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Art Issue 2023

Magazines

PostMag

Art Basel Hong Kong: are international collectors back? Will Hong Kong recover as an arts destination? Find out at Post’s March 23 panel discussion

Art Basel Hong Kong 2023 is the first edition of the fair since Covid restrictions lifted, and some are asking if Hong Kong is losing its edge as an arts hub.  Photo: Art Basel

 Curator and art dealer Jeffrey Deitch will be on the panel at the discussion on March 23. Photo: Handout 

Josh Baer, art adviser and publisher of the Baer Faxt art market newsletter, will also be on the panel. Photo: Joshua Geyer

As Art Basel Hong Kong opens, some are asking if the city is losing its edge as an arts hub. An expert panel, hosted live and online by the Post on March 23, will discuss the fair and the city’s art scene.


11 must-see exhibitions during Hong Kong’s Art Basel week, from Resilience: Voices of Ukraine to HKwalls’ Street Art and Mural Festival

Seascape “Walk on By”, 2022, by Rashid Johnson, whose debut Asia show is one of our 11 must-see exhibitions opening in Hong Kong in the week of the Art Basel Hong Kong contemporary art fair.
Photo: Rashid Johnson/Hauser & Wirth

“Tree of Life, Iteration 2023” (2023), Linda Lai Chiu-han. Part of the “Signals … storms and patterns” exhibition at Para Site art space. Photo: Pearl Lam Gallery

Members of Boloho and guests “Kai Brother Fred” and Qidi Feng prepare for an improvised performance at Hanart TZ Gallery. Photo: Enid Tsui

“Resilience: Voices of Ukraine” by artists Artem Volokitin (left) and Maria Kulikovska at Double Q Gallery, in Sheung Wan. Photo: Double Q

Bao Ho’s mural from the 2021 HKwalls festival. Photo: HKwalls

Untitled, 1983, by Keith Haring and LA II. Photo: K11 Musea / Keith Haring

Jes Fan, Diagram XIX, 2023, by Jes Fan. Photo: Jes Fan

Multidisciplinary artist Michele Chu is holding her debut solo exhibition “You, Trickling” at PHD Group as part of Art Basel 2023. 

Hong Kong’s largest contemporary art fair is the cue for a rash of exhibition openings. We pick 11 you should not miss, featuring works by Rashid Johnson, exiled Ukrainian artists and Documenta 15 curators Ruangrupa.


How auction houses Christie’s, Sotheby’s and Phillips in Hong Kong are expanding, and what it means for buyers

Christie’ auctioneer Rahul Kadakia takes bids at an auction in Hong Kong. 
Photo: Keith Tsuji/Getty Images

Auction houses in Hong Kong Christie’s and Sotheby’s have announced bold moves to new in-house facilities where they’ll host year-round sales like in London and New York. Photo: Getty Images

Mist at Dawn (1968), by Chinese painter Zhang Daqian, sold for HK$214.6 million at a Sotheby’s auction in Hong Kong in 2021. Photo: Dickson Lee

A carved dragon throne of Qianlong Emperor broke auction records when it was sold by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong in 2009. Photo: Sam Tsang

David Bennett, then head of Sotheby’s International Jewellery Division, reads a world record certificate after a diamond sold for US$71.2 million at an auction in Hong Kong in 2017. Photo: AFP

Jonathan Crockett, Asia chairman of Phillips auction house. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Zohra Azi, global head of business development and Asian general manager of a fine-art logistics company in Hong Kong. Photo: Zohra Azi

Crockett says the reason behind Phillips’ expansion in Hong Kong isn’t to fetch a higher valuation of the company, but to increase its offerings in Asia. Photo: Jonathan Wong

“Wedding Party” is one of the paintings by Irish artist Genieve Figgis that Phillips sold. Photo: Phillips / Genieve Figgis

Patti Wong, former international chairman of Sotheby’s, and founder of Patti Wong & Associates art advisory service. Photo: Sotheby’s Hong Kong.

Auction houses in Hong Kong have announced moves to new, in-house facilities where they’ll host year-round sales as in London and New York – a bold departure from their current sale model.


American artist Rashid Johnson on his creative journey, ahead of first Asian solo show in Hong Kong

Artist Rashid Johnson. With his first solo exhibition in Asia about to open in Hong Kong, the American artist paints us a personal portrait of his creative journey. Photo: Axel Dupeux / Hauser & Wirth

Artist Rashid Johnson. Photo: Daniel Schafer/Hauser & Wirth

Johnson’s “The Evolution of the Negro Political Costume”. Photo: Rashid Johnson / Brooklyn Museum

Johnson’s “Self Portrait with My Hair Parted Like Frederick Douglass”. Photo: Rashid Johnson/Hauser & Wirth

Johnson’s “‘The Travelers’ Broken Crowd”, at LaGuardia Airport in New York. Photo: Queens Museum/Delta Air Lines

An untitled piece by Johnson from his “Broken” series. Photo: Rashid Johnson / Hauser & Wirth

A portrait piece from Johnson’s “The New Negro Escapist Social and Athletic Club“. Photo: Rashid Johnson

A still from “The Space Traders”, which was adapted for television by HBO in 1994 as part of an anthology called “Cosmic Slop”. Photo: HBO

“Heartbreaker”, a seascape piece that will feature in Johnson’s Hong Kong show. Photo: Rashid Johnson / Hauser & Wirth

“Walk on By”, a seascape piece that will feature in Johnson’s Hong Kong show. Photo: Rashid Johnson / Hauser & Wirth

Johnson’s “Land of the Free” triptych will feature in his Hong Kong show. Photo: Rashid Johnson / Hauser & Wirth

An untitled “Broken Men” piece, with ceramic tile, mirror tile, oyster shell, spray enamel, oil stick, black soap and wax, that will feature in Johnson’s Hong Kong show. Photo: Rashid Johnson / Hauser & Wirth

Another untitled “Broken Men” piece that will feature in Johnson’s Hong Kong show. Photo: Rashid Johnson / Hauser & Wirth

“Last Days” by Johnson, part of his “Bruise” series, will feature in his Hong Kong show. Photo: Rashid Johnson/Hauser & Wirth

“For My People”, part of Johnson’s “Surrender” series, will feature in his Hong Kong show. Photo: Rashid Johnson / Hauser & Wirth

With his first solo exhibition in Asia about to open in Hong Kong, American artist Rashid Johnson paints us a personal portrait of his artistic journey as we look at his art over the years.


Pi Li, head of art at Tai Kwun in Hong Kong, on studying fine arts in Beijing, taking a film to the Cannes festival, and becoming ‘a Hongkonger’

Tai Kwun’s head of art Dr Pi Li (above) inherited his love of art from his father, and has spent his life following his passion, from Beijing to Glasgow and Hong Kong. Photo: Xiaomei Chen 

Tai Kwun’s head of art Pi Li (above) inherited his love for modern art from his father, and has spent his life following his passion, from Beijing to Glasgow and Hong Kong. Photo: Xiaomei Chen 

Pi Li, head of art at Tai Kwun in Hong Kong, studied at the prestigious Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Pi Li and his classmates Wu Hongliang, and Wang Weihua in Datong, Shanxi province, China, 1992. Photo: Pi Li

Pi Li and his father in Guangzhou, China, 1993. Photo: Pi Li

Pi Li in Beijing, 1995. Photo: Pi Li

The cast of Shanghai Dreams at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival. Photo: Getty Images

Tai Kwun’s head of art tells Kate Whitehead about being part of the ‘mafia of the Chinese art world’, his decade at ‘one of the greatest museum projects of the 21st century’, M+, and his faith in Hong Kong’s future.


Hong Kong restaurants celebrate Art Basel’s return with artsy menus inspired by Banksy, Dali and more – a feast for the eyes and palate

The Mira hotel’s art-themed tea set. Art Basel returns to Hong Kong this month, and bars and restaurants are celebrating with special menus to excite the eyes and taste buds. Photo: Coco

Castellana’s seared Fassona beef served on a bed of grapes. Photo: Castellana

Memory’s Persistence cocktail at Dada Bar + Lounge. Photo: Dada Bar + Lounge

Magritte’s Dove cocktail at Dada Bar + Lounge. Photo: Dada Bar + Lounge

Dishes from the Art. Full. Dinner at Veda. Photo: Veda

Zuma’s special dishes and cocktails for art month draw inspiration from the ancient Chinese poem Spring Night. Photo: Zuma

Cakes from the art-inspired afternoon tea set at Lobby Lounge in Hong Kong’s Island Shangri-La hotel. Photo: The Lobby Lounge

Miniature art-themed desserts as part of the artful tea set at Coco, at the Mira hotel. Photo: Coco

LPM is filled with art all year round. Photo: LPM

Art Basel returns to Hong Kong this month, and restaurants and bars in the city are celebrating with artsy menus featuring everything from a Banksy-inspired dessert to surrealist cocktails.


Fake art, the greatest painters, the National Gallery Singapore – take your pick of art shows and documentaries on TV

Art handlers hold a 1910 painting by Wassily Kandinsky, “Murnau mit Kirche II” (Murnau with Church II), which recently sold for US$45 million. Kandinsky is one of the artists featured in Netflix series “The Greatest Painters in the World”. Photo:  Wiktor Szymanowicz/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Ann Freedman in “Made You Look: A True Story About Fake Art”, a documentary on Netflix. Freedman’s Manhattan gallery accepted for sale fakes painted by a Chinese former classmate of Ai Weiwei recruited by a New York couple. Photo: Netflix

Singapore’s former City Hall and Supreme Court (right) were joined to create the National Gallery, opened in 2015 and described by a BBC Earth presenter as “clever engineering … that looks beautiful”. Photo: Suhaimi Abdullah/Getty Images

Art handlers hold a 1910 painting by Wassily Kandinsky, “Murnau mit Kirche II” (Murnau with Church II), which sold at auction for US$45 million. Kandinsky is one of the subjects of Netflix series “The Greatest Painters of the World”. Photo: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Chinese-born art forger Pei-Shen Qian in a still from “Made You Look: A True Story About Fake Art” on Netflix. Photo: Netflix

Was peddler of fake art Ann Friedman ‘gullible and ambitious’ or ‘one of the stupidest people to have ever worked at an art gallery’? It’s one of many fascinating questions and facts about art in TV shows and films.


Why Art Basel would have had China’s ancient art scene up in arms over its focus on trade

Simon Starling’s “At Twilight: Mind Map 2014-16” on display at Art Basel Hong Kong at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai in 2019. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

Bodhisattva, Song dynasty, 960-1278. Artist unknown. From the early 7th to the mid-14th century, artworks were often commissioned by religious institutions like Buddhist temples. Photo: Getty Images

Birds and Flowers, Ming dynasty, 1368-1644. Artist Unknown. Photo: Getty Images

Dragon-boat festival performance, 18th-19th century. Artist unknown. Photo: Getty Images

Those in premodern China who produced the most highly regarded works of art made it for self-expression and the edification of the human spirit, not for trade.


‘The simplest, dumbest materials’: how art gallery conversion painted silver stands out by blending in

The silver facade of Kiang Malingue Gallery in Sik On Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong. Architects turned a slim, six-storey 1960s tenement building into a stripped-back four-storey exhibition space. Photo: Xu Liang Leon

The facade of the gallery, designed by Beau Architects (beau.hk). Photo: Xu Liang Leon

Lorraine Kiang and Edouard Malingue in the white cube at the Kiang Malingue gallery at 10 Sik On Street, Wan Chai (kiangmalingue.com). Photo: Xiaomei Chen

In its previous iteration, the gallery was a six-storey tenement building. Photo: Xu Liang Leon 

Two floors in the building were removed, which allowed for two cubes, one on top of the other. This cube, on the top floor, provides views of neighbouring homes. Photo: Xu Liang Leon

Thai film director/producer and screenwriter Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s exhibition at the Kiang Malingue gallery included two videos projected onto circular screens in the top-floor cube. He also covered the windows with red film, save for a circular cut-out, to create a meditative ambience. Photo: courtesy of Kiang Malingue/Wong Pak Hang

Deceptively deep circular windows provide periscopic views of urban life. The staircase doubles as viewing space for artworks, such as this painting by Taiwanese-American Brook Hsu. Photo: courtesy of Kiang Malingue/Kwan Sheung Chi

The kitchen, designed with standard components, is lit and furnished simply for work and casual meetings. The balcony is elevated to accommodate air-conditioning vents. Photo: Xu Liang Leon

Attached to the back of the first-floor kitchen area is a leafy terrace. Photo: Xu Liang Leon

Samples of Shanghai plaster created for the gallery. Photo: courtesy of Beau Architects

Just inside the 400kg main door are electrical boxes and conduits left as is. Scarred concrete is juxtaposed against walls of Shanghai plaster. An art-hanging system using tracks allows works to be displayed and moved around with ease. Photo: Xu Liang Leon

The architects behind Hong Kong’s Kiang Malingue gallery took a 1960s tenement building back to its bare bones, removing two floors to create exhibition spaces, and painted the exterior silver.


Jackie Chan’s face made from 64,000 chopsticks, 20,000 tea bags for giant image of street vendor – Red Hong Yi’s incredible creations

Red Hong Yi’s portrait of Jackie Chan was created from 
64,000 bamboo chopsticks. Photo: Red Hong Yi

Red Hong Yi in Wan Chai, Hong Kong, in February 2023. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Red with her work “Teh Tarik Man”, which employs 20,000 tea bags to depict a Malaysian street vendor. Photo: Red Hong Yi

Day 19 of Red’s 2013 series made out of food, using shallots to make an owl. Photo: Instagram@redhongyi

Day 8 of Red’s 2013 series made out of food, with carefully arranged dragon fruit pips. Photo: Instagram@redhongyi

Day 25 of Red’s 2013 series made out of food, with bird’s eye chilis used to represent tulips. Photo: Instagram@redhongyi

Vegetables such as okra and lotus root are used as ink stamps for one of Red’s works. Pictures: Red Hong Yi

Red Hong Yi’s artwork at the Hoshun restaurant in Kuala Lumpur was created using vegetable printing blocks. Photo: Red Hong Yi

Red arranges tea bags for a work depicting a Malaysian street vendor. Photo: Red Hong Yi

The cover of Red’s new book. Photo: Red Hong Yi

The ambitious works of visual artist Red Hong Yi – including her 2014 work of Jackie Chan made out of chopsticks – are the subject of her first book, How To Paint Without a Brush.


‘Grow better human beings’: farmer-artists in Hong Kong on traditional farming, food ethics and their mixed callings

Farmer-artists Natalie Lo and Laurent Gutierrez at the SangWood KidsClub farm in Shek Kong, Hong Kong. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Lo says even though she was pretty fit when she started farming, it always left her exhausted. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Gutierrez says farming is a form of engagement and the sharing of values. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Gutierrez says the goal in farming is not to make things right, but to remove what makes things wrong. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Farmer-artists Natalie Lo and Laurent Gutierrez discuss traditional farming, food ethics, sufficiency, and the highs and lows of their mixed callings in a post-pandemic Hong Kong.


How the Hong Kong School of painting evolved after the Pacific war, and 2 hobby artists – shoe shop and clubhouse managers – who stood out

Detail from a portrait painted by Alfonso Barretto, a member of the post-war Hong Kong Art Club whose work exemplified the Hong Kong School of painting. Photo: Almada Barretto Collection

The opening of a Hong Kong Art Club exhibition in the St. John’s Cathedral Hall in the late 1950s. Photo: courtesy of D’Almada Barretto Collection

“Lok Ma Chau” (1976) by Luis Chan. Photo: M+Hong Kong/copyright Luis Trust

Alfonso Barretto at his easel, watched by two of his sisters, Mrs Tilly D’Almada e Castro (left) and Mrs Olive Basto. Photo: D’Almada Barretto Collection

Alfonso Barretto, then Hong Kong Art Club chairman, at the opening of an exhibition at Hong Kong City Hall in 1963 with Lady Black, wife of the then British governor (front, right). Photo: courtesy of D’Almada Barretto Collection

A prolific and distinct school of painting flourished in Hong Kong after the Pacific war, and two individuals stand out for their invaluable contribution.


Text-based art: from Mel Bochner to the ‘King of Kowloon’ to Hong Kong protesters’ Lennon Walls, what is it trying to say?

Visitors to Art Basel Hong Kong in 2015 contemplate American conceptual artist Mel Bochner’s “All or nothing”. Text-based art challenges our perceptions of what art is, and our understanding of the meaning of words. Photo: Facebook@Art Basel

“Language Is Not Transparent”, a 1970 work by Mel Bochner. Photo: melbochner.net

Mel Bochner’s “Blah Blah” and “Ha Ha” on show in Miami Beach, Florida, in 2014. Photo by Sean Drakes/LatinContent via Getty Images

Untitled pair of doors (2003), by Tsang Tsou-choi (the “King of Kowloon”), at Hong Kong’s M+ museum of contemporary visual culture. Photo: Enid Tsui

American conceptual artist Mel Bochner’s text-based works prompt critical reactions about language and communication. So too, in its own way, does the graffiti of Hong Kong’s “King of Kowloon”.


New gallery at Britain’s Manchester Museum charts China’s historic links with what Lonely Planet calls ‘one of the coolest cities in the world’

The wooden moon gate entrance to the China Gallery at the Manchester Museum. Photo: Victoria  Finlay

Britain’s Manchester Museum is commemorating the historic bonds between China and the northern English city in a new gallery. Photo: Manchester Museum

A section of one of the scrolls depicting Kangxi Emperor’s 60th birthday celebration, at Manchester Museum’s new China Gallery. Photo: John Rylands Library

Visitors looking at one of the scrolls depicting scenes from Kangxi Emperor’s 60th birthday celebration, in Manchester Museum’s new China Gallery. Photo: Manchester Museum

A wooden moon gate at the entrance to the new China Gallery is inscribed with a quote from Manchester and Hong Kong businessman Lee Kai Hung. Photo: Victoria Finlay

The “moon windows”, by contemporary British artist Gordon Cheung that visitors pass as they enter the new China Gallery. Photo: Victoria Finlay

A display containing a giant stuffed Père David’s deer, or milu, at Manchester Museum’s new China Gallery. Photo: Victoria Finlay

Lee Kai Hung Chinese Culture Gallery curator Bryan Sitch during a visit to the Terracotta Warriors in Xian, western China. Photo: Bryan Sitch

A Brother sewing machine in Manchester Museum’s South Asia Gallery. Photo: Victoria Finlay

The China Gallery at Britain’s Manchester Museum, funded by a Hong Kong businessman, celebrates the historic bonds between China and the English city.


This Post Magazine series coincides with the first Art Basel art fair since Hong Kong's reopening, with a list of must-sees during art week, artist interviews and all you need to know about auction houses' big plans for the city.


Series