Art Basel HK draws record visitors

The seventh Art Basel Hong Kong ended on Sunday with 242 galleries presenting works by renowned contemporary artists from all around the world.

The five-day fair attracted a record 88,000 visitors.

Collectors from 70 countries and regions and representatives from more than 130 top international art galleries and institutions attended. Collectors from China, South Korea and the United States recorded strong sales at all levels of the market.

"Our sales record has been impressive, with Asian and Western collectors keen on gallery artists. The art market has continued to lean toward Asia in recent years, and we have met a number of new collectors and sold a range of works to local organizations," says Alex Logsdail, the international director of the Lisson Gallery.

At this year's exhibition, art galleries from East and West worked side by side to present high-end artworks. Eight Asian art galleries made their debuts at the exhibition, with five of them participating in the main exhibition areas, including the Beijing Art Now Gallery, Galerie du Monde from Hong Kong and Tang Contemporary Art.

"I was impressed by the outstanding contributions made by the Asian galleries and how they helped visitors to learn more about the rich historical heritage of the region. The exhibition was a unique opportunity to explore the world of art in-depth, thanks to the work of leading artists from all over Asia," says Adeline Ooi, director of Art Basel's Asian Art show in Hong Kong.

The Almine Rech Gallery has been involved in Art Basel Hong Kong since the first exhibition. Almine Rech, the owner of this gallery, says he was delighted to see the show evolve both in terms of the quality of the work and the diversity of the collectors.

At the same time, Hong Kong hosted a number of cultural events, such as Art Central and the Asia Contemporary Art Show, in addition to the annual spring auctions held by several auction houses. The booming art market in Hong Kong has been the focus of international attention for some time.

"Hong Kong's cultural activities are on the rise, and many museums and foundations have organized first-class exhibitions to offer visitors a rich artistic experience," says Sadie Coles, owner of the Sadie Coles HQ gallery.

Art Basel was founded in 1970 in Basel, Switzerland, and was first launched in Hong Kong in 2013. The event is held annually in Basel, Miami and Hong Kong.

Xinhua

(China Daily 04/04/2019 page20)