China News Service, Hong Kong, May 29 (Reporter Han Xingtong) The 2022 Art Basel Hong Kong exhibition ended on the 29th, but the spring of the Hong Kong art market is far from over. The vigor presented is unstoppable.
In the words of one of the exhibitors, Pascal Dessa, founder of Desa Gallery, there is no reason why Hong Kong should lose its status as a regional arts hub.
Art Basel, held in Hong Kong every spring, is a world-renowned art event.
Regarding its importance, the most intuitive feeling of Beijing young artist Zhong Wei is that "the gallery attaches great importance to it and will urge the submission of works for exhibition".
Under the repeated local epidemics, it was difficult to carry out large-scale events, but the physical exhibition of Art Basel Hong Kong was suspended for only one year, and then quickly resumed.
It can be seen from the list of exhibitors that the Hong Kong exhibition still has a strong appeal. Take this exhibition as an example, bringing together 130 top art galleries from 28 countries and regions.
Zhong Wei, who participated in the exhibition for the second time this year, specially created four works for the Hong Kong exhibition, "Many exhibitions in mainland China, whether in Shanghai or Beijing, basically overlap with the participating artists, galleries and audiences, but Art Basel Hong Kong exhibition is different, It has a higher degree of closeness with international standards and plays a role of bridge and connection." Zhong Wei believes that the openness and integrity of the Hong Kong exhibition to the international community are inseparable from the advantages of the city itself, including the internationalization of the exhibition. market environment, as well as a mature art operation system.
Although the inconvenience caused by the pandemic initially affected the art trade, new ways of operating quickly emerged in the art world, and online buying became the new normal.
"Galleries and auction houses will use social media to attract collectors and facilitate transactions." Shao Ziqi, sales and marketing director of Desa Gallery, told reporters that in addition to the online exhibition hall of the Hong Kong exhibition, exhibitors are also willing to use WeChat and WhatsApp and other social tools to conduct on-site tours for collectors who were unable to attend.
According to the "2022 Art Market Report" published by Art Basel and UBS, the global art market has recovered rapidly in 2021 after experiencing the biggest recession in the past decade in 2020, with dealers and auction houses in the art market. The total sales of antiques and antiques is estimated to reach 65.1 billion US dollars, and this amount does not include the surge in NFT (non-fungible token) art transactions.
It is worth mentioning that the Greater China art market has surpassed the UK to become the second largest art market in the world, with market sales rising by 35% to US$13.4 billion.
"Hong Kong has always been an important art center in Asia." Pascal Desa analyzed that the growth of global wealth has kept the art market booming during the epidemic, and the number of high-net-worth individuals in Hong Kong has been at the forefront of the Asia-Pacific region for many years. This is the Hong Kong art market One of the keys to prosperity.
At the same time, Hong Kong's low tax policy and perfect laws have created a friendly business environment, attracting international galleries, auction houses, and high-end exhibitions such as Art Basel, which in turn endows the Hong Kong art market with a higher reputation.
The popularity of the art market can be seen from the sales performance of the Hong Kong exhibition. Take Desa Art Gallery as an example. Last year, the exhibition sold 27 works, which has already achieved a good performance. Within three minutes, a collector will be placed." Shao Ziqi said.
"As long as the tax and legal structure remains the same, there is no reason for Hong Kong to lose its status as an art center in the region." Pascal Desa believes that the world's top auction houses such as Sotheby's and Christie's have always regarded Hong Kong as one of their development centers In addition, Hong Kong's own art infrastructure is improving day by day, with the Hong Kong Museum of Art, the M+ Museum and the upcoming Hong Kong Palace Museum, the Hong Kong art market has broad prospects for development.
During the Hong Kong exhibition, standing on the glass curtain wall of the M+ Museum on the shore of West Kowloon, the work "The Shape of Light" by Ailun Pao, a pioneer of moving image, was presented.
Under the night, video elements and buildings are integrated, and a new cultural observatory is constructed in this place called the artist's home.
(Finish)