"I had embraced you...
long before I hugged you."
- Sanober Khan, A Thousand Flamingos
SAN FRANCISCO'S ONLY CONTEMPORARY ASIAN ART GALLERY ROUNDCOLLAB ANNOUNCES ITS DEBUT EXHIBITION: EMBRACE
SAN FRANCISCO, CA, October 26, 2023 - ROUNDCOLLAB, a dynamic and innovative addition to the San Francisco art scene, is thrilled to unveil its inaugural exhibition, Embrace. This marks a significant step in ROUNDCOLLAB's journey to celebrate and promote cutting-edge contemporary Asian art and the extraordinarily talented artists the gallery represents. The exhibition will run from 1 to 23 December 2023 at Gallery 211 and the Atrium of Minnesota Street Project, at 1275 Minnesota Street, San Francisco, CA 94107.
Turning microplastic into art, shattering taboos, interrogating one's relationship with faith, identity and heritage - Embrace is a spectacle of diverse styles, surprising techniques and fresh perspectives from eleven uncompromising talents from Singapore, India, Indonesia and Thailand.
Firdy Arman, Founding Partner of ROUNDCOLLAB, said: "A significant portion of the San Francisco Bay Area population are of Asian descent so it is a great opportunity for the community to be represented through the arts. Although Asian artists are being represented broadly by local galleries, there is still a lot to discover. There are so many prolific artists innovating and researching with methods, materials and globally relevant issues that are relatively unknown outside their respective countries due to the lack of exposure, connections and/or language barriers.
As a new U.S. gallery dedicated exclusively to contemporary Asian art, "Embrace" is our statement of commitment to bridging the vibrant Asian art scene with the global art community, and building a platform to serve as a conduit for creative dialogue and free expression. Through the work of our artists, who embrace and seek to transform the imperfect world around them, ROUNDCOLLAB aspires to convey how the human experience transcends cultures, languages and lands."
Featured artists include: Satya Cipta (Bali, Indonesia) whose work revolves around the themes of women's role in society, female sexuality, spirituality and heritage; modern flaneur and social commentator Leonard Yang (Singapore); Kadek Marta Dwipayana (Yogyakarta, Indonesia) who turns to abstract art to depict mental health struggles; Pratchaya Charernsook (Bangkok, Thailand), utilizing microplastic salvaged from her hometown in Southern Thailand in her art work as a commentary on pollution and natural landscapes; painter and tattoo artist Yangdol Namgyal (Sikkim, India), whose work represents a contemporary expression of Tibetan Buddhism; and Mathus Kaewdam (Chiangmai, Thailand), turning to mythology and digital collage of archival images to contemplate the relationship between humanity and divinity.
Other artists exhibiting at Embrace include Diana Puspita Putri (Indonesia), Donnapa Phurphangam (Thailand), Made Wahyu Senayadi (Indonesia), Siriroj Kotwongsa (Thailand), and Takdanai Kungsavarangkul (Thailand).
In conjunction with the exhibition, Embrace will also feature a series of Saturday lunchtime concerts in partnership with Groupmuse:
● Dec 2, 11am - 12pm: Friction Quartet - a cutting-edge string quartet; repertoire includes a specially commissioned piece by Asian-American composer Michi Wiancko
● Dec 9, 1pm - 2pm: Mark Galvan & Michele Walther - Japanese Butoh dance accompanied by the violin
● Dec 16, 1pm - 2pm: Shaina Pan & Corina Santos (Violin Duo) - contemporary classical music including a piece by Toru Takemitsu, and violin duo improvisation
● Dec 22, 1pm - 2pm: Amy Ahn (Solo Harp) - A selection of celebratory music on harp including Korean folk songs and Christmas tunes
Tickets are available through Groupmuse (www.groupmuse.com). We encourage contributions of $20 or more and all the proceedings will go directly to the musicians. Each concert will be followed by an exhibition tour.
For press inquiries and additional information please contact:
Firdy Arman: [email protected]
Gosia Klimowicz-Wong: [email protected]
