared alongside sculptures by fellow Korean artist Hwang Sueyon in the highly acclaimed G Gallery exhibition “Thick Skin.” Choi’s introspective, meditative, and expressive landscapes placed her on the map as one of five artists on Artsy’s radar last year. 

Yoonhee Choi, Silent Noise #7 , 2023. G Gallery. Image via Artsy. - RADII
Yoonhee Choi, Silent Noise #7, 2023. G Gallery. Image via Artsy.

Dominique Feng

This year’s Armory Show also features the Platform section, curated by former Brooklyn Museum curator Eugenie Tsai, entitled “Collective Memory.” Within the section one will find a number of artworks by Canadian artist Dominique Feng, which resemble a wooden market stand stocked with items that evoke Chinese wet markets, as well as vessels that reference objects from the Shang Dynasty. The artist intends to hint at the shape of the art market itself, drawing attention to items that incite questions about the value and hierarchies that we endow upon objects.

Dominique Fung, Vase Transmitting Signals, 2021. Image by Genevieve Hanson. Courtesy of the artist and Jeffrey Deitch, New York. Image via The Armory Show. - RADII
Dominique Fung, Vase Transmitting Signals, 2021. Image by Genevieve Hanson. Courtesy of the artist and Jeffrey Deitch, New York. Image via The Armory Show.

SPURS Gallery

The Beijing-based SPURS Gallery will be an exhibitor at this year’s Armory Show, presenting works from more than 20 artists, ranging from Chinese avant-garde pioneers who got their start in the 1970s, to the country’s young, emerging artists, and a few Western artists thrown in for good measure.

Among the works on display will be the artwork I-Ching Divination (1991) by Huang Rui, one of the founding members of the Beijing avant-garde art group the Stars, who kickstarted Chinese contemporary art in the 1980s. The gallery is also presenting work by emerging artist Hou Zichao, whose practice explores the confrontation between his personal approach to painting and electronic image viewing habits, creating a visualized contemplation on man versus nature in today’s cultural context.

Huang Rui, I-Ching Divination, 1991. Image via The Armory Show. - RADII
Huang Rui, I-Ching Divination, 1991. Image via The Armory Show.

Tang Contemporary Art

Originally founded in Bangkok, Tang Contemporary Art is now a familiar name around Beijing, Hong Kong, Seoul, and Singapore, with a commitment to promoting Chinese contemporary art around Asia and the rest of the world.

At the Armory Show, Tang Contemporary is presenting artist Cai Lei from Changchun in northeast China, whose work in both painting and mixed media sculpture concerns different conceptions of illusion and space that exceed singular dimensions. A pioneer of abstract art in China and another member of the Stars group, Zhu Jinshi will also be presented by the gallery.

Cai Lei, 0106#, 2021. Image via the Armory Show.

Banner image by Haedi Yue.

China Set to Top Medal Table at the Paris Paralympics

As we approach the conclusion of the 2024 Paralympics in Paris, Chinese athletes are continuing a winning streak and creating history along the way. As of publication, Team China sits on top of the leaderboard for medals, with 63 gold, 47 silver, and 27 bronze medals, adding up to an impressive total of 137 medals. In comparison, China’s closest competitor, the United Kingdom, has 33 golds and a total of 75 medals.

Here are a few highlights:

In the long jump T11, blind jumper Di Dongdong from Liaoning stood ahead of the sand pit with his assistant positioned at the jumping board. “Come, come, come…” (来、来、来) the assistant signalled, as Di came sprinting down the runway and hurled his entire body into the sand pit. Di not only won gold in the event but broke a 10-year-old world record. 

Chinese swimmers Yuan Weiyi, Guo Jincheng, and Wang Lichao swept the podium in men’s 50 m backstroke S5. Seeded as the top three, the Chinese swimmers started in the most favorable lanes next to each other. As all three of them do not have arms, they use a device held by their teeth on the starting block and leap backwards into the water, depending entirely on the power of their lower bodies. Yuan pulled away from the pack and earned his gold by slamming his head into the wall.

Guo later won silver in men’s 100 m freestyle S5, setting a new Asian record. Netizens online dubbed the trio as “armless flying fish” for their performances in the water.

Shi Yiting hugs New Zealand’s Danielle Aitchison. Image via Qianjiang Shiping.

In track and field, runner Shi Yiting won a double in both the women’s 100 m T36 and 200 m T36, breaking the world record in the 200 m event. After the race, Shi collapsed on the track in utter exhaustion. Silver medallist Danielle Aitchison of New Zealand came up to her and then both athletes stood in a long embrace. Shi said the win felt so surreal that afterwards she could only cling onto her opponent’s hug. 

Shi was a breakout star at the 2016 Rio Paralympics, and also picked up two golds in Tokyo. Her iconic hug quickly went viral online, with Chinese netizens exclaiming that friendship comes first and competition comes second (友谊第一、比赛第二). 

With the Paralympic Games concluding on Sunday, fans can anticipate a few more days filled with athleticism, perseverance, and heartwarming moments of sportsmanship in Paris. 

Banner image of Di Dongdong via Yangshi Xinwen.

This “Room” in KL Has Become a Launchpad for Emerging Malaysian Artists

As a melting pot of cultures, Kuala Lumpur has become the incubator for cultivating a new age of ingenuity in Malaysia. From forward-thinking chefs daring to interpret age-old local staples with Western culinary methods, to architects giving derelict buildings a new lease on life, the capital city embodies creativity in modern Malaysia.  

This level of creative nurturing also extends to the arts. Ambitious and daring to shake up narratives, an emerging breed of alternative artists is bringing fresh takes to the table, and The Back Room is at the forefront of this movement.

Located within the confines of the Zhongshan Building (a location we featured in our list of old-turned-new KL spots), The Back Room is a stark contrast from the spacious, sometimes imposing halls of big name art galleries. The name matches its reality; The Back Room is quite literally just the size of a regular room.

The gallery’s ethos is made obvious on its website: “At The Back Room, we stand by the belief that art shouldn’t just be giant tapestries hanging in huge mansions nor about champagne parties and fancy events,” writes founder Liza Ho, who is also the Creative Director of the Zhongshan Building.

The Back Room founder Liza Ho. Image via The Back Room.

Boasting over a decade’s worth of experience within the art circuit, Ho launched The Back Room after the shuttering of OUR ArtProjects, a previous venture that was also in the Zhongshan Building. 

By swapping the white-washed spaces of a traditional art gallery for a cramped room at the back of a Japanese-themed café, The Back Room cuts through convention to create a community for both artists and visitors to converge and interact. As a result, it’s the perfect space for young, tech-savvy creatives — who may not be keen on participating in traditional art showcases — to set up exhibitions that allow visitors to get up close and personal with their work.

For first-timers or those unfamiliar with art, there are knowledgeable and friendly volunteers who can help with navigating the admittedly intimidating process of viewing art. And since The Zhongshan Building is frequented by a younger and hipper crowd, this personal touch dispels awkwardness and allows visitors to let their guard down, making the gallery experience an enriching and memorable one –– no matter how little one might know about art or its associated lingo.

Image via The Back Room Instagram.

While most galleries focus on a roster of established artists and cater towards an elite collector clientele, The Back Room does the opposite, showing a wide range of artists and striving to make art affordable for almost everyone. Come expecting to see anything from paintings and prints to photographs and sculptures. 

In the past few months, The Back Room has hosted Joshua Fitton’s “Shadows in Time,” featuring thirteen ink drawings made with broken ceramics pieces; “Inventory of Intimacies,” a group exhibition by three emerging Malaysian artists (Ang Xia Yi, Cheong See Min, and Nia Khalisa) working with textiles; and Dexter Sy’s interpretation of the Chinese diaspora through vivid paintings.

Image via The Back Room Instagram.

Beyond exhibitions, The Back Room doubles as a marketplace to buy art at a broad range of prices, which means even those without deep pockets can walk out with a one of a kind statement piece. As Ho says on the website, “… while we don’t believe in ‘cheap’ art, we believe in fair prices and having a range of art of different mediums, sizes and price points.”

To further democratize art buying for the general public, the gallery hosts the event “1000 Tiny Artworks” every year, featuring 100 artists, each presenting 10 works measuring approximately the size of a tile, and priced at 100 RM (about 23 USD) each.

Image via The Back Room Instagram.

As a whole, The Back Room fits perfectly in the community of tenants that forms the Zhongshan Building ecosystem. Whether it’s an artisanal French-inspired bakery or a listening room where you can discover the coolest DJs around town, each business has its own calling card and sense of style, not wanting to bend to the mainstream –– just like The Back Room and its laid-back, almost rebellious approach to promoting art.

Banner image via The Back Room.

Transforming Chinese Soccer: The Rise of Shaanxi Union F.C.’s Fan-Centric Model

Shaanxi Union Football Club made headlines in 2023 as China’s first large-scale, non-profit, membership-based soccer club. An extraordinary level of community engagement has powered the team’s transformation, as nearly 9,000 fans came together to raise 12 million RMB to support the club’s formation. However, Shaanxi Union’s journey has been anything but easy.

In recent years, Chinese soccer has faced significant turmoil. Between 2018 and 2023, nearly 50 professional teams were disbanded, including the Xi’an-based Shaanxi Chang’an Athletic, which at the time was competing in China League One, the second-tier league for professional soccer in China. In March 2023, due to wage arrears, Chang’an Athletic failed to meet the Chinese Football Association’s entry requirements, leading to its disbandment. This left Shaanxi soccer fans heartbroken, but also more determined than ever to save their team.

In response, former club stakeholders and fans initiated efforts to create Shaanxi Union in July 2023. The key difference this time? A new fan-driven membership structure. The new club is modeled after successful European football clubs where fans hold a significant portion of ownership shares. 

Shaanxi Union fans in the stands
Shaanxi Union fans show their support. Image via Shaanxi Union F.C.

“I realized that there are actually a lot of clubs in Spain that face this problem, such as Deportivo De La Coruña and Real Oviedo. They all have this membership system and then go out to the community to raise money,” says Langnike, a Chinese soccer blogger and a loyal fan of Shaanxi’s teams. He has followed the game of soccer, especially emerging youth players worldwide, for decades. His screen name borrows from the Chinese name of his favorite coach, Ralf Rangnick, and he has 350,000 followers on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok.

“The club had approached me as early as 2022, looking for a new survival strategy,” Langnike explains. His insights reflect the urgency the club’s leadership felt and the belief that fans, rather than outside investors, could solve Shaanxi’s soccer woes.

The core idea behind the membership model was simple: let the fans own the club. Through extensive discussions, Shaanxi Union established itself as a home-based, fan-centered team, adhering to a “fans first” philosophy and “long-termism.” Fans were given the right to vote on critical decisions, and, more importantly, the power to veto major changes.

This model, though unprecedented in Chinese football, quickly garnered support. Despite the outpouring of enthusiasm, however, financial challenges still loomed large.

“We knew then that, although fan enthusiasm was high, the money alone wouldn’t be enough,” Langnike comments. Operational costs such as player salaries, security fees, and travel expenses were substantial, and the club quickly realized that running on membership fees alone would not be sustainable.

Shaanxi Union players
Image via Shaanxi Union F.C.

The team struggled to deliver consistent performances as the season progressed, and dissatisfaction grew among the fans. Recognizing that external support was needed, the club reached out to Qin Ying Sports, a specialized soccer training institution. After a membership vote, in September 2023 Qin Ying Sports took over 65% ownership, with the remaining 35% still controlled by the fans through an NGO.

“The club could go much further with a professional management team’s help,” Langnike added. This partnership enabled Shaanxi Union to improve its management and training standards, and the results soon followed. The team is gradually getting better and climbing up the table. After starting in China’s fourth-tier football league in April 2023, by the end of the season, they secured promotion to the third-tier, China League Two.

As of March 2024, over 15,000 fans had signed up for memberships, strengthening the club’s community. The increased involvement of fans has had both positive and challenging effects. On one hand, it has created a strong sense of ownership and community among supporters. “Owners may come and go, but fans will always be here,” Langnike emphasized. On the other hand, managing fan expectations while ensuring professional operations requires a careful balancing act. The club has instituted regular updates and meetings to keep fans informed, sending monthly reports to members and keeping communication open.

Shaanxi Union’s innovative model has not gone unnoticed by other clubs in China. Teams such as Liaoning Tieren F.C. have expressed interest in the potential of fan-driven sustainability in a market often dominated by large corporate investments.

In the broader landscape of Chinese soccer, which has seen rapid rises and equally swift collapses, Shaanxi Union offers a fresh approach. While the membership model has flaws, it has provided the club with financial stability that few others in the league can claim. More importantly, it has given fans a genuine voice in the club’s future.

Shaanxi Union in action
Image via Shaanxi Union F.C.

“Union shouldn’t just be a local club for people in Shaanxi; its culture and membership model can attract fans from all over,” Langnike noted optimistically. 

Looking ahead, Shaanxi Union will continue to navigate the complexities of balancing professional management and fan engagement. The ultimate goal remains to climb higher within China’s football league system, a journey that will surely rely on the dedication and passion of its fans.

Shaanxi Union Football Club’s story is a testament to the power of collective action. While many clubs have fallen victim to financial pressures and mismanagement, Shaanxi Union has shown that when fans are given a stake in the future of their team, success becomes a shared mission. 

There is the possibility that the club will advance into China League One next year, which would be a major accomplishment, but one that could bring greater financial liabilities with it. For the time being, fans like Langnike are thinking about the big picture: “What do I imagine the Shaanxi team should be? It should be one of the few soccer clubs in China that can be self-sustaining — self-sustaining through its business model. And it shouldn’t just attract just fans from Shaanxi, it could even attract foreign fans through its club culture.”

Banner image by Haedi Yue.

Why Almost Every Chinese App Is Starting to Look like Xiaohongshu

Last month, content about the Olympics seemed to be everywhere in China, from billboards to social media. Perhaps your digital wallet would be the last place you’d turn for yet more Olympics content, but look no further, because even the Chinese payment app Alipay is rolling out a series about Olympic athletes.

With everything from Luxembourgian “granny” table tennis player Ni Xialian talking about her match up against Chinese superstar Sun Yinsha, to commentary on the Euro football championship back in July, even your digital wallet has become a trap for “doomscrolling.”

Creators have also found success on Alipay as an app for content creation. After Alipay announced that it is investing heavily in supporting content creators on the platform, one user reported making 200,000 RMB from the payment app, according to sports business publication ECO Keti.

A promotional image for Olympic athlete-related content on Alipay. Image via Eco Keti.

Alipay is only one of many Chinese apps that have recently turned towards content creation. These tech companies are undergoing “Xiaohongshu-ification,” essentially replicating the functions of the popular social media and e-commerce platform and adding them to their pre-existing services.

For example, the Quora-esque Zhihu has rolled out the app CHAO, which many netizens view as Xiaohongshu for men. Short form internet shows are everywhere from e-commerce app Taobao to delivery app Meituan. Even TikTok, already dedicated to entertainment, is rolling out its latest app Kesong (可颂) with the slogan: “Unlock trendy, fashionable lifestyles,” directly aiming at young consumers who are largely under Xiaohongshu’s purview, reported Vista.

The functions and interfaces on these platforms are becoming increasingly similar. They encourage creators to make videos which may “plant seeds” (种草 zhǒng cǎo), that is, influence users towards buying certain products. Ultimately the goal is to keep users’ entire online experiences centralized on one app. 

Social media platforms copying each other is not unprecedented, and the strategy seems to work. In 2016, Netizens were angry when Instagram copied Snapchat and created its “story” function. But these days Instagram’s Stories have far surpassed Snapchat in its original form.

Still, as more and more apps roll out content aimed at influencing users, many netizens are also expressing their frustrations towards this inundation. One user under the username “Goodname” commented: “Even my app for doing laundry has e-commerce and video functions. Not only does it take up space, but the app is taking me to all sorts of unexpected ads. I just wanted to do my laundry without getting interrupted.”

Banner image image via Qiguojiang, showing a side-by-side comparison of Kesong (left) and Xiaohongshu (right).

Zheng Qinwen Reaches US Open Quarter-Finals, Overcoming Racial Slur

Zheng Qinwen powered into the quarterfinals of the US Open, shattering records and breaking through significant barriers. She defeated Croatia’s Donna Vekic, ranked 20th in the world, with a score of 2 sets to 1 in the round of 16. Zheng will face world number two Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter-finals, marking a rematch of this year’s Australian Open final.

This win comes just a month after her triumph over Vekic in the finals of the Paris Olympics on August 3, 2024. Notably, their match concluded at 2:15 a.m. ET, setting a record for the latest finish in a women’s match at the US Open.

With a total of 48 aces across her four matches so far, Zheng has proven a formidable opponent. It’s worth noting that she showcased her impressive serve by hitting an astounding 20 aces in her second-round match against Erika Andreeva — surpassing Hall of Famer Serena Williams’ record of 18 aces set in 2016.

Defying negativity, Zheng triumphs on the court with grace and strength. Clip via Eivor’s X page.

During the match, Zheng faced a racial slur directed at her, where a spectator shouted “yellow banana.” In response, Zheng demonstrated her determination to rise above such negativity, defiantly stating, “I’ll beat you.” She then showcased her skills, ending the match against Vekic with a smile and flying kisses to the crowd.

The hashtag “Zheng Qinwen fought back racism” (郑钦文遭种族歧视霸气回击) has since become the most popular trend on the Chinese social media platform Weibo. Many users have addressed Zheng as “our queen,” lauding her courageous stand against discrimination and expressing pride in her resilience.

The powerful 21-year-old is also making history as only the second Chinese woman to reach the US Open quarter-finals, following the legendary Li Na, who accomplished this feat in 2009 and 2013 respectively. 

A celebrated tennis star, the Henan province native’s performance at the US Open not only showcases her exceptional talent but also sheds light on ongoing challenges faced by athletes. As she competes for a spot in the semifinals, fans are eagerly anticipating whether Zheng can maintain her momentum following her victory at the Paris Olympics. 

Banner image via Getty Images.