7 highlights from Art Basel Hong Kong

Now in its seventh edition, Art Basel Hong Kong has established itself as an unmissable stop on the international art fairs circuit. Strategically positioned at the epicentre of the Asian art market, the fair has consistently attracted modern and contemporary art galleries from the region and beyond — and this year is no exception. Featuring close to 250 galleries from 35 countries, Art Basel Hong Kong continues to build bridges between East and West across its different sections, curated presentations and talks programmes. Outside of the fair too, pop ups and interventions abound. Here’s what not to miss — in and around the fair.

Discover new works from the region and beyond

Once again, the Discoveries section is filled with fresh new works by international, emerging artists. New York-based artist and performer Juliana Huxtable presents the new series ZOOSEXUALITY, which centres around large posters of futa furries, framed and emblazoned with droll slogans, at Project Native Informant. Meanwhile, Pakistani artist Ali Kazim presents an immersive installation drawing from the landscape of Lahore, Pakistan, at Jhaveri Contemporary. They are among 25 artists showing solo projects specially made for the occasion.

Go big or go home

This year, the Encounters section is dedicated to large-scale sculpture and installation works, contrasting with the all-too-conventional booth model which dominates art fairs. Featuring leading international artists like Elmgreen & Dragset, Lee Bul and José Dávila, the section focuses on issues of disorientation and uncertainty in today’s world, and is suitably titled ‘Still We Rise.’

The past is female at Sprüth Magers

German powerhouse Sprüth Magers revives its seminal exhibition series Eau de Cologne, bringing forth a number of renowned female artists including Barbara Kruger, Louise Lawler, Jenny Holzer, Cindy Sherman and Rosermarie Trockel. Originally mounted in the 1980s, the project fomented a dialogue between art, feminism and identity politics, which continues to resonate today. Coinciding with Art Basel Hong Kong, the German gallery — which has outposts in London, New York and Los Angeles — presents a new iteration of the project at HART Hall at H Queen’s, which will be up until 12 April.

KAWS you can’t miss it

You can hate him or love him, but American artist-cum-designer Brian Donnelly, aka KAWS, is everywhere right now — even at sea. Coinciding with Art Basel Hong Kong, the New Jersey-born artist has installed one of his signature characters Companion — a kind of dystopian Mickey Mouse figure — literally atop Hong Kong waters, facing the sky. The 37-meter-long sculpture weighs more than 40 tons, and will be floating in the city’s Victoria harbour until the end of the month.

Revisiting Korea’s rich history of abstract art

In the Kabinett section, which focuses on historical works from the 1930s onwards, Kukje Gallery pays homage to Yoo Youngkuk, a pioneer of Korean abstract art. Born in 1916, Youngkuk studied at Tokyo’s Bunka Gakuin art school, and quickly rose to the top of Japan’s modern art movement. After the liberation of Korea, he founded the Neo Realism Group, leading the country’s growing abstract art movement alongside Whanki Kim and Lee Kyusang, among others. For Art Basel Hong Kong, the Korean gallery presents a selection of paintings by the late artist, who died in 2012.

An art ride courtesy of Alexander Calder

It’s no secret that BMW has an extensive collection of ‘art cars.’ In the 1970s, the German brand started to invite artists to use automobiles as their canvas — from Jenny Holzer to David Hockney — building an unlikely collection of nearly twenty works. But few know that the first collaboration in the series was by no other than Alexander Calder, the acclaimed American sculpture, known for his innovative and colourful mobiles. ‘BMW Art Car #1’, as it is titled, was one of Calder’s final works, and is on display at the BMW Lounge at Art Basel Hong Kong.

Asia’s unsung hero of textile art

Silverlens gallery reintroduces the work of Filipino artist Pacita Abad, the unsung hero of Asian textile art. Since the 1970s, Abad has developed a method of working which she called ‘trapunto painting,’ characterised by vibrant colours, textile collages and found materials like stones and shells. The presentation features paintings from Abad’s Mask and Spirits series, made in the 1980s. It is borne out of the artist’s fascination for masks, a motif which she has encountered across locations and cultures.

Art Basel Hong Kong takes place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from Friday, 29 March to Sunday, 31 March 2019