Hong Kong, April 2, 2019: The highly anticipated 14th edition of the Asia Contemporary Art Show closed on Monday evening April 1st. Reinforcing its position as Asia’s longest-running and largest hotel art fair, the Show welcomed more than 14,400 collectors and art enthusiasts, with collectors and art lovers joining a high-energy Hong Kong Art Week. Held in 80+ intimate art living spaces at the Conrad Hong Kong, art sales were brisk and an estimated HK$31 million was reported based on an exit survey of exhibitors.
“We had a very strong opening night,” said Director Mark Saunderson. “Starting with the UnionPay Private View and followed by the UnionPay VIP Collectors Preview, the Show attracted a steady stream of distinguished guests, collectors, and art enthusiasts – many familiar faces and friends of the Show. Special sectors, Intersections: China and Artist Dialogues were a highlight for many visitors to this 14th edition.”
Saunderson commented, “At the Show, we aim to bring people closer together through art: exhibitors to buyers, artists to collectors, and sponsor brands to their target audience. Recent developments in the Greater Bay Area supports our belief in the power of human relationships. With its wealth of talent and ingenuity, Hong Kong will play a prime role in taking forward the Greater Bay Area and the Show is making itself a part of this movement where the collective strengths of arts and culture are harnessed.”
The Show offered a fresh and meaningful experience in its partnership with ZAI ART APP - China’s leading digital art platform with a nationwide audience of over 3.5 million collectors and art enthusiasts. A live panel of experts explored the role of art fairs as market makers, to involve a whole new generation of art buyers and collectors. Art thought leaders took almost 10,000 ZAI ART APP subscribers on virtual live tours of the Show. The Show also provided visitors an opportunity to find new stories to tell by hosting nine docent-led Art Tours that focused on a range of topics including Chinese contemporary art, some of the most promising, up-and-coming artists and art investment, among others. The Show partnered with the young and energetic Accidental Art with its goal to humanize art and drive inclusiveness.
Saunderson continues, “We are committed to a quality experience for visitors and exhibitors alike. Our sights are now set on the Fall, where we are the only contemporary art fair in the second half of the year in Hong Kong. By design, this takes place during the important Golden Week national holiday when mainland Chinese come to Hong Kong, also coinciding with the Fall auction season at Sotheby's, Poly Auction, and others. The 15th edition of the Show opens October 3rd.”
“It’s my first time attending the Asia Contemporary Art Show and it was a refreshing change from the scale of Art Basel and Art Central. The intimacy of the hotel made the artworks feel more approachable. What I liked most about the Show was seeing the diversity of the artworks and having the opportunity to speak to the artists themselves. It was great to see the variety across different materials and actually quite reasonable pricing. My favourite was a young ceramic sculptor artist He Qiang, represented by a gallery from Zhuhai, China called Ceramic Art. I’ll definitely come back to explore more contemporary Chinese art.”
Aria Li – China
“It’s my third time at the Asia Contemporary Art Show. In particular the Chinese artworks are very impressive, and I hope to see more! Ding Wenqing’s paintings are so poetic and dreamlike, I was impressed by Komata Toshitaka too. This time I bought a piece from Louise Farnay, and I also bought Lin Hao’s work from Art of Nature. I enjoy exploring art that I didn’t pay much attention to before, and it’s great to meet artists from different countries. It’s nice to talk to the artists, so I can understand their thought, work process and effort that goes into each piece.”
Mari Eleni Charalambous – Cyprus
“I loved the concept of the hotel fair, where it gives each artist their personal space and each the attention they deserve. That was my favourite part, being able to pick the creative minds and learn one-to-one what brought them here, what inspires them, what media they like to use and how! Being able to connect at that personal level made me feel part of this Show, made me feel special, not just another potential buyer. I liked the fact that the artists were present and were able to talk you through their work. The quality of some of the artworks I saw exceeded my expectations.”
James Lo – Hong Kong
“I enjoyed seeing and meeting the artists and speaking to them about their work. There’s a good variety of artworks on display, I would enjoy seeing more illustration. The exhibitor that appealed most to me is Carré d’artistes because of their layout and use of space. The prices on the whole are very reasonable and of good value.”
Ziver Olmez, Artist – Hong Kong
“It’s been fascinating, it’s been interesting sharing art with a whole bunch of people. The conversations have been very interesting and dynamic. The Conrad Hong Kong is a great location and very accessible. The Show organizer’s marketing has been great, my work has been featured in a magazine and there was an interview arranged with another media outlet. The team has been extremely professional. The exposure is what matters to me more than anything else, and the traffic that’s created here is the right demographic. The Show has a professional edge, the artists it attracts are artists doing something very new in the art world, it’s a place where experimentation is accommodated.”
Melanie Song, M & T ART – China
“I think it’s the best hotel fair I’ve ever participated – it’s unique, warm and interactive. We sold more than 10 pieces including original and edition works, also sculpture in the first two days. The Show is fantastic because of the location, and in Hong Kong the quality of visitors is good. Around this time there are a lot of exhibitions and people who like art, so we make great connections. The setting is unique, in the room you can view it like a home and feel the décor, so it’s different than other art fairs. The location is an advantage, with good hotel service. The organizer’s team did so well in marketing the Show, promoting it from half a year ago to today. We will definitely exhibit again.”
Elizabeth Langreiter, Artist – Australia
“So much vibrant art work to see right in the midst of Hong Kong Art Week, it’s been wonderful. People in Hong Kong are very interested in art. I sold a few paintings. Nice to meet people and talk a lot too! Certainly, a unique venue – the Conrad Hong Kong is beautiful, very comfortable, food fantastic. Very impressed with the organizer’s team, always positive and helpful, and have done a great job of promoting my participation and on hand whenever needed.”
Charly Darwich, Bravo Art Group – China
“Well organized. The preview had serious buyers, we sold 3 paintings on the first day. People are more flexible and ready to accept this kind of exhibition. It’s a nice venue, great location, good service, and close to the other fairs. Hong Kong people are aware of the art world, internationally speaking. It’s always a nice experience interacting with people here.”
Art discovery goes on 24/7 at Asia Contemporary Art Buyer (www.asiacontemporaryart.com), where artworks presented at the Show will be available to view and buy. Enjoying art has never been easier!
The Asia Contemporary Art Show would like to acknowledge and thank arts patrons UnionPay International, Strabens Hall, Kuehne & Nagel, Royce Cellar and FIJI Water; as well as hospitality partners Hine, HK Liquor Store, Samuel Adams and Leaf Tea Boutique for their support.
Lead Partner UnionPay International
UnionPay International (UPI) is a subsidiary of China UnionPay focused on the growth and support of UnionPay’s global business. In partnership with more than 2,000 institutions worldwide, UnionPay International has enabled card acceptance in 174 countries and regions with issuance in 51 countries and regions. UnionPay International provides high quality, cost-effective and secure cross-border payment services to the world’s largest cardholder base and ensures convenient local services to a growing number of global UnionPay cardholders and merchants.
UPCOMING EVENTS
The 15th edition of the Asia Contemporary Art Show at the Conrad Hong Kong will be held on October 3rd – 6th, 2019! The Show is limited to 85 galleries from Asia and the world and will feature two popular sectors, Intersections: China, the fifth in a series that will focus on the conceptual crossing of artistic ideas, and Artist Dialogues, dedicated to solo and joint artist presentations.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Emma Chen
Tel: +852 2811 9015, 852 6557 0516 / [email protected]
High-res images and information can be downloaded from:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/v7ci0700rvwtuve/AAA4tUkiI44lFvr4YbKFmmoAa?dl=0
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