Join the arty party in town
March is art month in Hong Kong. Keep up-to-date with all the culturally-inspired events taking place across the cityArt Basel
The main event, Art Basel Hong Kong, will be returning to “full scale” this year and will be featuring more than 240 international galleries, supported by an exciting art events programme both at Hong Kong Convention Centre & Exhibition Centre and around the city.
Artists from more than 40 countries will be represented at the exhibition, which is a 40% increase on last year. More than half of those exhibiting operate gallery spaces in Asia.
Art Basel is Hong Kong’s largest international art fair, focusing on modern and contemporary work by established and emerging artists. Art Basel launched in Hong Kong in 2013, the first time it had exhibited in Asia.
Sixty-eight galleries are returning following a hiatus during the pandemic years and 25 galleries will be joining Art Basel Hong Kong for the first time.
“Our goal is to connect guests from all around the world in our home, Hong Kong, by offering collaboration and innovation inspired by art and artists,” explained Angelle Siyang-Le, director of Art Basel Hong Kong.
Art Basel Hong Kong, Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai, March 28 to 30; preview days on March 26 & 27.
Art Central
Art Central will also be returning to its home on Hong Kong’s Central Harbourfront. The event will be hosted in a purpose-built structure overlooking the harbour and walking distance from Art Basel at Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre.
Art Central was founded in 2014 with a view to showcasing Asian works from the 20th and 21st centuries, including emerging and experiential artists. Exhibits of various art forms include painting, installation, photography and sculpture. It is one of the city’s most important cornerstone events supporting the city’s art week and this year it expects to attract 40,000 visitors, from art professionals to curious members of the public.
This year the event will be launching a new gallery sector, ‘NEO’, highlighting first-year exhibitors making their debut at the fair.
Art Central will also be expanding its timetable of talks and large-scale installations and will be bringing back its popular dining terrace. Also look out for Night Central on March 28.
Further programme details, including artists, exhibitors, talks, performances and curatorial projects will be announced soon so watch this space.
Art Central, Central Harbourfront, 9 Lung Wo Road, Central, March 28 to 31; preview day (invite only) on March 27. Tickets from hkticketing.com
Art in Resonance at The Peninsula
Also supporting art week, Art in Resonance at The Peninsula hotel will feature a collection of newly commissioned works by artists Kingsley Ng and Lachlan Turczan, alongside pieces from The Peninsula art collection.
This commission-based art programme was first launched by The Peninsula in 2019 and is designed to support emerging artists with funding and curatorial support.
Art in Resonance is open to the public, with works exhibited throughout the hotel. The art will remain at the hotel throughout May, after which the pieces will travel to other Peninsula properties and will be joined by newly commissioned pieces by other local artists.
For the duration of the exhibition in Hong Kong, visitors will have free access to all pieces and the event will be complemented by guided tours and dining experiences.
Art in Resonance, The Peninsula Hong Kong, Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, March 22 to late May.
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This brand new initiative will take place at The Trilogy nightclub in Central at the end of March and aims to showcase the city’s arts scene from an alternative perspective.
<ALT=”BASEL”> aims to explore art beyond traditional galleries and exhibition spaces, merging the traditional sense of community with contemporary digital tools to create experiences that foster connection, inspiration and entertainment.
The evening opens with live music and a keynote opening speech, paving the way for a series of discussions and performances that explore the impact of nightlife and cabaret on cultural expression and community cohesion, underlining Hong Kong’s distinct cultural identity.
<ALT=”BASEL”> offers a deep dive into Hong Kong’s arts and culture scene, showcasing nightclubs, grassroots visual arts communities and cabaret as key expressions of communal spirit and artistic exploration.
This event is a collaboration between The Trilogy and digital creatives Star-kin, who together advocate for Hong Kong’s diverse arts and culture scene, highlighting the critical role of arts and nightlife in promoting community engagement and enriching Hong Kong’s artistic discourse.
Tickets for <ALT=”BASEL”> are now available at $500 and after-party only tickets for $300.
<ALT=”BASEL”>, 5pm, March 26, The Trilogy, 26/F, H Code, 45 Pottinger Street, Central.
H Queen’s
Head to H Queen’s in Central for a curated art experience hosted by both the permanent galleries housed in the building and one-off pop-up events.
The international art galleries include David Zwirner, which will be hosting an exhibition by artist Wolfgang Tillmans across both floors of the gallery. ‘The Point is Matter’ explores shifts across time and place and will feature new video work by the artist. The event runs from March 25 to May 11.
Pace Gallery will be hosting artist Kylie Manning’s ‘Sea Change’ from March 26 to May 9, her first solo exhibition in Hong Kong. The exhibition comprises five large-scale canvases and related drawings following a collaboration with choreographer Christopher Wheeldon for the New York City Ballet.
Spanish artist Edgar Plans will be exhibiting at Tang Contemporary Art between March 25 and May 10. ‘Heart of Fearlessness’ is a playful but thought-provoking exhibition exploring courage, determination, introspection and wonder.
And Whitstone Gallery will be presenting work by Japanese artist Aruta Soup in ‘Ruins’ from March 25 to May 11. The exhibition is a social commentary and self-reflection, addressing the contradictions of modern society.
The pop-ups include an exhibition of Zaha Hadid’s artwork and space design hosted by The Henderson on the ground floor, which is a prelude to the opening of The Henderson building. It’s open now until April 6.
Onfinitive Art Foundation and VETA by Fer Frances presents ‘Traces of Life: Global Figuration’, a group exhibition exploring shared humanity and aesthetic values in figurative art from around the world. Fourteen emerging and established figurative painters will be showcased between March 25 and 30.
And London-based gallery Saatchi Yates will present ‘I Become You’, a solo exhibition by Korean artist Sujin Lee. This is Lee’s first solo exhibition in Hong Kong and will run from March 25 to April 9.
There’s also an invite-only event on March 25 hosted by ICHU PERU with a DJ performance, photobooth and Chinese calligrapher who will be creating customised notebooks for guests.
H Queen’s, 80 Queen’s Road Central, Central.
Pacific Place
The Admiralty shopping mall is hosting ‘Doan’, a multimedia installation from Australian ‘First Nations’ artist Daniel Boyd.
The artwork is being presented as part of Swire Properties Art Month programme.
“We’re very proud to host (this) extraordinary art installation at Pacific Place as we strive to bring together the community through authentic art experiences, by making art more accessible,” said WingChiu, general manager of Pacific Place.
Pacific Place has been selected for a second time as the only off site location for Art Basel Hong Kong’s ‘Encounters’ sector.
“Daniel Boyd’s Doan… challenges our notions of past, present and future and invites us to reconsider how we view and interpret the world around us,” said Alexie Glass-Kanor, curator of Encounters at Art Basel Hong Kong.
Pacific Place offers a “perfect backdrop”, Glass-Kantor added, as a space for shared reflection and dialogue.
Doan is made up of three synergistic elements that create a sensory experience. They include a moving image work, a mirrored floor and window treatments. Each element plays with light and form to explore themes of identity, memory, perception and history.
‘Doan’ translates as ‘darkness’ in the Yugambeh language of the Aboriginal people of Southeast Queensland.
The installation will be located in Park Court at Pacific Place and will be open to visitors from March 21 to April 7.
Art dining at LPM Restaurant & Bar
LPM Restaurant & Bar will be serving a menu of art-inspired drinks, dishes and desserts throughout Art Basel.
Bar manager Tibor Krascsenics has curated ‘Recipes for our Friends’, a cocktail menu that pays tribute to French artist, writer and bon vivant, Jean Cocteau. The menu includes 1889 Americano, Cocteau’s birth year, which is a mix of French Suze liqueur with vermouth infused with lightly toasted pineapple (allegedly Cocteau’s favourite fruit).
Room 22 is inspired by the room where Cocteau often stayed at Hotel Welcome in southern France. The cocktail, served with an absinthe fountain, sparked inspiration for Cocteau’s novel ‘Les Enfants Terribles’ in 1929.
Head chef Maurizio Pace has curated a French-Mediterranean menu of dishes to complement the cocktail menu.
During Art Basel, the restaurant will be hosting live music performances by The Troubadours, a party band from the French Riviera.
The special menus are available March 18 to April 3; The Troubadours will perform on March 29 and 30; LPM Restaurant and Bar, Shop 1, H Queens, 23-29 Stanley Street, Central, lpmrestaurants.com
Lead image: Art Basel Hong Kong 2023, Courtesy Art Basel
