Art Basel Hong Kong 2020: Back to the shores of Hong Kong
Reading time : 11 minutes
Over the years, Hong Kong has carved out a neat spot for itself as the epicenter of Asia’s art scene and it is hardly a surprise that Art Basel is continuing with its run of yearly art exhibitions in Hong Kong.
Open to the public from the 19th of March till the 21st of March, the event will take place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and will feature 242 galleries from over thirty six countries and regions as far as South America and Africa. Of the 242 art galleries, twenty one will be taking part for the first time which is in line with Art Basel’s theme of bringing renowned artists from other parts of the world to make a debut in the Asian continent. According to organizers of the event, close to half of the exhibition spaces will be from Asia.
Southeast Asian galleries have quite a strong presence this time with close to 25 galleries from Hong Kong alone. If you are familiar with Hong Kong’s art scene, you may have heard of 10 Chancery Lane. One of the more exciting names in the industry, they are particularly focused on representing emerging artists from the Asia Pacific region and promoting their work to an international audience while also bringing international flavor to Hong Kong. They have been vocal supporters of Art Basel and this will mark their 5th time at the fair.
Gallerie du Monde is another well-known name making an appearance this time. Founded in 1974, they have stayed true to their name for almost fifty years by championing Chinese artists – an ideal that has helped them acquire a strong following. Some of the previous headline names by Gallerie du Monde at the Hong Kong iteration of Art Basel include Wu Chi-Tsung from Taiwan and the late Kwok Hon-Sum.
Perrotin is another noteworthy appearance and you can expect to see work from their artists like Takashi Murakami and Xu Zhen.
As with all previous editions of the event, Art Basel will be divided into several sections. Here is a quick look at what you can expect during your visit.
Galleries
This is the main section of the art show. It will hold the top 196 galleries and event organizers have confirmed that this sector will feature several solo presentations. In 2019, visitors were able to see presentations by Christopher Wool, contemporary artist Liu Xiaodong from Eslite Gallery and a specially created installation by Simon Starling. Visitors were also treated to the works of Wu Dayu, an abstract painter who specialized in cartoons, oil painting, pastel and pencil works – this array of creative interests helped him explore various styles, from cubism to impressionism.
Discoveries
As the name hints, this section focuses on solo presentations by emerging artists. There are a total of 25 galleries here. It is an all-inclusive affair with artists and sculptors from all corners of the Earth including Spain, South Korea and the UK while some of the first timers include artists from the US and the Czech Republic.
Encounters
Encounters have quickly grown to become one of the most popular parts of the Art Basel Hong Kong. In 2019, it was renamed to Still We Rise and it now contains up to twelve industry sized installations. As with the years before, all the installations will be along 4 meridians that run through the 2 exhibition halls. Last year, eight of the twelve artists were newcomers making their debut in the country.
Curators for the Still We Rise sector always focus on projects that are based around themes of uncertainty and disorientation by referencing past events and speculating about the future direction of the world. It is meant to be a call to action - something that helps people find hope in the most hopeless situations, which we all lack in the chaotic world of today. This is definitely one of the most unique areas at Art Basel and it is highly recommended that you pop by.
Noteworthy names
Several famous names will be making their way to Hong Kong this year for the event.
Leeahn Gallery
Established by Hye Ryung Ahn, once a collector and now a gallerist, Leeahn Gallery has been pivotal in reviving the Korean art scene and bring modern appreciation to the country – the gallery continues to do so to this date. Leeahn Gallery made their Art Basel Hong Kong debut in 2014 and this will be the 6th appearance at the event. As with their prior exhibitions, you can expect to see more Korean focused artwork.
Galerie Eva Presenhuber
There is no denying that Eva Presenhuber has a very keen eye for talent. Born in Austria and based in Zurich, she has been committed to artists like Karen Kilimnik, Ugo Rondinone and Liam Gillick for quite some time now and that is just the tip of the iceberg. Since establishing her company in 2003, she has continued to add some of the hottest talents in the industry to her roster which now boasts names like Sam Falls, Torbjørn Rødland, and Eva Rothschild to name a few. The gallery opened a branch in New York just three years ago but Eva Presenhuber had already established her company as a global powerhouse by that time, a gallery where visual potency met conceptual incisiveness. After a hiatus of five years, Galerie Eva Presenhuber will be coming back to Art Basel this year.
Konrad Fischer Galerie
Founded all the way back in 1967, Konrad Fischer Galerie was among the first to give Conceptual Art and Minimal a platform in the European continent and that should speak volumes about their eye for art. Since its opening, famed artists like Sol Lewitt, Bruce Nauman, and Hanne Darboven have had their exhibitions featured here while names like Jannis Kounellis and Arte Povera are frequently mentioned. Konrad Fischer Galerie has also featured their fair share of lesser known but extremely talented artists such as Alice Channer, and Manfred Pernice. 2020 will be the first time they take part in Art Basel 2020 and we can expect some electrifying work from them.
Mayoral
Founded in 1989, Mayoral in Barcelona has celebrated some of the most famous artists in the region including names like Antonio Saura, Modest Cuixart, and Manolo Millares - who have all contributed to the growth of Dada and the Dau al Set movement. Quite recently, the gallery expanded to Paris where they hosted the work of Eduardo Chillida and Joan Miró, two of Spain’s most revered artists. In 2019, the gallery showcased sculptures by Chillidaalong with artwork from Fernando Zóbel, a Filipino born painter who won critical acclaim for his ability to blend East Asian ink painting with abstract expressionism. Mayoral Gallery has announced that they will dedicate the entire booth at Art Basel to him.
Ink Studio
The name alone should tell you where this gallery puts its focus on: the millennia old art of ink painting in the Asian continent. Established by Christopher Reynold and Craig Yee in 2013, Ink Studio features both historic and contemporary art with a scholarly approach to the niche. Although a lot of their attention is on past art forms, this is a niche that continues to be explored by artists today - names like Huasheng Li and Zheng Chongbin jump to mind. During their show at Art Basel Hong Kong, you can expect Ink Studio to put all their focus into the multinational characteristics of ink painting by way of their Chinese, Korean and Japanese artists.
Sabrina Amrani
Sabrina Amrani is particularly interested in showcasing art from the Middle East, South Asia and the African continent. Opened in 2011, the gallery features Andrianomearisoa who represented Madagascar at the recent Venice Biennale, Waqas Khan from Pakistan, Alexandra Karakashian from South Africa and Manal Al Dowayan, a sculptor and video artist from Saudi Arabia. This blend of polar opposite cultures offers very unique results as these artists use narrative and visual signs from their home countries as the direction of their art. After appearances at the Encounters and Discoveries sections of last year’s Art Basel Hong Kong, Sabrina Amrani will be at the main gallery for this year.
Art photos on Kakahuette's online art gallery
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