Local galleries set to shine at Art Basel Hong Kong

Art Basel is known for attracting international galleries that boast long track records and have earned worldwide respect and faithful buyers. These galleries bring in the works of world-renowned artists and often let collectors have the first look at new works.

The fair also affords newcomers to the art market a chance to become acquainted with some of the best work on the market today, a sort of strolling primer of modern and contemporary art, paintings, prints, sculpture, performances, film, video, installations and mixed-media that are important and influential.

Perhaps just as important is that the Art Basel fair in all three of its incarnations (Basel, Switzerland; Miami, Florida; and Hong Kong) brings in home-grown art by selecting galleries from the local geographies.

Hong Kong has emerged as an important art hub in Asia for several reasons: there are a number of substantial auctions and art fairs held in the city; there is greater interest from mainlanders who are starting to become serious about fine art; and the city offers multiple attractions with its low taxes, substantial infrastructure, rule of law, lack of censorship and the relatively large number of local billionaires. All these factors allow for a thriving Hong Kong gallery scene.

The local galleries that survived the rigorous selection process for Art Basel HK are: Grotto Fine Arts, presenting "Flow: Hong Kong Experimental Ink Art" by artists including Hung Fai, Wong Yee-ki and Eunice Cheung; Anna Ning Fine Art, which brings works from famous older Chinese artists such as Zao Wou-ki, Chu The-chun, Wu Guanzhong, Zhang Xiaogang, and Liu Wei; the sculpture specialist Koru Contemporary Art and Gallery EXIT; and the Pakistani art specialist Gandhara Art, which specialises in Pakistan's old masters such as Imran Qureshi, Syed Sadequain and Ismail Gulgee, plus some contemporary artists.

Other well-respected Hong Kong fine art galleries participating in the fair's Galleries sector are 10 Chancery Lane, Hanart TZ, Osage, and Alisan Fine Arts, the latter famous for supporting traditional and modern ink and brush paintings and the Hong Kong Ink Society.

Among the local galleries included in the Insights section are Galerie Ora-Ora, Blindspot, Edouard Malingue and Galerie du Monde.