Art Basel in Hong Kong (ABHK) has shifted the dates of its 2022 fair following a recent upswing of Covid-19 in Hong Kong, and will now be held from 27 to 29 May (preview 25 and 26 May). The fair had anticipated for this shift, having announced it had brokered a contingency tenancy at its venue, the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), for these new dates to accommodate a pandemic-related event.
This postponement means that ABHK 2022 will take place less than three weeks before the Swiss fair's flagship event in Basel, scheduled from 15 to 19 June.
"Given the current government guidelines in Hong Kong, it has become clear that moving the fair to May is the right decision," says Adeline Ooi, Art Basel's Asia director, in a statement.
Since 24 January, the special administrative region has recorded rising numbers of new coronavirus cases, mostly linked to the Omicron variant, with 188 registered yesterday.
The fair's decision was made to give exhibitors and partners "the ability to plan ahead" and thus ensure "the broadest possible community" can gather at the HKCEC, in addition to "the international audience that will be joining us virtually".
Hong Kong yesterday revised its entry rules for foreign arrivals, reducing the mandated hotel quarantine from three weeks to two. However for most exhibitors this option has proved too onerous, and of the 137 galleries that are due to take part in ABHK 2022, over 60% will take satellite booths manned by Art Basel staff.
