How to Curate a Region? Japan, Asia and the Politics of Display

In art history, the notion of region is a key analytical category for understanding aesthetic and identity-related processes as well as transnational interactions, challenging national frameworks and opening up new historiographical interpretations. Although Asia is often conceived as a stable cultural entity, contemporary exhibition practices—such as biennials and transnational projects—are reshaping its regional imaginaries. In this context, Japan occupies a strategic position as a driving force behind curatorial platforms that articulate Asia as a shared space. This symposium critically analyzes how exhibitions produce narratives of regionalization, addressing their tensions and power relations.