There is no shortage of museums in Asia. But, for the most part, the idea of what a museum is and what it is for is a recent construct. The museum is a space still undergoing considerable negotiation, especially with regard to the current state of art production, which ranges from the exhibition of contemporary art at international biennales to the trade in all manner of art objects.

While the current state of many art museums in Asia is cause for concern, with an emphasis often on hardware over software, the right conditions exist for new interpretations of the role of the museum.

On 17 May 2008, AAA and The Department of Cultural and Religious Studies at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, invited key individuals and institutions to address relevant issues and share with us their insights and experiences at the conference ‘Shifting Sites: Cultural Desire and the Museum’.

Content from the conference, including keynote speeches, presentations, reports, and group discussions can be found here.


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