ART Asia '94 will feature 100 more galleries than this year's event when it begins next November, and there will be antiques on show with contemporary works of art. The second Art Asia was held at the Convention and Exhibition Centre from November 18 to 22 and more than 100 galleries representing 15 countries took part. The organiser, International Fine Art Expositions (IFAE), said more than 45,000 people had attended and estimated that sales exceeded $348 million. Principal organiser David Lester said the most expensive item sold in the four-day fair was an original painting by French painter Claude Monet at $77 million. He said he would try to invite more than 200 galleries to participate next year. ''We'll also have an international antique fair together with Art Asia '94 in November next year,'' he said. Mr Lester said the Miami-based IFAE would also organise a new spring fair in the territory called New Trends - Art Hong Kong in March next year. He said the spring fair would feature contemporary and emerging work priced to be accessible to the broadest range of buyers, including new collectors. ''The artworks in the spring fair will be much less expensive than those in the Art Asia fair,'' he said. ''They will be in the thousands in US dollars.'' Mr Lester said the IFAE would invite 70 to 80 galleries to Hong Kong for the spring fair.
