ML - Vegas Magazine

2014 - Issue 3 - May/June 11th Anniversary

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Eastern Time ART BASEL'S SECOND ANNUAL HONG KONG SHOW BLENDS THE BEST OF ASIA AND THE WEST FOR VEGAS'S COLLECTORS. BY SUE HOSTETLER I n just a few short years, Hong Kong has been transformed from a city that many considered a cultural desert to the fourth-largest global market for contemporary art, according to Artprice, an art market information source, with more than $130 million sold in 2013, partially due to record- setting auctions and the rise of billionaire art collectors in China. As recently as 2008, there were no major art fairs, but the visionaries behind the powerful Art Basel shows in Switzerland and Miami Beach helped push the cultural renaissance forward last year when they debuted Art Basel in Hong Kong. Asia's second annual art fair—which opens Thursday May 15 and features a slate of 245 of the world's most inf luential galleries from 39 countries—will help add even more international credibility and exposure to the Asian art market. "Every fair has its own mission and vision," says show director Magnus Renfrew, "and Art Basel in Hong Kong aspires to provide a fair for Asia of global stature and the highest quality while retaining its unique regional f lavor. Hong Kong has long been regarded as the portal connecting the East and the West. It is a major financial hub and as such is designed to allow for more professional and efficient transactions." This year's show will be marked by a continuation of the strong program- ming that is a hallmark of the two other Art Basel shows. The Discoveries sector, which is dedicated to solo and two-person exhibitions by emerging artists, is shaping up to be particularly exceptional. A $25,000 prize will be awarded to one of nearly 30 participants of this sector at the end of the week, a unique element of ABHK that is not seen at other fairs. Much preshow buzz has surrounded the funky Irish gallery Mother's Tankstation and its presen- tation of the work of Sydney-based artist Noel McKenna, whose figurative pieces contemplate the human condition and make him one to watch in Discoveries. Also creating excitement is the Encounters sector— featuring large-scale sculptural and installation pieces—being curated by Japan's highly regarded Yuko Hasegawa of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo. "Last year Yuko's selection spurred a com- pelling discourse around contrasting generational and cultural approaches to artistic practices," says Renfrew. "I have every confidence that her program this year will again present ambitious works that act as conversation points throughout the exhibition halls." And one of Miami's most beloved events—the Film sector—will debut in Hong Kong this year, developed by Chinese multimedia artist and curator Li Zhenhua and hosted in partnership with the Hong Kong Arts Centre. " e highlight is being part of that experience of discovery when collectors come to know artists they have not yet seen." MAGNUS RENFREW The Churchgoing Satanist (Earplugs) by Hernan Bas, 2012. FROM LEFT: The fair will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, set against the city skyline and Victoria Harbour; fair director Magnus Renfrew. ART FULL PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND LEHMANN MAUPIN, NEW YORK AND HONG KONG (BAS); COURTESY OF ART BASEL (CONVENTION CENTRE, RENFREW) 82 VEGASMAGAZINE.COM 082-083_V_SC_Artful_MAYJUNE_14.indd 82 4/21/14 1:35 PM

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