SEOUL, Mar. 27 (Korea Bizwire) – After a muted presence during the pandemic years, Art Basel Hong Kong, Asia’s largest art fair, is staging a resounding comeback this week at the Hong Kong Convention Center, fully regaining its pre-Covid scale.
The prestigious event, which has operated under its current name since 2013, kicks off on Monday with a VIP preview on March 26.
Renowned as a premier global marketplace for art, Art Basel Hong Kong typically draws over 80,000 visitors annually, with an estimated $1 billion worth of artworks changing hands.
However, the fair’s operations were significantly disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, forcing it online in 2020 and leading to a drastically reduced physical edition in 2021.
Even in 2022, lingering quarantine requirements for incoming travelers hampered the participation of many international galleries, resulting in a compromised “satellite booth” setup.
This year, the fair is making a triumphant return to its former glory, with 243 galleries from 40 countries and territories set to participate – matching the 2019 edition’s count of 242 exhibitors.
Over half of the participating galleries hail from Asia, including a strong contingent of 10 South Korean galleries.
In the fair’s main “Galleries” sector, prominent Korean exhibitors include Arario Gallery, Gallery Baton, Hakgojae, Gana Art, PKM Gallery, One and J. Gallery, Wooson Gallery, and Johyun Gallery, among others.
PKM Gallery will showcase works by Koo Jeong A, an artist representing South Korea at this year’s Venice Biennale, along with pieces by multitalented artist and musician Bek Hyunjin and pioneering abstract painter Yu Youngkuk.
Johyun Gallery plans to unveil a monumental 2-meter-tall bronze sculpture and an expansive 300-piece “Brushstroke” painting by Lee Bae, complemented by Kim Chong Hak’s iconic “White” series. Kukje Gallery will present wooden sculptures by Kim Yun-shin, alongside works by artists like Ha Chong-hyun, Kim Yong-ik, and Choi Jae-eun.
Arario Gallery will introduce new works by Lee Jin Ju, who reinterprets traditional East Asian coloring techniques in a contemporary vein, as well as video pieces from the 1980s and 1990s by the French-Korean artist Kim Soun-Gui.
In the “Discoveries” sector, which spotlights emerging and promising artists, Whistle Gallery will exhibit photographs by Kim Kyoungtae. The “Cabinets” section, featuring solo exhibitions, will see Johyun Gallery present eight late-period colored pencil works by the late Park Seo-bo.
The expansive “Encounters” sector, dedicated to large-scale installations, will host works by Yang Haegue and Australian artist Daniel Boyd, presented by Kukje Gallery. Yang’s piece consists of a pair of rattan sculptures evoking alien presences.
Beyond the fair itself, Hong Kong’s renowned galleries are unveiling new exhibitions to coincide with the city’s Art Week.
Auction house Sotheby’s will showcase high-value works ahead of its early April Hong Kong sales, including a Yoshitomo Nara painting with an 80 million Hong Kong dollars (approximately 13.76 billion won) starting bid, joined by pieces from Pablo Picasso and Claude Monet.
Phillips will also hold auctions at its Asian headquarters during the art fair.
Seoul Auction will host a preview exhibition at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong from March 25 to 28, showcasing select works slated for its March 29 auction in Seoul.
Concurrently, the Korean Cultural Center in Hong Kong, in collaboration with the Sungkyunkwan University Museum, is presenting “Layers of K-Art,” an exhibition exploring connections between late Dansaekhwa artists like Kim Tschang-yeul, Park Jong-gyu, Kim Keun-Tai, and Kim Chun-soo, and traditional Korean ceramics.
After its VIP previews, Art Basel Hong Kong will open to the general public from March 28 through March 30, reclaiming its heavyweight status as the premier art marketplace in Asia.
Image credit: Yonhap, Art Basel, Chohyun Gallery, Arario Gallery, Kukje Gallery / photonews@koreabizwire.com
