Art Basel Hong Kong 2021, China

The 9th edition of Art Basel in Hong Kong, open to the public from May 21 to 23, with preview days on May 19 and May 20, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The fair presents 104 leading established and emerging galleries from more than 30 countries and territories, presenting premier works ranging from the Modern period of the early 20th century to the most contemporary artists of today.

Art Basel Hong Kong 2021 shows art world’s astonishing resilience and capacity for innovation and experimentation, share the excitement and vibrancy in the exhibition halls with our audiences around the world. Art Basel has continued to fulfill its role as the leading international art platform in Asia, rising to the current challenges with new models and approaches.

The experience of Art Basel Hong Kong 2021 Mixed up surreal and familiar. The exhibition continues to insist typically exceptionally diverse selection, that more than half of the works are selected from Asia, particularly its strong South Asian gallery presence, there’s an emphasis on local galleries, artists, art professionals, and collectors.

Highlight of modern and contemporary art galleries include: David Zwirner, Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, Lehmann Maupin, Lévy Gorvy and Pace, alongside regional exhibitors such as China’s Beijing Commune and Vitamin Creative Space, Mind Set Art Center and TKG+ from Chinese Taiwan, Korea’s Kukje Gallery and, from Japan, Kaikai Kiki Gallery and Ota Fine Arts. There’s a large representation of galleries either based in Hong Kong or with sizeable outposts in the city, among which are Alisan Fine Arts, Ben Brown, Pearl Lam and White Cube.

Exhibits in this main section of the fair include paintings, sculptures and drawings, as well as installations, photography, video and digital works, while an emphasis on historic Asian works sees presentations of early Korean experimental artists at Arario Gallery, and a showcase at Tokyo Gallery and BTAP of pieces by Yoshio Sekine, Kishio Suga, Jiro Takamatsu, Lee Ufan, Lee Jin Woo and Park Seo-Bo; indeed, Korean artists are strongly represented this year.

Running in parallel to the physical show, ‘Art Basel Live: Hong Kong’, brought the experience of the fair to audiences around the world through a rich digital program featuring Online Viewing Rooms, public and VIP walkthroughs live-streamed from the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, as well as daily broadcasts and virtual experiences.

Many galleries from overseas opted to participate with a satellite booth, a new concept introduced to support gallerists whose physical attendance in Hong Kong was not possible due to current regulations. Exhibitors amplified their on-site participations with complementary presentations in the Online Viewing Rooms, connecting with patrons and audiences worldwide.

Digital tools and services are present throughout the fair. Visitors can scan QR codes in the booths to directly connect with overseas dealers via WhatsApp. Art Basel further supplemented its digital offerings with the introduction of Basel Live, a daily video series featuring clips of collectors, artists, and gallerists around the world sharing their thoughts on the Hong Kong fair, interspersed with updates about goings-on in the city and at the fair itself.

Art Basel Hong Kong
Art Basel stages the world’s premier art shows for Modern and contemporary works, sited in Basel, Miami Beach, and Hong Kong. Defined by its host city and region, each show is unique, which is reflected in its participating galleries, artworks presented, and the content of parallel programming produced in collaboration with local institutions for each edition. In addition to ambitious stands featuring leading galleries from around the globe, each show’s singular exhibition sectors spotlight the latest developments in the visual arts, offering visitors new ideas, new inspiration and new contacts in the art world.

Art Basel has been a driving force in supporting the role that galleries play in the nurturing of artists, and the development and promotion of visual arts. The presentation artworks comprised precisely curated projects, ranging from thematic solo and group exhibitions to art-historical showcases and film.

Art Basel presenting an in-depth overview of art from Asia and the Asia-Pacific region, where half of the participating galleries coming from Asia and Asia-Pacific, Art Basel in Hong Kong assumes a significant role in the international art world, providing a platform fo Asian talents.

The show in Hong Kong not only provides a portal to the region’s artists, but also offers galleries from around the world a platform for bringing their highest quality work to Asia. The show also gives galleries from around the world a platform in Asia to demonstrate the way they work with artists, and bring their highest quality work to Hong Kong.

Hong Kong is the perfect location for art fair is due to its surrounding art scene, its supportive art community, and its position as a leading art market in Asia. With Hong Kong Art Basel’s 2021, deliver an opportunity for art enthusiasts to come together, experience art, and exchange ideas.

In Hong Kong, the growth of the fair under the management of Art Basel, has blossomed in a symbiotic relationship with the rapid rise of the art market in the region, and the lightning increase in the number of important galleries establishing themselves in Hong Kong. The fair and Hong Kong’s art scene are certainly gaining momentum, a significant sales with a strong response from Asian collectors.

A 21st century metropolis, Hong Kong ranks among the world’s most dynamic international capitals. During Art Basel, collaborations with local and international partners ensure a diverse range of arts programming, with hundreds of cultural events hosted across the city throughout the week.

Highlights
Art Basel’s exhibition sectors are carefully defined to provide visitors the opportunity to see many different types of important works, from historical masterpieces to the work of the newest generation of artists. Art Basel underlines its commitment to showcasing the best art from the region.

Paintings, sculptures, drawings, installations, photographs, video and editioned works of the highest quality are exhibited. Through a program of discussions and presentations, the show also offers a platform for cross-cultural exchanges among artists, gallerists, curators, collectors and visitors.

The “Galleries” sector, main sector of the show featured 86 of the world’s leading galleries presenting the highest quality of painting, sculpture, drawings, installation, photography, video and digital works, ranging from contemporary positions such as Philippe Parreno’s ‘Speech Bubbles’, at Gladstone Gallery, Danh Vō presented by Take Ninagawa, and historical presentations ranging from Spanish Filipino pioneer of abstraction Fernando Zóbel at Mayoral to a deep dive into the early experimental artists of 1970s Korea with Arario Gallery.

This year’s Galleries sector includes a strong overview of historical works from Asia, such as the presentation of the first generation of experimental artist from Korea, Kim Kulim, Byungso Choi, and Soun–Gui Kimat Arario Gallery; Tokyo Gallery + BTAP’s showcase of work by Yoshio Sekine, Kishio Suga, Jiro Takamatsu, Lee Ufan, Lee Jin Woo, and Park Seo–Bo. These historical presentations was complemented by a range of young artists such as Firenze Lai at Vitamin Creative Space, Harold Ancart at Clearing, Elizabeth Glaessner at P.P.O.W, Trevor Shimizu at 47 Canal, and Bendt Eyckermans at Carlos/Ishikawa.

Participating in the Hong Kong show for the first time, Proyectos Monclova from Mexico City present a selection of new works by Gabriel de la Mora from his ongoing series, ‘Neornithes’. Other first–time participants include Karma, while Empty Gallery and Kwai Fung Hin Art Gallery was graduating from Insights.

The “Insights” sector, bringing together 10 galleries this year, Insights illustrated the modern art history of Asia and the Asia-Pacific through curated presentation of works by important artists from the region. The Insights sector presenting works by Asian artists dating from 1900 to the present, focusing on solo shows by eight first-time participants that have been specially commissioned for the fair.

Highlights include: a series of new works by Korean photographer Heeseung Chung at Gallery Baton; Leo Gallery’s presentation with Lin Yan, whose work interprets ink and Chinese rice paper in a contemporary way; first–time participant Shibunkaku’s booth of works by post–war Japanese artist Morita Shiryū, a pivotal figure in contemporary calligraphy in Asia; and Axel Vervoordt Gallery’s presentation of ‘Encounter –A Mirror Woman’ by Korean artist Kimsooja.

Asia Art Center juxtapose the works of Lee Tsai–chien and Fadjar Sidik, who are from Chinese Taiwan and Indonesia respectively, to explore the evolution of geometric abstraction in the two regions; while Nukaga Gallery bring together works by Saori Akutagawa and Yuki Katsura, two radical women artists who represent the dynamic creative transformation experienced by women in post–war Japan.

The “Discoveries” sector, focused on solo shows by emerging artists, Discoveries this year featured 8 galleries, including first-time participant Anat Ebgi, showcasing new paintings by Greg Ito.

Other highlights included High Art’s presentation of paintings by Hun Kyu Kim that take inspiration from the tradition of Korean silk painting technique, and Shanghai-based conceptual artist Liu Ren presented by Don Gallery. Capsule Shanghai presented Hong Kong-based artist Leelee Chan, while Vanguard Gallery showcased a multi-media installation by Shandong-born artist Zhu Changquan.

The “Film” sector, for its seventh time, multi-media artist and film producer Li Zhenhua curated a program of 11 film and video works inspired by the current sociopolitical climate, which were screened at the Louis Koo Cinema, Hong Kong Art Centre and free to the public.

BMW Art Journey shortlist
Launched in 2015, the BMW Art Journey is a collaboration between Art Basel and BMW, created to recognize and support emerging artists worldwide. Since 2020, the circle of eligible artists has broadened and includes not only emerging and mid-career artists from the Discoveries sector, but also artists represented by galleries founded no more than ten years ago at Art Basel’s show in Hong Kong. The three shortlisted artists for the tenth BMW Art Journey are Julien Creuzet represented by High Art, Kelvin Kyung Kun Park represented by Vanguard Gallery, and Alice Wang, represented by Capsule Shanghai.