Top galleries commit to Art HK fair

Hong Kong’s art fair, Art HK, has announced an increasingly blue-chip roster of exhibitors for its 4th edition (26-29 May), a reflection of the importance of the Asian market to international dealers. Although the fair will only have six more galleries in total (161 compared with 155 this year), 62 of the dealers will be new to this year’s edition. For the 2011 fair the organisers received 300 applications, according to director Magnus Renfrew, and its participant list is now a more familiar sight to those on the international fair circuit. Newcomers include US dealers Zwirner, Acquavella and Blum & Poe, European stalwarts Sprüth Magers, Yvon Lambert and Victoria Miro, as well as Goodman Gallery of South Africa, Vitamin Creative Space from China and India’s Nature Morte, all of whom showed at Art Basel Miami Beach in December. “We’ve been looking at showing at an Asian fair for a few years and wanted to make sure we did the right one,” said dealer Glenn Scott Wright of Victoria Miro, adding: “We can’t be complacent and wait for Chinese collectors to come to us.” Renfrew is conscious that the fair should not “lose its Asian characteristic” and wants it to “respect its location. It is certainly true that there has been a considerable increase in interest from major western galleries this year, however, we are committed to showcasing the very best work from the region, and work by younger artists from around the world, in addition to work by blue-chip artists,” he says. To this end, he is this year adding a new solo project section—Asia One—exclusively for Asian galleries and Asian artists, as well as repeating the younger gallery Art Futures section, in which “a number of previous participants” will take part (this exhibitor list will be announced in February).