Review of Art Basel Hong Kong 2015, China

The 3rd edition of Art Basel in Hong Kong, open to the public from March 15 to 17, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The fair presents 233 leading established and emerging galleries from across the world, presenting premier works ranging from the Modern period of the early 20th century to the most contemporary artists of today..

Art Basel presenting an in-depth overview of art from Asia and the Asia-Pacific region, where half of its galleries have exhibition spaces. Leading galleries from Europe, the United States and Africa was showing alongside, with 20 leading galleries from Europe and the United States showing with Art Basel in Hong Kong for the first time. The presentation artworks comprised precisely curated projects, ranging from thematic solo and group exhibitions to art-historical showcases and film.

There are three major sectors of the Art Basel Hong Kong show: Galleries, Insights and Discoveries. Include galleries outside of Asia that are providing a platform for exciting Asian talents.

With half of the participating galleries coming from Asia and Asia-Pacific, 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.

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.

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 2015, 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.

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.

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.

“Galleries” is the main exhibition sector of Art Basel, where leading galleries for Modern and contemporary art from Asia and around the world display artworks from 20th and 21st century. Galleries, the main sector of the show, feature 179 Modern and contemporary art galleries, presenting the highest quality of painting, sculpture, drawing, installation, photography, video and editioned works. Returning galleries include Gladstone Gallery, Goodman Gallery, Dominique Lévy Gallery, and Sprüth Magers Berlin London.

“Insights” sector, presents precisely curated projects focused on 34 galleries and artists from Asia and the Asia-Pacific region. The projects featured in this sector may include solo shows, exceptional art-historical material and strong thematic group exhibitions.

Sited at the heart of both floor levels, Insights provide an in-depth overview of art from across the region with featured artists from Australia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, China Mainland, Chinese Taiwan, India, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Palestine, Philippines, Thailand, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

Galerie Ora-Ora’s (Hong Kong) showing of works by contemporary Ink protégé Zhang Yanzi, creating an unprecedented four-dimensional experience; art-historical projects by Australian artist Yhonnie Scarce at dianne tanzer gallery + projects (Melbourne) and by Malaysian artist Anurendra Jegadeva at Wei-Ling Gallery (Kuala Lumpur, Penang);

A solo exhibition of Thai artist Yuree Kensaku by 100 Tonson Gallery (Bangkok), looking at the recent political situation in Thailand; and a selection of black and white photographs by Japanese artist Noritoshi Hirakawa at 55 (Shanghai).

“Discoveries” sector, present a particularly strong showcase of emerging artists from around the world with solo and two-person exhibitions presented by 20 galleries. This year, six of the 20 galleries was new to the show. Galleries including: am space, Eleven Rivington, Kraupa-Tuskany Zeidler, Darren Knight Gallery, Night Gallery, Raster and Shrine Empire.

Art Basel and BMW are presenting the BMW Art Journey, enabling emerging artists to design a journey of creative discovery to a destination of their choice. The shortlist of artists from the Discoveries sector was announced during the Hong Kong show.

“Encounters” sector, dedicated to presenting large-scale sculpture and installation works by leading artists from around the world, Encounters provides visitors with the opportunity to see works that transcend the traditional art fair stands, presented in prominent locations throughout the exhibition halls. Curated by Alexie Glass-Kantor, this year’s edition of Encounters present 20 ambitious large-scale projects by artists from across Asia and beyond.

Dedicated to large-scale sculptural installations that transcend the traditional art fair booth, the sector premiere never seen before work by David Claerbout, Dzine (Carlos Rolon), Taeyoon Kim, Zai Kuning, Yang Maoyuan, Dane Mitchell, Eko Nugroho, João Vasco Paiva, Shooshie Sulaiman, Gao Weigang and Zhao Zhao alongside previously exhibited pieces by Mikala Dwyer, Cao Fei, Siobhán Hapaska, Wang Keping, Hew Locke, Tallur L.N., Xu Longsen, Sterling Ruby and Lee Ufan.

Gagosian Gallery is one of the world’s leading modern and contemporary art galleries, and at this year’s art fair it participates with extraordinary works. The Hauser & Wirth has selected some of the most important works for the Art Basel Hong Kong 2015.

Galerie Lelong present a selection of artists whose works and practices are influenced by cultural exchange and representative of Eastern traditions, iconography, and close ties to the Asia-Pacific region.

SCAI The Bathhouse was present with extraordinary pieces, while the White Cube also participate at the show. Galerie Daniel Templon present some of its most valuable works. The works by Tadashi Kawamata may be seen at Misa Shin Gallery, while the works by Chen Shaoxiong was exhibited at the Pékin Fine Arts.

“Film” sector, presents a dynamic program of art films that cover a wide range of thematic, stylistic and technical approaches to filmmaking. Screenings take place in the agnès b. cinema at the nearby Hong Kong Arts Centre.

The Film sector present 38 works by 36 artists, exploring seven diverse themes curated by Beijing and Zurich-based multi-media artist and producer Li Zhenhua. Highlights of the program include seminal works from the 1960s and ’70s by artists Marina Abramović and Michael Craig-Martin, alongside more recent video work by Yu Cheng-ta, Cheng Ran and Yan Xing, and many others. New works by Chen Tianzhuo, Lu Yang and Song Kun was premiered.

Art Conversations
Art Basel’s stimulating program of Conversations and Salon talks allow audiences to deepen their knowledge of artistic practice, the international artworld, and the art market.

The daily Conversations series offers the audience access to the thinking of important artworld players –artists, curators, critics and collectors – who offer their unique perspectives on producing, collecting and exhibiting art.

Salon is an open platform for dozens of short, often informal presentations, such as artist talks, panels, lectures and performances with a range of speakers representing many different aspects of the artworld.

Conversations program: premiere artist talk
Inaugurating this year’s conversations series is Chinese artist Cao Fei, whose multi-media practice explores the contemporary conditions in urban China, taking form in RMB City—a city the artist developed as the avatar “China Tracy” in the online world of Second Life. Don’t miss your chance to hear her discussion with Hans Ulrich Obrist, Co-Director of Serpentine Gallery in London.

Salon program: Hong Kong as Site and Situation
Leung Po-shan Anthony, Kurt Chan, Clara Cheung, Yuk Keong and Stephanie Sin consider Hong Kong as a site of constant negotiation across all levels of society, from an artist community in Hong Kong operating as a limited company, to the building of theoretical university courses on public art. Moderated by John Batten.

Same Old, Brand New, by Cao Fei
Renowned international Chinese artist Cao Fei present a major new work during the 2015 edition of Art Basel in Hong Kong. Each night from March 13 to 17, Same Old, Brand New was shown across the entire façade of Hong Kong’s iconic 490-meter-high International Commerce Centre (ICC) on the Kowloon harbor front.

Celebrating local and global art scene within the cultural fabric of Hong Kong, the Chai Wan Mei Arts & Design Festival, take place on Saturday between 11am and 9pm and Sunday between 11am and 7pm at various locations.