Six years after the transformation of the Hong Kong International Art Fair into Art Basel Hong Kong in 2013, Art Basel Hong Kong has been in full swing as an Asian representative fair as it was there from the beginning. Since then, the Asian market has expanded and the fair has evolved more internationally. This time, 242 galleries from 36 countries are participating in the 7th edition of Art Basel Hong Kong including 21 new galleries.
In this special feature, the editorial team has prepared for the readers who become too tired or get lost in the fair every time though had great expectations before going there, since there are too many galleries and artworks. We invited 12 galleries in the three categories of the first participating galleries, the international established galleries, and Asian established galleries with the recommendation from Art Basel Hong Kong. The galleries must be very busy preparing for the fair in March, but they answered the question faithfully. In this special feature, you will find the answers of everything you wondered about the galleries before!
Established international galleries
01. Sprüth Magers, Berlin, London, Los Angeles (Cologne, Hong Kong)
02. Lisson Gallery, London, New York
07. Sean Kelly Gallery, New York
08. Hauser & Wirth, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, London, Gstaad, New York, Somerset, St. Moritz, Zürich
09. Lehmann Maupin, New York, Hong Kong, Seoul
1st Participation
03. Beyond Gallery, Taipei
04. Richard Koh Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok
05. Watanuki Ltd. Toki-no-Wasuremono, Tokyo
06. Nova Contemporary, Bangkok
Renowned galleries in Asia
10. Puerta Roja, Hong Kong
11. Galerie du Monde, Hong Kong
12. Kukje Gallery, Seoul, Busan
NOVA CONTEMPORARY
Nova Contemporary, based in Bangkok,Thailand, was found by Sutima Sucharitakul in March 2016.
The gallery is specializing in contemporary art and it aims to support Thai contemporary art scene and to bring creativity to the society. Nova Contemporary will feature from 4 to 6 exhibitions per year.Aside from exhibiting international and Thai artists,it's also offering consultation in areas and educating the general public through talks with artists,collectors and specialists.
Tell us about your gallery's recent achievements.
Tada Hengsapkul one of our first represented has been selected for the 9th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art in Brisbane,Australia.
Moe Satt Parasol Unit was a apart of a group exhibition at MAXXII Museum Rome curated by Hou Hanru.
Kawita Vatanajyankur and Latthapon Korkiatarkul were selected as the artists for the Bangkok Art Biennale.Kawita Vatanajyankur's The Scale of Justice was selected as part of Oz Asia Festival, Adelaide Festival Centre,Adelaide,Australia.
What kind of the artists does your gallery support?
The gallery is supporting emerging artists within Thailand and Southeast Asia.We are open to the medium but the topic and style of the work that we like to represent must be new and refresh. Often of the time it should reflect the current issue and aesthetically match our taste. We are interested in the emerging artists who have innovative approaches or the established artists who have experimental approaches.
Could you share the hardest point of running a gallery?
For me the most difficult part is to educate the public audience and the young Collectors.It is not easy to sell experimental work of an emergingartist as most people in Thailand are still quite new to collecting.
What role do you think galleries play in the arts or society?
We do present the curatorial group shows. Nova Contemporary has been established for almost three years. Our very first opening exhibition Today Is The Day: The Proposition Of Our Future in 2016 was a collaboration between Nova Contemporary and Today is The Day foundation in Japan curated by Noritoshi Hirakawa. Afterwards, we include curatorial group exhibitions every year, The Echo of Footsteps was a curatorial group exhibition in 2017, Rituals / Ink, Oil, Cotton and Thread and The Shape of the Invisible, The Rhythm of the Unspeakable, the Dimension of Humanity in 2018.
Does your gallery also present the curatorial group shows?
In Thailand gallery system is a new system. A good gallery will grow with their artists and will be selective to who is collecting the work A good gallery does not only sell the works for the artist but try to push the work to public collection in order for them to gain reputation.
What will you show in Art Basel Hong Kong 2019
We will be exhibiting in Discoveries sector. Therefore we are only showing a solo artist from Burma; Moe Satt.
NOVA CONTEMPORARY, Bangkok
INTERVIEWEEL Founder/Director: Sutima Sucharitakul
