Taking place from 27 to 30 May 2010, Hong Kong International Art Fair took the world’s most respected contemporary artists into the limelight.
With Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre as the venue, this third annual event transformed the city with a week of international showcase for talent, raising a hope for Hong Kong to become an Asia’s regional arts hub.
Also known as Art HK 10, this year’s fair reflected the diversity and dynamism of Hong Kong as an international city, yet maintaining a strong Chinese component to showcase the best of arts from Asia.
As a myriad of international players are seeking new markets, Hong Kong has become a magnet for affluent collectors not only from the mainland China, but also other parts of the world. Top-notch American, European and Asian galleries successfully held their exhibitions at Art HK 10, bringing their finest contemporary pieces to the show. And this year, there were much more to see around the fair compared to last year – more than 140 galleries from 27 countries participating at the fair.
Noted galleries such as Gagosian Gallery, Lisson Gallery & White Cube are among those that returned this year. Hanart TZ Gallery from Hong Kong, SCAI THE BATHHOUSE from Tokyo, Kukje Gallery from Seoul and Eslite Gallery from Taipei also returned to affirm this event as the leading art fair in Asia.
Long March Space from Beijing, Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery from Sydney and ShugoArts from Tokyo are some of the galleries new to the fair. A string of acclaimed galleries from the west also shared the same enthusiasm. Among them are Hauser & Wirth from Zurich, London & New York; Galerie Lelong from New York, Paris & Zurich; Emmanuel Perrotin from Paris; Almine Rech Gallery from Brussels.
More unique contemporary objects of arts were exhibited by the following galleries; Greenberg Van Doren Gallery, James Cohan Gallery, Lehmann Maupin Gallery, Leo Castelli Gallery, Marianne Boesky Gallery and Sperone Westwater from New York.
Art HK 10 also featured diverse solo presentations from some of the world’s eminent contemporary artists. Chinese artist Liu Ye for Sperone Westwater; Japanese artists Yoshitomo Nara for Marianne Boesky, and Aya Takano for Emmanuel Perrotin; as well as the acclaimed Glasgow artist Jim Lambie for The Modern Institute are among many others.
With the support of Deutsche Bank, ART HK 10 successfully became the key to a wider international door. Since the fair’s inception in 2008, ART HK has drawn more than 50,000 visitors. Not only was this year’s fair space increased by one-third over its inaugural year, but also drew an outstanding international collectors, curator and museum and so on.
A bevy of world class art personalities were shown at the fair, including British sculptor and Turner Prize winner Antony Gormley, Gugenheim Museum curator Alexandra Munroe, Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murakami, Tokyo Museum of Contemporary Art curator Yuko Hasegawa, just to name a few.
It was a spectacular show, indeed, that made Art HK not only about buying and selling, but more about culture than commerce. It’s about the making of Hong Kong as the region of cultural diversity and richness.
ART HK has been able to secure and to attract number of VIPs from across the globe in such an esteemed exhibition. And the world is looking forward to seeing the art industry in Asia prosperous.
Geographically positioned at the heart of Asia, Hong Kong has turned to be the world’s third largest art auction centre behind New York and London. Over the past two years, Art HK has become a key market place for the trade of art in Asia, and established itself on the international art calendar.
By Aulia R Sungkar. Published in PMR Magazine S’pore, September 2010.
