The buzz this month comes from Brisvegas with the opening of GoMA and the long awaited APT5 (the 5th Asian Pacific Triennial).

As the region’s art cogniscenti rubbed shoulders under the huge modernist canopy of the gallery, it was perhaps the wave from the general public that swelled and filled the new museum, making a lasting impact. I will report on the exhibition later in this column’s Focal Point – a look at Asian Oz.

Similarly, Singapore’s National Museum opened early December. After a succession of soft openings over the past six months, including the Singapore Biennale, one has to wonder what remained ‘new’ to be revealed as this opening – but we are assured the hors d’oeuvres would have been fantastic!

And in galleries around the region, December is always a quieter month mopping up the year and wacking up the group holiday show. There are a few exciting initiatives that need to be highlighted, such as Malaysia’s Wei-Ling Gallery’s gutsy move to debut work in Pakistan and the Oz / Jap new media collaboration “Re:search”; plus Bodhi Art’s new spaces in New York and Singapore, and of course the Asian Art Archives move next month to a much-needed 4,300 square foot space; plus the exciting Singapore initiative pairing Sotheby’s and LASALLE-SIA in developing a business/arts management post-graduate institute starting next year. It just keeps getting better!

Welcome to the Asian Art Report.

THE ASIAN PICTURE: EXHIBITIONS & EXCHANGES

Malaysia to Pakistan
In December 2006, Wei-Ling Gallery will embark on one of its most ambitious exhibitions to date, taking the works of 18 of Malaysia’s most progressive contemporary Malaysian artists to Pakistan to be exhibited at Amin Gulgee Gallery in Karachi. This is an terribly exciting initiative by KL dealer Wei-Ling, pushing for a fresh vitality for relationships within the region. Wei-Ling recently showed the work of Australian artist Stewart MacFarlane again challenging Malaysian audiences. This exhibition, ‘18@8, Kuala Lumpur-Karachi’, will be held at the renowned Pakistani sculptor gallery, and is supported by HSBC.