By Apinan Poshyananda
The cruise glided in night breeze with glittering lights on the distant shore of Hong Kong Harbourfront. Dancing was in full swing on the deck as champagne flowed to celebrate the opening of Art Basel Hong Kong (ABHK). Regarded as the largest and most attractive art fair in Asia, the week was packed with openings, parties, performances, conversations and sales.
The Special Administrative Region’s art trade emphasized on free trade that has made Hong Kong the haven for transaction in art sales and art business. Nevertheless, times are changing as representative of Hong Art Gallery Association (HKAGA) commented on shipping which has become extremely expensive. Trump’s trade war will inevitably have impact on tariffs, materials, shipment and art investment.
Despite escalating tariff threats from trade war, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre buzzed with activities as packed aisles were full of VIPs, celebrities, collectors, dealers, artists, critics, philanthropists and spectators.
This year’s edition featured 240 galleries from 42 countries with about half of the galleries from the Asia Pacific. Established galleries from Europe and US included Pace, Thaddeus Ropac, Mennour, Gagosian, Lisson, Hauser & Wirth, White Cube, Continua, Massimodecarlo and Krinzinger.
From Asia, Richard Koh, Ames Yavuz, Bangkok City City, Flowers, Silverlens, ShangART, Tang and TKG. At the entrance of ABHK, Takashi Murakami featured prominently in collaboration with Louis Vuitton. Inside, Encounters Artists sections included Pacita Abad, Lu Yang, Liam Gillick and Nadia Hernandez.
Coincided with ABHK, M+ Museum staged The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series, Picasso for Asia: A Conversation with displays of 60 paintings and sculptures by Picasso and 80 works by Asian artists inspired by the Spanish master. An excellent exhibition by Cindy Sherman and Yasumasa Morimura traces their brilliant career through self-portraits in masquerades.
Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA) displays paintings by Cezanne and Renoir. At Art Central, the largest edition exhibited 100 galleries and 500 artists. Auction houses Christie’s, Sotheby’s and Bonthams held sales of paintings by Marc Chagal and Jean-Michel Basquiat while Phillips staged the Sovereign Art Prize.
Apart from H Queen’s galleries at Central, invigorating exhibitions included Tenzing Rigdol at Rossi & Rossi, Chulayanon Siripol’s The Golden Snail Series at Tomorrow Maybe and Beauty Will Save the World with works by Southeast Asian artists including Vu Dan Tan, FX Harsono, Moe Satt, Din Q Le at10 Chancery Lane Gallery.
At ABHK, some outstanding art transactions included David Zwirner’s sale of Infinity Net painting by Yayoi Kusama for US$3.5 million, Felix Gonzales-Torres work for US$900,000; Thaddeus Ropac reported US$6 million in sales including Georg Baselitz, and Roy Lichtenstein. Hauser & Wirth sold a sculpture by Louise Bourgeois for US$2 million to a Chinese collector. Perrotin sold a Takashi Murakami for US$1.3 million. Tang Contemporary reported painting by Yue Minjun fetched US$1 million.
The MGM Discoveries Art Prize to celebrate originality and innovative artworks went to South Korean Shin Min and Gallery 21 (Seoul). Cash prize of US$50,000 awarded to Min for her works that explore hard realities of service labor, gender and class. MGM, led by Pansy Ho, focuses on cultural tourism, creativity, innovation, casinos and entertainment in Macao.
Notably, Thai participations were well received. Pinaree Sanpitak’s two paintings Silver Offering (2003) represented by Ames Yavuz were each sold for US$175,000; Rirkrit Tiravanija displayed familiar sign paintings Freedom Cannot be Simulated at Kurimanzuto and Asians Must Eat Rice at Pilar Corrias.
Young talented painter Channatip Chanvipava held his debut at Ames Yavuz. Bangkok City City featured Tanat Teeradakorn with a stall full of T-shirts, souvenirs, video related to protest songs. At Tang Contemporary, a solo exhibition of new paintings by Gongkan attracted many Chinese collectors.
All 18 works were sold before the show opened. Gongkan revealed that he was delighted as his focus has shifted toward struggle on issues related to old Chinese values and his transgender.
The announcement of the long-awaited Dib International Contemporary Art Museum initiated by the late Petch Osathanugrah was launched by his son Purat (Chang) at Rosewood Hotel. VIP guests included Bernard Chan, Hoor Al Qasimi, Uli Sigg, Akiko Mikki and Gregor Muir. Conversation at ABHK between Purat and Alan Ho on patronage and philanthropy with full-house audience was indeed a promising beginning for Dib which will open on 20 December in Bangkok.
Thailand as Art Hub and Entertainment Complex
When former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin announced that Bangkok will be the art hub of Asia with Art Basel International Art Fair among the attractions, many eye brows were raised. With Paetongtarn’s government, Thailand Creative Culture Agency (THACCA) has poured millions of baht through soft power campaigns in film, food, festivals, fashion, design, literature, art, music and performance to upgrade Thai creative industry.
THACCA has facilitated the art industry by working with the Revenue Department to reduce tariff tax to 0% from previous 10% in order to compete with Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, South Kora and Hong Kong. Incentives and benefits to support local collectors and artists on tax reduction have been positively received.
Last month, THACCA organized with Lawrence Ho, CEO of Melco Resorts & Entertainment, Macao, Global Soft Power Talks: The New Rules of Soft Power. Paetongtarn attended the talks by leading speakers including Alain Ducasse, Viviana Muscettola, Giuliano Peparini, Mathieu Lehanneur.
Plans are announced to take young creative Thai talents to visit resorts and entertainment complexes in Macao. Why is the government paying special interest in the new rules of soft power in Macao?
Stanley Ho, Hong Kong-Macao billionaire, who owned 19 casinos in Macao was named Godfather and King of Gambling. MGM and Melco Resorts are among the entertainment complexes under the Ho family known for integrated resorts with entertainment and gaming facilities.
City of Dreams designed by the late architect Zaha Hadid combines entertainment, indoor sports, designer-brand shopping, immersive art displays and restaurants. Works by Murakami, Kaws, Mr. Doodle, Daniel Buren, Zhao Zhao are installed as part of art attractions for visitors.
Whether soft power is seen as intertwined with casino, gaming and entertainment complex, Thai government needs to explain clearly its intention to the public. With recent demonstrations against the bill proposed for entertainment complex and casinos, issues regarding the role of soft power as part the bill must be raised. With recent catastrophic earthquake followed by Trump’s trade war, Thai soft power has been hard hit.
In a short period, the new rules of soft power have changed again. Let us tread carefully in this political and economic whirlwind that will come thick and fast. There is no longer time to play softly or gamble with the game of hit and miss. Because losers will be stuck deeply in murky waters full of deep shit.
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Prof. Dr. Apinan Poshyananda holds a BA and MA in Fine Arts from Edinburgh University and a Ph.D. in Art History from Cornell University. His distinguished career includes serving as Director-General of Thailand’s Office of Contemporary Art and Culture, Director-General of the Cultural Promotion Department, and as Permanent Secretary and Acting Minister at Thailand’s Ministry of Culture, where he curated the first Thai Pavilion at the 50th Venice Biennale.
A renowned curator, he has directed major international exhibitions including “Contemporary Art from Asia: Traditions/Tensions” (New York, 1996), “Traces of Siamese Smile” (Bangkok, 2008), and “Thailand Eye” (London and Bangkok, 2015).
He serves on boards and committees for prestigious institutions including the Asian Cultural Council, Solomon Guggenheim Museum, National Gallery Singapore, Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, and as an advisor to Thai Beverage Plc.
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