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e expanded, as will the network of VIPs and collectors
from across the world attending. There will no
doubt be new galleries participating but the focus
will remain on the quality of the artworks presented
and balance of 50/50 galleries from Asia and the West.
Who is your public exactly in number and quality?
We received 67,205 visitors this year and were
delighted to also welcome the many new overseas
visitors to the fair including VIPs, collectors, museum
and arts industry professionals.
How would you describe the Asian collectors?
It is difficult to be so broad in one’s definition. Collectors
are individuals and individuals have different
interests, focuses, and motives for collecting. There is
a huge curiosity and a hunger for information. The
contemporary art market in Asia is relatively young
and so there is still a great deal of work to do in building
the confidence of potential collectors but we are
increasingly seeing collectors from the region move
beyond the borders of collecting from their home
countries to collect the work of international artists. It
is still early days but we are seeing a ‘sea-change’.
Undoubtedly it will take time but it is happening and
that is more exciting than the hype.
Do the expatriates buy contemporary art to live
within Hong Kong?
Hong Kong is home to a large number of affluent
expatriates working in the financial industries. ART HK
has attracted a strong attendance from this segment
of the Hong Kong society but it is important to note
that we have attracted a huge level of interest from
Hong Kong Chinese visitors also.
Do you think auction houses in HK encourage the
art business the way you look at it yourself?
Auction houses have played a crucial part in promoting
art and increasing awareness of contemporary
art amongst audiences in Hong Kong and Asia. For art
to thrive, a holistic ecology must be developed that
includes the auction houses, galleries and other art
market components as well as the non-profit art
centres, museums and educational facilities.
ART FAIR THE MAGAZINE
What are the assets of your VIP Programme ?
With Art Basel on board now, we have an even greater
reach across the world to connect with a broader VIP
community and to provide even greater VIP experiences
and access for VIPs.
What's new about Hong Kong cultural life and the
West Kowloon Cultural District project?
There has been the huge M+ Sigg Collection donation
and more recently the architectural design-team
shortlist for the Xiqu Centre was just announced. The
Xiqu Centre will be the first cultural venue to be built
at West Kowloon Cultural District, in late 2015, and
will be a new 1,100 seat Cantonese opera centre with
complementary smaller tea houses attached. There
have also been many overseas galleries opening in
Hong Kong including White Cube, Simon Lee, Pearl
Lam Galleries and Galerie Perrotin this year. Hong
Kong is constantly seeing transformations in its
cultural life and no doubt the remainder of this year
will bring many more exciting changes too.
Finally would you consider Hong Kong to become
the cultural leader in Asia before Singapore, Taipei,
Beijing or Shanghai ?
Hong Kong is definitely set to be a key arts hub in Asia
and in that respect a cultural leader in its own right.
However, the region benefits from having many cultural
leaders and a strong arts ecology that lifts each city’s arts
and cultural identity, creativity and prosperity. There are
hundreds of galleries and thousands of artists in Beijing
and Shanghai; Singapore already has contemporary art
museums and will soon have the Gilman Barracks development;
and Taipei has many exciting developments
underway. It will be wonderful seeing this all develop.
We are excited that the emerging consensus is that
Hong Kong is the place for the global art world to
engage with Asia. It is a huge responsibility on our part
and one we take very seriously – we are an art fair for
Asia and work hard to attract members of the vibrant art
communities from around the region and around the
world. Interview by Renaud Siegmann
I
The first edition of Art Basel in Hong Kong will take place
23 - 26 May 2013. www.hongkong.artbasel.com W
N° 19 I GAZETTE DROUOT INTERNATIONAL
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