In only few years’ activities, Arthub Asia is growing and positioning itself as a dynamic platform that encompasses all Asia and brings its projects and -most importantly- its spirit worldwide.

With the news that Defne Ayas is now taking over the Director’s position of Witte de With in Rotterdam, Qiu Zhijie becoming the Director of Shanghai Biennale 2012 and Davide Quadrio leading a new project for the Institute of Visual Art of Fudan University in Shanghai, Arthub Asia is proving to be the strongest platform for innovative practices in this challenging world.

We are sending this letter to you due to your dedication to the development of contemporary art and for the incredible support you have given to Arthub Asia and its projects in the last years.

Qiu Zhijie, one of our directors and insatiable artist and thinker, has been short-listed to the Hugo Boss Prize and, within this framework, he is producing a body of works that will be published in the Hugo Prize Publication 2012.

This work will be EXCLUSIVELY on sale for and by Arthub Asia.

In line with the nature of the experimental and research-based nature of projects by Arthub Asia, Qiu Zhijie has developed a body of works based on the “Map of 21st century” which he originally presented in a performative way in 2010 when invited to talk at the “Digital Life and Design conference” at HVB Forum on January 25, 2010 in Munich, Germany.

From this first project, Qiu Zhijie developed a series of mappings of the contemporary world based on several concepts that are summarized in the following maps: “Map of 21st century”, “Map of Utopia”, “Map of Total Art “, “Map of Chinese History”, “Map of Nanjing Yangzi River” and “Map of Spirit Renew”. “Map of Spirit Renew” will actually be the curatorial concept for Shanghai Biennale 2012 and will be presented as an in-situ project during the Biennale.

As Qiu Zhijie states: “Mapping is a process of trying to understand the relationship, the will and the Self, to map is to know. Mapping is a process of building concepts, and becomes the script on which we build the future-action. “

Lastly, we can also say that this body of work will be the summa of Qiu’s work of the last years, published as part of the Hugo Boss Prize publication, as well as, the starting and ending point of Qiu’s curatorial work for the Shanghai Biennale 2012.

The set of etching prints, 5 pieces, 80 x 60cm, will be an edition of 10 + 2 AP and available by March 2012. We are selling to collectors and friends of Arthub Asia the editions 6 to 10 with the exceptional price of  20 000 USD (edition 6), and 25 000 USD (edition 7 to 10).  Edition 1-5 have been already sold to prestigious collections. 

Please be advised that all this money will be invested solely in Arthub Asia’s projects.

Please contact davide @ arthubasia.org for further inquiries.

Sincerely yours

Davide Quadrio, Defne Ayas and Qiu Zhijie

Arthub Asia Directors