Hong Kong Art Gallery Association announces a diverse programme for Hong Kong Art Gallery Week, exploring Hong Kong’s developing art ecology in a local and international context

26 November – 5 December 2014

Participants include: Johnson Chang, Doryun Chong, Adrian Wong, Cosmin Costinas, Robin Peckham, Magnus Renfrew, Jehan Chu, Pi Li, Richard Buckley, Florian Knothe, John Aitken, Kyle Ford, Yeewan Koon

Hong Kong, 28 October 2014 – The Hong Kong Art Gallery Association has today announced the highlights of an ambitious and diverse programme of over 40 free public events and more than 12 new exhibition openings for the second edition of Hong Kong Art Gallery Week, sponsored by Bank of China (Hong Kong) Private Banking. During the week exhibitions will range from Cai Guo-Qiang at Axel Vervoordt Gallery to Henri Matisse at Opera Gallery; from Jeff Koons at Gagosian Gallery to Hong Kong photographers such as Ho Fan at AO Vertical Art Space and Tseng Kwong Chi at Ben Brown Fine Arts; as well as Hong Kong talents at galleries across the city such as Kacey Wong and Trevor Yeung in “Hong Kong Bestiary” at Platform China (HK).

In the largest-ever art event presented by galleries across the whole city, 50 galleries will

present a programme balancing the local with the international, with artists and speakers exploring themes relating to Hong Kong as a growing arts hub for the region and globally. The range of programmes reinforces that the city’s gallery scene offers something for everybody, with events, talks, tours, performances, workshops and exhibitions, for families, students, arts professionals, collectors, and members of the public interested in discovering Hong Kong’s galleries. Hong Kong Art Gallery Week aims to highlight Hong Kong’s year-round art offer and to introduce the culture of gallery-going to new audiences. The 2014 edition will focus on mapping the diverse characteristics of Hong Kong’s evolving art neighbourhoods from Central and Sheung Wan to Chai Wan and South Island.

Talks and Tours for the public cover a range of topics related to Hong Kong’s developing Art Ecology. The extensive talks programme hinges on issues relating to how Hong Kong is perceived and represented on the world stage; as well as how the city’s artistic identity contributes to its social, cultural and economic global perception. The programme will allow the public more intimate access to artists, curators, collectors and cultural opinion leaders. Highlights include:

• “Presenting Hong Kong on the World Stage” (Co-hosted by DETOUR), Friday 28 November, at PMQ, Marketplace
• “Digital Art Deals: How Online Art Platforms are developing in Asia”, Saturday 29 November, at Platform China
• “The Role of Galleries: Why the Primary Market is Important”, Monday 1 December, at Sundaram Tagore Gallery
• “Public vs. Private: Developing museums in China and South East Asia”, Wednesday 3 December, at De Sarthe Gallery
• “Opportunities and Challenges of Today's Art Business”, Thursday 4 December
• “Upgrading and Opening up Market through Art Licensing” (Co-hosted by HK Trade Development Council & DETOUR), Friday 5 December, at PMQ, Marketplace
• “Rites of Passage: Graduating into the World of Art in Hong Kong”, Friday 5 December, at White Cube
• Open studio: Hong Kong-based artist, João Vasco Paiva, will open his studio to the public to visit on Saturday 29 November

Participants in the talks programme will include: Johnson Chang, Gallery Founder of Hanart TZ Gallery; Doryun Chong, Chief Curator of M+; Adrian Wong, Artist; Cosmin Costinas, Executive Director/Curator of Para Site; Robin Peckham, Chief Editor of The Art Newspaper; Magnus Renfrew, Deputy Chairman, Asia and Director of Fine Arts for Bonham’s; Katie de Tilly, Gallery Founder of 10 Chancery Lane Gallery; Jehan Chu, Art Advisor; Pi Li, Museum Curator for M+; Richard Buckley, Executive Vice President, Deputy Chairman of Sotheby’s Asia; John Aitken, Professor at Academy of Visual Arts, Hong Kong Baptist University; Dr Florian Knothe, Director of the University Museum and Art Gallery at The University of Hong Kong; Kyle Ford, Professor at SCAD; Dr. Yeewan Koon, Associate Professor at The University of Hong Kong and Guest curator of It Begins with Metamorphosis: Xu Bing at Asia Society Hong Kong Center; Mimi Brown, Founder of Spring Workshop; and will feature representatives from Artron.net, Ocula, and Artsy. 

Further events for the public include open-house style Art LATES and an Art DAY, taking place in the various neighborhoods allowing unprecedented access to the collective gallery environment in Hong Kong. During this time galleries will be showcasing special exhibitions in their spaces.

• Art LATES: Friday 28 November in Central and Tuesday 2 December in Soho & Sheung Wan, including pop-up exhibitions and nine opening receptions or gallery parties during the evening.
• Art DAY: Saturday 29 November in Chai Wan & South Island, including six exhibition openings, artist talks with Ho Fan and Rosanna Li, a special performance at Platform China, a workshop with British Painter Maya Hewitt and a Potluck Brunch with the ‘780s’ artists at Blindspot Gallery. 
• Art Bus: Transportation from PMQ to/from Chai Wan & South Island. Art Basel will be supporting the Art Buses operating on Art DAY.

Events for families and young people including a round-table discussion about preparing to enter the art-world as a graduate. Further to this there will be student art tours, children’s art workshops, a family day and participation in a collaborative public artwork.

• Family day, Sunday 30 November includes free art workshops at 10 Chancery Lane Gallery, Central.
• Starlit Art Space will introduce ‘Home’, a collaborative art installation evoking memories of old Hong Kong; at the steps of Shin Hing Street, Central (between Galerie Ora-Ora and AJC).
• “Rites of Passage: Graduating into the World of Art in Hong Kong”, Friday 5 December
• Student Art Tour & Workshop, Friday 5 December

KELY & Art Loop will conduct a guided, interactive bilingual tour for students of selected galleries in Central, followed by a workshop at PMQ.

Building on the success of the inaugural eight-day event last year, the 2014 edition of Hong Kong Art Gallery Week offers a more diverse programme over ten days and has attracted support from the Arts Development Council in recognition of its non-profit efforts to promote local artists and arts organisations in Hong Kong.

About Hong Kong Art Gallery Association

Founded in 2012, the Hong Kong Art Gallery Association is a member based non-profit organisation of established art galleries in Hong Kong. Working on behalf of members, its mission is to advance the Hong Kong art gallery community by providing one voice to its members, reaching out to the local and international art community, and helping deepen market knowledge and best practices amongst its members. www.hk-aga.org

About Bank of China (Hong Kong) Private Banking

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