Image via Complex Original
The contemporary art scene is expanding globally more and more each year. Paris, London, New York, and Berlin are the usual hubs for culture and artistic celebration, but a new book released by Phaidon entitled Art Cities of the Future showcases a handful of up-and-coming cities you may not have expected to lead the pack. Selected by curators based in the featured cities, this edition gives lesser-known (yet equally talented) artists the spotlight from regions that are hotbeds for innovation across the globe. Check out 12 Art Cities of the Future to see what places you should be paying attention to in the coming years.
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12. Beirut
Beirut's unique contemporary art style has been formed by creative young people who do not work under the pressures of the art market. Because the scene started in order to reshape a war-torn landscape, it involves powerful and moving work, often commenting on societal and political issues.
11. Bogotá
While Colombia often receives negative attention for gang violence and drug trafficking, the city of Bogotá is also a hub for artistic and creative exploration. A matured but varied art scene, it can be wild and unpredictable. Bogotá has been attracting the interest of biennale curators in recent years but is still free from institutional pressures driven by the art market.
10. Cluj
Cluj may sound exotically unfamiliar, and it is recognized as the un-official capital of Transylvania. Home to approximately 309,000 students, Cluj boasts a young and committed contemporary scene. Given the city's location, artists often look to neighboring places like Bucharest for guidance, creating many different opinions on the mandate of Cluj's contemporary art sphere. The city's diverse group of citizens and varied stages of development offer an unexpected flavor.
9. Delhi
Though Delhi did not transform into the industrial haven that Mumbai did, it offers a fresher take on contemporary thought post-Independence. Delhi has growing modern standards towards arts and culture that are reflected in their many institutions, including the National Gallery of Modern Art, the Crafts Museum, and National School of Drama.
8. Istanbul
Istanbul could already be considered an "art city." With a massive, extensive contemporary art scene, Istanbul is home to countless private galleries and collections, competing art fairs, and a rising market. The growth of the city as a whole has led to creative endeavors as well, mixing Eastern traditions with Istanbul's European neighbors and Western techniques.
7. Johannesburg
A brutal past has inspired a very powerful creative output from Johannesburg. The city and citizens do not take lightly to impartial thought. The demanding environment has shaped tough and emotive artists who are becoming more and more popular on the global contemporary art scene.
6. Lagos
Despite a past that attempted to bury local culture, Lagos is the largest art center in West Africa. It hosted the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC '77) and is home to over 20 arts institutions. With involved collectors and curators, the market is diverse and has taken many mediums in many directions.
5. San Juan
Puerto Rico has been playing a large collaborative roll with mainland American artists for many years, but the province is finally starting to be recognized for independent work. San Juan has an interesting place culturally, influenced by both American and Latino traditions. Though this leaves some political issues hanging in the ether, the artists that come out of San Juan are bold and independent.
4. São Paulo
After years under a strict dictatorship, Brazil regained a steady economy that allowed the art scene to flourish rapidly and expand globally. The art students of São Paulo's institutions have left traditional practice in favor of new, experimental creations. Now with several decades under its belt, the current scene has matured and established itself as a global interface for art.
3. Seoul
In the 1980's a collective called Minjung Misul, or The People's Art, created a movement that allowed young, frustrated creative people to expand their practice with special attention to harsh political circumstances. The Minjung Misul specialized in activist art like performance art, murals, and printmaking to speak out against the suppression of creative freedom. Now, Seoul is thriving and producing some extremely impressive artists.
2. Singapore
Singapore has a reputation for strict censorship in the arts and media but its citizens contradict this with their exceptionally aesthetic sense and desire for entertainment. Now that art has become more of a buyer's market, Singapore is full of emerging artists who are crossing boundaries and pushing limits. Singapore will be opening its National Gallery of Art in 2015, further embracing the artistic economy.
1. Vancouver
Perhaps the main benefit for artists in Vancouver is location. Not only are they inspired by mountains, sea, and sky, Vancouver is also an easy access point to Hong Kong, the American West Coast, and Toronto. Besides its well-known art school named after famous Canadian painter Emily Carr, Vancouver is an urban center embedded with nature. It is touched by the similar grit of any major city, allowing a dialogue between old and new money residents as well as the struggling students.