This special issue of positions adds to the increasingly substantial set of discussions on contemporary visual art in Asia. Approaching the topic from an interrogative perspective - one that explores deceptively simple definitions of terms such as "contemporary" and "Asia" - these essays examine specific works from Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, China and the Philippines and consider the particular context in which they were created. The result is an issue that encourages larger discussions of reflexivity, historicity, and politicization as it relates to artistic expression in Asian contexts.