Art Basel concluded the 2023 edition of its Hong Kong show, which was marked by brisk sales throughout the week and across all levels of the market, and a celebration of its ten-year anniversary in the city and its ever-flourishing arts scene. Staged across two floors of the HKCEC for the first time since 2019, the show brought together 177 galleries from across the world – a significant increase from 130 galleries in 2022 – and saw the return of all special sectors, including Encounters, Film, Kabinett, and Conversations. 42 galleries rejoined the fair following a hiatus during the pandemic, while 22 galleries made their debut at the fair. For the first time, Encounters extended beyond the show floor, showcasing a large-scale inflatable sculpture of King Tut by Awol Erizku in Hong Kong’s Pacific Place. The work was presented by Ben Brown Fine Arts and supported by Swire Properties, the Official Partner of off-site Encounters.
March 23 - 25
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
Mark Bradford, A Straight Line, 2023 Courtesy Art Basel
General Impressions, Courtesy Art Basel
Courtesy Art Basel
Nanzuka, Courtesy Art Basel
Lee Ufan, Courtesy Art Basel
General Impressions, Courtesy Art Basel
General Impressions, Courtesy Art Basel
General Impressions, Courtesy Art Basel
Leading private collectors from 70 countries and territories attended the fair and explored
the city’s diverse cultural offerings, as did museum directors, curators, and patrons from
over 100 international museums and institutions, including: Art Gallery of New South
Wales, Sydney; M+, Hong Kong; Mori Art Museum, Tokyo; Leeum Samsung Museum of
Art, Seoul; Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Museum of Contemporary Art Australia;
National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul; Rockbund Art Museum,
Shanghai; Serpentine Galleries, London; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum New York;
Tate, London; UCCA Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing; and The Uffizi Gallery,
Florence.
Deepening its commitment to showcase the breadth of exceptional art from across Asia
and the Asia Pacific, the fair featured over two-thirds of participating galleries with
exhibition spaces in the region, including 33 galleries having exhibition spaces in Hong
Kong. Galleries from mainland China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan continued to have a
strong presence at the show, while galleries from India and Southeast Asia also presented
compelling booths that attracted fair visitors.
Beyond the HKCEC, Hong Kong residents and international visitors enjoyed Pipilotti Rist’s
site-specific moving image work ‘Hand Me Your Trust’ projected on the façade of M+,
commissioned by M+ and supported by Art Basel and UBS. The façade was set within the
undulating architectures of Hong Kong’s world-famous skyline along Victoria Harbour and
incorporated Rist’s typically vivid color palettes and freeform camera work, echoing the
dynamic shifts of scale of Hong Kong’s urban landscape.
Additional public programming included the Film program at the Hong Kong Arts Centre,
featuring 29 video works curated by multimedia artist and producer Li Zhenhua, as well as
special screenings curated by Videotage and Ghost 2565, two important non-profit video art
organizations in Asia. Conversations, curated by author and editor Stephanie Bailey,
featured 15 roundtable discussions and more than 85 speakers on topics such as art
and mental health, solidarity beyond feminism, art after Sinofuturism, Cantopop and
performance, and many more. Both Film and Conversations were free to the public.
‘This was our first show since Hong Kong lifted all pandemic measures, and the excitement
and energy in the halls – and across the city – were extraordinary,’ says Angelle SiyangLe, Director, Art Basel Hong Kong. ‘We are truly grateful for the commitment of our
galleries and the art community here in Hong Kong, which has wholeheartedly pulled out all
the stops to offer visitors a vibrant cultural program, morning to night and all week long.
More than ever before, our show reinforces its pivotal role in the region, uniquely bridging
the arts scenes across Asia and beyond.’
‘This week marked Hong Kong's grand reopening after three years of pandemic-related
challenges, with our show reaffirming its position as the apex cultural moment in the
region,’ says Noah Horowitz, CEO, Art Basel. ‘Collectors from Hong Kong, mainland
China, across Asia, and further afield came out in force, and it is truly exciting to witness
the extraordinary growth and vitality of the local art scene, bolstered by a new generation of
collectors and the opening of world-class institutions. Once again, Hong Kong
demonstrated its uncontested position as the leading art market hub in Asia and its critical
importance within global trade.
’
Galleries across all regions commented on their return to or debut at the fair:
'The mood in Hong Kong is ebullient, and you can feel everywhere the energy that's flowing
with the easing of COVID restrictions. The first day of the fair was a vivid reminder that
there is simply no substitute for being together in person with Asia's community of
wonderfully informed, sophisticated collectors, curators, and patrons. We are delighted that
we have placed truly exceptional works on the opening day of Art Basel Hong Kong with
highly respected public and private collections in the region.’
Marc Payot, President, Hauser & Wirth (Hong Kong, Ciutadella de Menorca, Gstaad,
St. Moritz, Zurich, London, Somerset, Los Angeles, New York)