Situated Stories: International Juried Exhibition brings together artists from across the globe whose practices explore the power of narrative through diverse media—painting, photography, digital works, installation, and more. Each artist offers a distinct perspective shaped by personal history, cultural context, or lived experience. Their stories unfold through varied approaches, from reconstructing memory to examining identity, belonging, and transformation, revealing the many ways narratives can be formed, challenged, or reimagined in contemporary art.

Presented by Asian Art Contemporary, this exhibition highlights the depth and range of Asian artistic voices on the international stage. By centering storytelling as both subject and method, Situated Stories invites viewers to encounter connections across different cultures and mediums, while celebrating artists who expand how we understand and experience the world through their situated, resonant, and inventive narratives.

Title

Situated Stories

Date

December 1, 2025 – February 20, 2026

Selected Artists

Jieun Cheon, Matthew Chung, Nina Kuo, Vân Anh Lê, Ayana Hanbich Lee, Camille Li, Katherine Tzu-Lan Mann, Mizuki Nishiyama, Avani Patel, Mitchell Poon, Devishi Seth, Fengzee Yang

Juror

Carol Paik, Phil Zheng Cai

Exhibition Assistant

Katherine Li, Jianing Lu

Exhibitor

Asian Art Contemporary

Guest Juror

CAROL PAIK is a mixed-media artist based in New York, working primarily with repurposed materials. Her goal is to create art from the unappreciated, overlooked, landfill-destined stuff she finds around her, of which there is never a shortage. She is interested in the emotions we bring to the things we discard:  nostalgia, guilt, desire, and loss, and her goal is to give these objects–and, by extension, ourselves—new possibilities.

Her work has been shown recently at the Hudson River Museum in Yonkers, NY; Galerie Étienne de Causans in Paris, France; Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition in Brooklyn, NY; Westbeth Gallery in NY, NY; Silvermine Gallery in New Canaan, CT; Yellow Studio Gallery in Cross River, NY; and the SVA Flatiron Gallery in NY, NY.

https://www.instagram.com/capaik670/
https://www.carolpaik.com

Phil Zheng Cai (American, b. Shanghai) is a curator and writer based in New York. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a BA in Social Science, and received his MA from Sotheby’s Institute of Art. He has held posts at Mary Boone Gallery, Phillips Auctioneers, and is currently a partner at Eli Klein Gallery.

Phil Cai’s curated exhibitions have received critical acclaim. His curated exhibition “(In)directions: Queerness in Chinese Contemporary Photography” was reviewed by Hyperallergic, Musee Magazine, Asian American Arts Alliance AMP Magazine, and many others. His curated exhibition “Alienation?” was reviewed by the Brooklyn Rail. He has participated in panel discussions and talks at institutions such as the Asia Society Museum New York, the SCAD Museum of Art, Columbia University, Sotheby’s Institute of Art, among others. His independent curatorial initiative Open Kitchen focuses on systematic critique. Its most recent iteration “Open Kitchen – Fusion” was reviewed by IMPULSE Magazine.

Phil Zheng Cai’s writings are regularly published. His exhibition review “The Estate of Joshua Caleb Weibley at CHART Gallery asks if we still want to play” was recently published in WhiteHot Magazine. His interview with Bojan Stojcic “A Mirrored Interview” was published in IMPULSE Magazine. His exhibition reviews “A Proposal to Live with What Had Been There – Cynthia Gutiérrez at Museo de Arte Carrillo Gil”; “Enacting Disassociation – Jean-Luc Moulène Solo Exhibition at Miguel Abreu Gallery”; “Life as an Invitation – Yoan Capote Solo Exhibition at Jack Shainman Gallery” and critical essay “Take a Step: Phil Zheng Cai on the Opening of M+ Museum” were featured in the Widewalls Magazine.

His translated book “The Story of Philosophy” was published by Shanghai Yuandong Press in 2020. His critical text “Everything can become an NFT, is it true?” was published by the New York Time T Magazine China. His essay “Nomad Photography” was published in the Parsons MFA Photo thesis catalog in 2024.

Phil Zheng Cai currently works and lives in New York, and can be reached via email at philzhengcai@gmail.com.

https://www.instagram.com/phil.z.cai/
https://philzhengcai.com

Selected Artworks

Selected Artists

Jieun Cheon https://www.uncanishedworkld.com

Matthew Chung https://chungmatthew.com

Nina Kuo https://www.videosoundarchive.com

Vân Anh Lê https://vananh.space

Ayana Hanbich Lee www.ayanalee.com

Camille Li https://lipeiyang2001.wixsite.com

Katherine Tzu-Lan Mann http://www.katherinemann.net

Mizuki Nishiyama https://www.mizukinishiyama.com

Avani Patel https://www.avanirpatel.com

Mitchell Poon https://www.mitchellpoon.com

Devishi Seth devishiseth.com

Fengzee Yang https://www.fengzeeyang.com

Artwork information and images courtesy of the artists.