It is a massive showcase for modern and contemporary art and will celebrate its fifth year here in 2017 with a wide array of both established and emerging artists and galleries from 34 countries and across four sectors: Insights, Discoveries, Kabinett and Encounters. 

Less is more in the Encounters section of Art Basel in Hong Kong this year. Encounters will present 17 large-scale sculptural installations, which according to a press release, will “transcend the traditional art fair booth.” Alexie Glass-Kantor, director of Art Space and third-year curator of the Encounters sector, said that audience engagement and interaction is important to the success of the sector.

 

The installations range widely in purpose and construction, from sculptures of communist leaders in crystal coffins to 3D-printed bonsai trees. Other projects include 180 counterfeit reproductions of Margaret Thatcher’s handbag and a cascading scroll exploring the ongoing refugee crisis. Like Art Basel Miami, it seems impossible to separate art from politics!

Art Basel Hong Kong also incorporates parallel programming in collaboration with local arts organizations. This year, that includes a presentation titled  ‘Ambiguously Yours: Gender in Hong Kong Popular Culture’ at M+, Hong Kong’s new museum for visual culture in the West Kowloon Cultural District very close to Hotel Icon