Mainland Chinese Collectors Are Powerful Force In Hong Kong Auction Market#
As Jing Daily wrote in April, the ever-increasing number of new Chinese collectors looking to get involved in the art auction market has led to growing demand for arts education, particularly in Hong Kong. Over the past few years, in addition to more local organizations offering educational courses in Chinese art, art appreciation and art collecting, the academic wings of international auction houses like Sotheby’s and Christie’s have started to offer short courses in Hong Kong aimed squarely at mainland Chinese. In May, just in time for its spring auction series in Hong Kong, Christie’s rolled out a three-day short course, “Introduction to the Modern and Contemporary Chinese Art Market”, which was offered for the first time in Mandarin.
This month, another course designed to cater to art lovers and aspiring collectors from mainland China and elsewhere has made its debut in Hong Kong, at the city's landmark Peninsula Hotel. Offered in full-day or half-day programs, the "Art of Hospitality Peninsula Academy" course introduces attendees to "Hong Kong’s urban culture, colonial history and Chinese roots and examines how local artists have developed a powerful and unusual aesthetic". As the Peninsula announced this week in a company release:
The full day programme includes an introduction from a leading expert who will examine the speed in which China’s art market has grown to become the second biggest in the world, with trade-friendly Hong Kong at the heart of the change. Guests will then travel in a Peninsula MINI Clubman to an artist studio area in Fo Tan Industrial Estate in the New Territories – home to dozens of artist studios tucked amongst prawn packers, printers and other light industrial units – or The Cattle Depot, a heritage building and former abattoir-turned-artist’s-commune in To Kwa Wan. They will then drive to Hong Kong Island’s gallery districts to view some influential exhibitions.
The full-day tour is priced at HK$18,000 (US$1,385) per person and includes coffee breaks and lunch at the Soho-based Manchurian eatery Bistro Manchu. A half-day program, which gives attendees an accelerated introduction to Hong Kong’s art scene and takes them to exhibitions in Hong Kong Island’s gallery districts, is also available for HK$6,800 (US$872) per person.
Peninsula Academy "Art of Hospitality"#
The Peninsula Hong Kong
Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kon
Reservations: (852) 2315 301
Email: oliviatoth@peninsula.com