Presenting 245 Galleries With 48 New International Newcomers Back for its sixth year, what would be the Hong Kong International Art Fair (ART HK) 2013 is getting a makeover this year, stepping into the limelight as the first edition of Art Basel Hong Kong . Running from May 23 - 26 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center in Wan Chai, Art Basel, which acquired a 60 percent stake in Asian Art Fairs in 2011 -- will present 245 galleries with 48 new international newcomers. According to Artinfo, the fair will be divided into four main categories: Galleries, Insights, Discoveries and Encounters. In planning for Art Basel Hong Kong, the selection committee ensured that 50 percent of participating galleries hailed from the Asia-Pacific region. As Art Basel Hong Kong director Magnus Renfrew told Artinfo, “When we were looking at and analyzing the other two Art Basel fairs, a clear logic emerged, which is that the host country or region accounts for 50 percent of the exhibitor lineup.” As such, the Insights section will highlight 47 galleries from the Asia-Pacific region alone. The Encounters section will present institutional, large-scale sculpture and installation works throughout the fair’s two exhibition halls, and Discoveries offers exclusively solo and two-person presentations. As an added bonus, judges will award a US$25,000 prize to the top emerging artist in each sector. Art Basel Hong Kong marks a significant milestone for the Hong Kong and international art markets. As Art Basel’s director Marc Spiegler told the Wall Street Journal, “There’s no question today’s serious international collector is looking at Asia. The notion of collecting by continent is outmoded. And Asian collectors are looking beyond borders, too.” Renfrew added that he feels “the most important thing that Art Basel brings is increased international profile.” And while the Hong Kong art scene is still at a relatively early stage of development, both Renfrew and Spiegler claim to be deeply committed to the city, ”riding a wave that has great force and speed,” as Hong Kong strives to become not just a regional, but a global player in the arts. For the full list of participating galleries and artists, visit the official Art Basel Hong Kong website.
