However, what has not kept pace with the exhibition of contemporary art from Southeast Asia is the art criticism about it. Although it's not as if there isn't already a substantial body of art writing from the region; rather, this body of writing remains largely uncollated, insufficiently analysed and poorly distributed. For instance, there is still no anthology of art writing from the region.

Comparative Contemporaries is a website anthology project. The project begins with 5 editors who have selected what they believe are 10 key texts of art writing from Southeast Asia. These selections will then be published on the Asia Art Archive website (www.aaa.org.hk).

The aim is to encourage a process of debating and developing an anthology, to establish a regional community engaged in discussion, rather than establish a canon of authors. Over time, new editors, and new "proto-anthologies" will be added to the website.

The Conference brings together over 40 writers, curators, artists from the region to discuss the website anthology project (the website itself will be launched in May 2007). The editors will preview their selections; the planning of the website will be discussed, as will topics in theory, history and translation. There will also be a workshop on the region's engagement with the documenta 12 magazine project.

Schedule & Details:
Tue 10 Oct 2006

- 10am to 12.30pm: Opening remarks & the website anthology editors discuss their selections (Sue Acret, Patrick Flores, Ly Daravuth, Keiko Sei, & Lee Weng Choy)
- 12.30 to 1.30pm: Lunch
- 1.30 to 3.30pm: 3 separate Workshops

These 3 Workshops happen concurrently, and are for discussing and preparing for the Panel Sessions that follow on Day 2. With the aim of keeping things intimate, the organisers aim to keep the numbers to within 20 persons per workshop. They will have a sign-up sheet for workshop participation.

Workshop 1: Developing the Comparative Contempories website
Workshop 2: Translation
Workshop 3: Theory & History

Wed 11 Oct 2006
- 10am to 11.30am: Panel 1: the Website
- 11.30am to 12.30pm: Panel 2: Translation
- 12.30 to 1.30pm: Lunch
- 1.30 to 2.30pm: Panel 3: Theory & History
- 2.30 to 3.30pm: Discussion

Thu 12 Oct 2006
- 10am to 1.30pm: short presentations by the following speakers: John Batten, Thomas Berghuis, Gary Carsley, Kevin Chua, Norman Ford, Jay Koh, Janine Sager

Fri 13 Oct 2006:
- 10am to 1.30pm: documenta 12 magazine Workshop
A key part of the major exhibition, documenta 12, is a "journal of journals" project which brings together about 70 print and online periodicals from all over the world. These magazines are invited to discuss the main themes and issues of documenta 12, and contributions will be compiled and published in a series of publications. For more about the project, visit: http://www.documenta12.de/documenta12/english/magazines.html

The conference is co-organised by The Substation and the Singapore Section of the International Art Critics Association. Funding is provided by the National Arts Council. The website project is a collaboration between The Substation and the Asia Art Archive.