Complexities and contradictions

For a country obsessed with the new, the word 'history' crops up frequently in contemporary Chinese art. But not only in China. All of Asia has become the most diverse and fast-changing continent in the world. This can be seen in the new directions in 21st century art, from Korea and Indonesia to India and Vietnam. But while the artists' approaches are largely universal, in the midst of commercialisation and ever-growing range of media, there is also resistance to globalisation as artists seek to balance their individual identity, and local culture, with universal narratives.