Throughout this year’s edition of Untitled Art, Miami Beach is spotlighting a diverse and international frame of mind. Kathy Huang, independent curator and the managing director of art advisory and special projects at Jeffrey Deitch in New York, and Jungmin Cho, founder and director of the art space WHITE NOISE in Seoul, have come together to present “East Meets West” within the fair—featuring a blend of emerging and established galleries.
Whitewaller spoke with Huang and Cho to learn more about the curatorial process within the fair.
Portrait of Kathy Huang. Photo by Luca Verner. Courtesy of The Greatest Magazine.
WHITEWALLER: As guest curators for Untitled Art’s pivotal “East Meets West” concept this year, what unique past experiences helped inform the way in which you would commence this new endeavor?
KATHY HUANG: In the past few years, a new crop of galleries, either Asian-run or Asian-focused, have emerged in New York, where I’m based. I look to these spaces as barometers for how conversations around the presentation of Asian artists are shifting.
JUNGMIN CHO: My goal was to show a broad spectrum of voices—from small, experimental project spaces to established galleries—to present not only a global perspective on Asia but also spaces that communicate the current dynamic realities of the region, reflecting insights I’ve gained from running WHITE NOISE internationally.
Portrait of Jungmin Cho.
WW: With your dexterity in curating exhibitions that place Asian artists and those of the Asian diaspora at their heart, what was your selection process like—in respect to both the tremendous 13th edition of Untitled Art as well as championing lesser-known creatives?
KH: Traveling for art fairs is a great way to discover emerging galleries and connect with new artists. Engaging with regional galleries in conjunction with attending the fairs informed my selection of galleries to invite to the 13th edition of Untitled Art; they often have intimate knowledge of lesser-known talent in the area and can provide insights into artists who resonate with specific communities.
JC: I focused on selecting presentations that challenge existing perceptions of Asia through a lens of historical reflection and fresh engagement with Western contexts. Rather than framing Asian identity as marginal, I aimed to center its core and stories of individuals that contribute to an evolving discourse on identity. These works resonate globally, questioning and reshaping understandings of Asian identity, culture, and aesthetics. For emerging artists and lesser-known galleries, I sought presentations that effectively showcase current movements within their local scenes, offering insight into the changing landscape of contemporary Asian art.
Ha Jin Lee, True Poetry is outside laws, 2024. Courtesy of Project K.
WW: What is your nuanced perspective on the current art market’s inclusion of Eastern representation, and what types of refreshing dialogues do you hope to spark at Untitled Art this year?
JC: The current art market’s approach to Eastern representation shows progress, but often reduces “Asia” to a monolith, missing the region’s vast diversity. At Untitled Art, it would be nice to promote fresh dialogues that showcase underrepresented voices and experimental work from Asian and Asian diaspora artists. By involving alternative spaces which are more focused on locality, I hope to highlight how these artists address what is really going on in there through unique, regionally informed perspectives, challenging Western-centric frameworks and promoting a deeper, more nuanced appreciation of Asia’s diverse narratives. Ultimately, I want this focus on Asian art to be more than a passing trend, cultivating sustained interest and a lasting sense of responsibility toward these diverse perspectives.
KH: I hope that this year’s theme encourages viewers to think about the East and West beyond the binary. Both terms need redefining.
