Art Basel HK 2024 features premier galleries, vibrant programs

Bringing together 243 leading galleries from 40 countries and regions to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center (HKCEC), Art Basel Hong Kong's 2024 edition, running from March 28 to 30, marks the show's return to pre-pandemic scale, with 66 additional exhibitors participating in the fair compared to last year. 

Visitors admire artworks at last year's Art Basel Hong Kong. Hong Kong China News Agency

Defined by an extraordinary diversity of artistic voices presented in the frame of its five show sectors, the "Conversations" and "Film" programs, as well as its collaborations with the city's cultural institutions, Art Basel Hong Kong will once again serve as a platform for dialogue, discovery, and transcultural exchange, firmly anchored in Art Basel's host city in the region.

"Encounters," curated by Alexie Glass-Kantor, executive director of Artspace Sydney, will feature 16 large-scale projects by artists from a broad spectrum of geographies, under the theme "I am a part of all that I have met." The sector will include 11 works made especially for the fair, a yet unmatched number since the sector's introduction in 2013. An off-site "Encounters" project by Australian artist Daniel Boyd will be on view in Hong Kong's Pacific Place. 

A record number of 33 galleries will participate in "Kabinett," the sector for thematic presentations within galleries' main booths, with a strong focus on solo projects from the Asia-Pacific region. 

Curated by multimedia artist and film producer Li Zhenhua, the "Film" program will feature 10 inspiring screenings and include collaborations with cultural video channel Nowness Asia, as well as Videotage, one of the region's leading nonprofit organizations dedicated to video art. Running from March 27 to March 30, the program will take place at the HKCEC. 

Unfolding in the HKCEC's auditorium from March 27 to March 30 and curated by Stephanie Bailey, writer, editor, and Art Basel's Asia Content Advisor and Editor, "Conversations" will offer attendees a platform for dynamic dialogues between key members of the worlds of arts and culture. The program features 11 panels and speakers from over 15 countries and regions.

Beyond the HKCEC, Art Basel will continue to expand its artistic reach across the city, collaborating with M+ for the third year to activate the institution's striking facade. Co-commissioned by Art Basel and M+, and presented by UBS, this year's artwork will be a site-specific architectural film by artist and filmmaker Yang Fudong. 

Shot in Hong Kong, the black-and-white film weaves together scenes from seaside villages and nocturnal city streets. By referencing visual motifs and textures from the classic Hong Kong cinema of the 1970s to the 1990s, Yang aims to evoke a sense of nostalgic familiarity. 

While the M+ facade has no audio, Yang emphasizes that the work is far from silent; instead, it embraces the unique ambient soundscapes experienced by different viewers in Hong Kong. The work is also intended to function analogically as a short poem, blending moments from Hong Kong's past and present to offer a glimpse into an unpredictable future. 

Yang's new video work with sound will be screened at M+ Cinema, followed by an in-person interview with the artist. 

Angelle Siyang-Le, director of Art Basel Hong Kong, said: "Our goal is to connect guests from all around the world in our home, Hong Kong, by offering possibilities of collaboration and innovation inspired by art and artists. As the key strategic cultural hub in Asia and Asia Pacific, Hong Kong plays an important role, more than ever, in bridging the evolving art landscape across regions."