The big arts stories from Asia in 2018: a burst of Thai shows, new Hong Kong complex, galleries’ gender bias

Four contemporary art exhibitions were launched in Thailand, where previously there were none, while Tai Kwun’s opening added art spaces in Hong Kong

Hong Kong Ballet staged an outstanding Giselle, Xu Bing had a major China retrospective, and Hong Kong Sinfonietta seeks a new music director

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The Hong Kong Ballet’s outstanding performance of Giselle was one of the highlights in a strong season for local dance companies. Photo: Courtesy of Hong Kong Ballet/Conrado Dy-Liacco

Published: 5:06pm, 31 Dec 2018Updated: 5:06pm, 31 Dec 2018

A colonial police station and prison compound is transformed into a new heritage and arts centre in Hong Kong; fairs, biennials and the hope for more artistic freedom in southeast Asia increase; the gender debate starts heating up in the Asian arts scene; and great shows in art galleries and on stage are just some of the highlights of 2018.

Here’s a look back at some of our top stories from the Hong Kong and Asian arts scene over the past year.

The exterior of the Tai Kwun complex in Central. Photo: Nora Tam

1. Tai Kwun complex

The new Tai Kwun complex is the culmination of Hong Kong’s most ambitious heritage restoration project and adds much-needed arts venues to the space-starved city. It cleverly merges new buildings with a former police headquarters and prison, and local restorers learned valuable techniques for similar projects in the future. You can read about its restoration here.

However, not long after its opening its management was accused of self-censorship when it dithered over whether to allow a talk by dissident Chinese novelist Ma Jian. There was a mixed response to some of its exhibitions, such as the secretive “Rehearsal” and its first major contemporary art commission.