Provincialism has long been an issue within the schema of Australian art. While the internet and global communications have allowed for a more fluent exchange of international cultural content, Ausin Tung is seeking to further foster and extend this kind of equitable, borderless artistic relationship. In addition to the Melbourne space, the gallery is registered to operate within Hong Kong and Shanghai, two of Asia’s largest visual art hubs. The gallery operates in a transparent manner and several shows a year will be independently curated by academics, artists and cultural practitioners.

The space is currently showing High Definition, a critical survey of Australian painting in 2011 (previously at Paradise Hills gallery). The next exhibition will focus on the work of three contemporary Chinese artists based out of Shanghai in an attempt to provide a snapshot of the city’s contemporary culture. It’s a significant risk for a commercial gallery to embrace challenging international art so readily, and as Bradley purports, “Melbourne hasn’t seen anything like this.”

It’s refreshing to see a gallery so clearly attempting to break out of the local art scene and embrace our regional neighbours, and a great opportunity for Melbourne see work that might otherwise not make it to our shores.

Ausin Tung Gallery
164 High Street Prahran

Hours
Tue-Fri 10am–6pm
Sat 12pm–5pm

ausintunggallery.com