Who's Who at Art Basel
The worlds-leading art show Art Basel is coming back to Hong Kong for its seventh year in the city! So, get ready to grab your glasses (and possibly your chequebooks) as we delve into the ins and outs of the exhibition and explore the selection of artists, collectors and gallerists you may want to ‘accidentally’ bump in to…
With 242 galleries from 36 different countries, this year’s exhibition, held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from 29th March – 31st March, is rumoured to be the best ever. Several big-name U.S and European galleries have been chosen to feature at there for the first time, meaning the diverse range of artwork on offer will be inclusive to all audiences. 242 galleries is a lot to remember, so we’ve broken down who’s who at Art Basel and the events on offer for everyone.
Richard Koh
Of course, the Hong Kong fair will naturally have a strong presence of galleries from the city, as well as mainland China. However, it will also feature gallerists from all across Asia too, including Richard Koh Fine Art. With galleries in Malaysia and Thailand, the first time exhibitor in the fair will present work by the Thai artist Natee Utarit, as well as a whole host of other emerging and established artists.
Johnson Chang
After 4 decades in the Hong Kong art scene, Mr Johnson Chang has played a huge role in introducing contemporary Chinese art to the west. His interest in traditional Chinese sketching’s dating back to the 10th century combined with his commitment to modern art make his 30 year old ‘Hanart TZ’ gallery one that truly cannot be missed.
David Kordansky
Starting out as a CalArts graduate opening a small gallery in Chinatown in Los Angeles, David Kordansky was one of the youngest gallerists to be invited to an Art Basel fair in June 2014. His desire to engage with a vastly diverse group of artists enabled him to discover a wider international community between Los Angeles and other global centres. His gallery, David Kordansky Gallery, currently operates in Mid City LA, so check it out whilst he’s here to save the 7000 mile trip.
Art Talk – Zhang Peili
Born in Hangzhou, China, Zhang Peili is said to be a “pivotal artist in Chinese contemporary modern art” as well as a “critical figure in video art worldwide”. Known for his experiments in video in the late 1980’s, Peili steered his professional art career towards digital platforms and immersive multimedia. A little outside of the main exhibition area in Sheung Wan, the public is invited to join the conversation as he considers the ‘centrality of performance art with the development of his practice’.
Free Public access: Asia Art Archive, Sheung Wan
- Thursday 28th March: 11am-12:30pm
“Conversations”- This is a platform for central players in the art world to come together to share their visions and opinions on producing, collecting and exhibiting art. Last year saw prominent artists from all over the world, including one of China’s leading female artists Yu Hong, offer their unique perspectives on the global contemporary art scene.
Free Public Access: Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
- Friday 29th March: 1pm-8pm
- Saturday 30th March: 1pm-8pm
- Sunday 31st March: 11am-6pm