Formerly known as ART HK – from 2008 to 2012-, the event was incorporated by the Art Basel brand in 2013, with the name Art Basel HK, becoming part of the international art fair circuit. Presenting historic masterpieces and also works of young Asian artists, the fair follows the model that became dominant around the world, being divided into five sections: Galleries, home to 187 international galleries; Insights with project from galleries of the Asia-Pacific region; Discoveries, with works created especially for the show; Encounters, showing large sculptures and installations; and Film, which features a selection works on video.
In just four years, the fair has established itself as the main art market event in the Asian continent. Even though the region has seen a proliferation fairs in the last decade – following the proliferation of museums, galleries, auction houses, and of course, institutional and private collections – only two are truly international events: Art Basel HK and Art Stage Singapore. Founded in 2011 by Lorenzo Rudolf, former director of Art Basel, the Singaporean fair, takes pride in being an Asian fair in the sense that its focus is on raising the international reputation of local galleries and artists, while Art Basel Hong Kong it is an international trade event with a high number of Western galleries. According to professionals of the art market, the arrival of Art Basel to the region, contributes to the opening of the Chinese and Asian markets, as it introduces the western contemporary production to the local audience, whose acquisitions are traditionally focused on antiques, decorative arts and what is called old masters (categories dominated by Chinese collectors).
This year, the event expects 60,000 people, including collectors from the Asia-Pacific, which are the main focus, together with a growing number of international buyers and art professionals who travel especially to attend the fair. Although China has shown decline in sales in 2015 (according Tefaf report), losing the market leardership to the US, the country is still the second largest consumer of art in the world, accounting for 22% of global sales. Contrary to fears that this decline would influence the performance of Art Basel HK, director of the fair, Adeline Ooi, said to the press – as published in artnet.com-, that the drop in sales in China would not affect the fair results since “Asia is not just China.”
Of the 239 participants from 35 countries, half come from the region, like China, the Philippines and Singapore, but Western galleries, especially American and British,are having an increasingly strong presence every year. Brazil is still, however, the only country in Latin America to participate in the Eastern version of the Swiss fair, and is represented by galleries Nara Roesler, Casa Triângulo and Mendes Wood DM. Speaking ARTE! Brazileiros, Daniel Roesler said Art Basel HK works as a kind of bridge between East and West. “The fact that half of these galleries at the fair are Asian makes it different from the Miami and Basel counterparts,” says the gallerist. He tells that the gallery has participated intensively in the process of opening the Asian market, so much that this is the 5th year they are going to Hong Kong – their participation in the event began even before the entry of Basel when the show was still called Art HK. “In addition, our team has conducted several other working trips to the region, collaborating on exhibitions of our artists in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Seoul and encouraging the coming of Chinese collectors to Brazil,” he concludes. The artists selected for their booth this year are: Isaac Julien, Cristina Canale, Tomie Ohtake (which is gaining great international attention recently), Julio Le Parc and Vik Muniz (who already had two singles in Hng Kong at Ben Brown Fine Arts).
Ricardo Trevisan, director of Casa Triângulo, says that the Asian market is very new but each year attracts new Chinese and Singaporean collectors. Regarding the Western and specifically the Brazilian art, Trevisan notes that Asian collectors tend to have a greater interest by the big names, which he says “is natural, since it is a new market”. The selection of artists chosen to be presented at Hong Kong this year includes Ascanio MMM, Mariana Palma and Joana Vasconcelos. Although only six years old, Mendes Wood DM, already makes its second appearance at Art Basel HK, presenting works by Paulo Nazareth, Paulo Monteiro and Adriano Costa.
The opening of new markets for Brazilian galleries and art in general through participation in international fairs, as well as other initiatives, is a project developed since 2007 by Latitude – Platform Galleries Brazilian abroad (formed by the collaboration between ABACT – Brazilian Association of Contemporary Art Galleries and Apex –Agency for Brazilian Promotion Abroad). The report results of its annual research, confirmed that after eight years of investment the project shows excellent results: while the domestic market has been shrinking in Brazil due to the economic downturn the country has been experiencing, the volume of exports had a significant increase (almost 100%) in 2014, representing about 15% of the total sales of Brazilian galleries. In addition to the participation of galleries in fairs around the world, the growing presence of national artists in commercial and institutional exhibitions abroad gives visibility to local production, generating greater international interest, a trend that should be confirmed during the next edition of SP-Arte, Brazilian biggest art fair, which begins April 7 in São Paulo.
Info: Art Basel Hong Kong
Until 26 of March
Room 1603-07, 16/F, Shui On Centre
6-8 Harbour Road – Wan Chai, Hong Kong
artbasel.com/hong-kong
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