Art Basel Hong Kong, as the Hong Kong Art Fair is now known, opened its doors yesterday to the press and "VIPs". It was hard for Lai See to decide which was the more absorbing, the art on display or the beautiful people that flocked to the show.
Unusually, it was mostly the men that stood out for their distinctive plumage, rather than the women. We particularly liked the attire of one gentleman: gleaming silver loafers, bright green trousers, blue and white checked shirt, with a dark blue jacket. Then there were the fortyish types in their skin-tight trousers, pointed shoes and tight jackets. Lots of suits and no ties, mingling with more conservatively, though immaculately dressed, well-heeled Euro-types.
"It's all a bit silly, really," one connoisseur of these events confided to us, "but it adds to the fun."
During our tour of the galleries we espied David Tang loudly pontificating to his entourage, which seemed to include the vivacious Kate Moss. As for the art: well-displayed and interesting, particularly as about half of it was produced by Asian artists. We'll leave the finer points to the experts. But definitely a fun event.