Asia Contemporary Art Show Hong Kong 2015
- brittanypanter
- 2015年3月14日
- 讀畢需時 4 分鐘
Photo: "Triptych of power" by Francesco Ermini, from Studio Pivot at the Asia Contemporary Art Show
Anyone who has been to a handful of gallery openings will likely have seen the somewhat pretentious and stereotypical art lover. The uniform often consists of tortoise-shell glasses, a silk cravat and two-toned brogues, often without socks. Art, like wine, comes with a whole set of preconceptions about “how” you consume it, and this can be offputting. This weekend at the Conrad Hong Kong you will see some brogues, some tortoise-shell rimmed glasses and probably a cravat or two, but the relaxed nature of the Asian Contemporary Art Show attracts people from all walks of life, and that is how we think it should be. The four-day show is a more laidback and casual affair than many, as it aims to strip away some of the layers of pretension that so often coat the art world.
The spring 2015 show is the sixth edition and has once again brought around 100 galleries together to offer Hong Kong a great opportunity to see and buy the best of the world’s contemporary art. The intimate setting of hotel rooms in the Conrad offers visitors the chance to see a massive range of art and speak to the artists and dealers personally (it doesn't get more personal than eyeing the art atop the bed they slept on the night previous). Guests to the show can browse or peruse - depending on how much time you have - the 3,000 plus works from galleries from across the globe, many of which are making their debut at the show and in Hong Kong.
Photo: Clockwise from top left “Reflection in cobalt teal” by Shira Toren; “Old future” by Kwak Seung-Yong; “Staying alive?” by Francesco Ermmi; “Grannies” by Banksy
Atm Creatives (room 4422), based in New York, offers visitors the chance to see work by two very different artists: the bright and exuberant works of Helene Mukhtar and the monochromatic paintings of Shira Toren. Korean artist Kwak Seung-yong, represented by Galerie GAIA (room 4303), showcases an interesting take on well-known paintings by inserting some Korean cultural references into classic works. And Tanya Baxter Contemporary, in rooms 4407 and 4408, has pieces by famed graffiti artist Bansky (as seen in the screen print “Grannies”) and Australian artist Richard Allen, among others. Studio Pivot, which is run by four ambitious Italian women who are all under 25, are in room 4204 and have a range of entertaining and enlightening works. The gallery represents Italian artist Francesco Ermini whose works represent Western capitalism and its link to abundance and the underdevelopment of modern productivity. Check out “Crossroads” which represents our iconography of goods and objects, along with other striking symbols that represent Ermini’s view of society today. Another interesting collection is one in which he ironically represents dictators such as Stalin, Tito and Kim Il Sung as patron saints. Be sure to ask to see his portfolio to view the artist’s representation of Lenin, Churchill and Hitler in a clever take on rock, paper, scissors.
Photo: Clockwise from top left: “Lip language 2” by Liu Hong; “Abstract” by Zhou Hao; “North Star” by Alberto Sanchez; “Mao Zedong and Benjamin Franklin” by Lee Youngha
You should also stop by the two rooms taken up by the gallery that was started by one of the show’s founders, Fabrik Gallery. Works by Mo Shah are in room 4423 and various artists including Liu Hong and Qiu Shengxian are downstairs in room 4307. Be careful with your red wine in every room, but perhaps more so here as ruining a Damien Hirst could be quite costly. Abstract by Zhou Hao is just that. Visit Shanghai Tianqing Gallery (room 4403) and make of it what you will. Certainly not to be missed is Lee Youngha’s piece in Khalifa Gallery (room 4308) which sees Benjamin Franklin transform into Mao Zedong, and the striking colors used in the work of Alberto Sanchez, on display in Retrospect Galleries’ room 4315, are definitely worth seeking out.
Of course 100 rooms and over 3,000 individual pieces of art may seem pretty daunting; a visit to the Wall Street Journal VIP room on the 43rd floor is a welcome break. When the promotional video featuring Tori Burch and Will.I.Am on repeat starts to drive you crazy, pop over to the adjoined room for a glass of wine, Prosecco or bottle of local beer from Hong Kong Beer Co. (each VIP pass comes with two drinks). You can even sign up for a Wall Street Journal subscription at a 15% discounted price - if you have the time to read it that is.
The show continues through to Sunday, and although many of the pieces will be sold by the time the show wraps up at 6pm, later in the day is a great time to haggle a little bit and get yourself some bargain art. Tickets can be purchased at the counter located on the 40th floor. Standard tickets are HKD180 and include one drink, and VIP tickets are HKD260 and include entry into the VIP lounge and two drinks.
Open March 14th from 1pm to 8:30pm and March 15th from 11:30am to 6pm.
The access elevator is located on the ground floor of the Conrad Hong Kong.
Asia Contemporary Art Show’s fall edition takes place at the same venue from October 8th to 11th. For more details see here.
