As one of the most prominent international art fairs lands in Hong Kong from Friday until Sunday, bringing artists and galleries to the city, locally-based talents are ramping up their work to be part of it in one way or another. Canadian artist Peter Yuill has been in Hong Kong for about 10 years, having moved here from Toronto. His work usually consists of complex geometric abstraction with ink on paper, oil on canvas, and large-scale murals. It is impossible to not notice his work when you walk into a space. Though he is settled in Hong Kong for now with his wife, Thierry Chow, the rising superstar of the city’s feng shui community, that did not stop him negotiating a collaboration in New York. One of the major challenges in Hong Kong is a relative lack of respect for arts on the broad scale Peter Yuill For Yuill, clear autonomy over his work is important. He takes his inspiration from the beauty and complexity of the universe, mathematics, geometry, physics, resonance, the curvature of space-time, and trying to understand his connection to it all, as he explains. “I work with a gallery for certain projects, but I also like to maintain my independence.” La Prairie collaborates with South Korean artist Chul Hyun Ahn “I am a fiercely independent and self-reliant person. I feel a sense of fulfilment from doing things myself and taking charge of my own path.” As to whether he feels different being a “foreign” artist in Hong Kong, Yuill says, “I don’t spend much time focusing on it really, although I do find other [artists] do. The only time I ever think of it is when I’m reminded by some potential client when they say they want a Chinese artist for the project. But to be honest, that doesn’t really happen all that frequently.” Australian-born Katie Graham started her career as a photographer, then took up painting with the intention of combining both mediums. As an emerging artist in the city, Graham, who has been in Hong Kong for six years, has staged several solo exhibitions. “I think being an emerging artist is always a challenge because regardless of where you live, it requires great patience and a lot of hard work,” she says. Graham also touches on the high cost of living in Hong Kong, which can be tough for artists just starting out. “Space is always going to be a challenge. But the opportunities far exceed them. Hong Kong’s diversity, and its location close to many different cities and cultures, make it an extremely exciting place to live.” Art Basel Hong Kong 2018 inspires menus and cocktails Graham is working on a series of paintings inspired by her experience in Beijing when she was an artist residence with Red Gate Gallery, in the 798 Art District. “The paradox of ‘trying’ to achieve spontaneity is an ongoing obsession, so I can express work that is authentic and unique to me,” she says. Chan Ka Kiu can relate to the struggle of an emerging artist and the lack of space in the city. “It is hard for anyone to make a living purely from their art,’ she says. “At the moment, I am not looking for my art to pay my bills. I like them separated – money and art – although it’s difficult. “Most young artists aren’t able to rent their own studio and will be sharing with other artists. This is nice when you can have people working together, talking about art together, but the space is always a little limited, especially for an artist who has just started their career.” However, the annual Art Basel provides opportunities. 8 high-profile galleries to check out at Art Basel Hong Kong 2018 “It is less small-circle than the usual exhibitions that mostly only art lovers would visit – the fair includes more public audiences,” Chan says. Chan is presenting her first solo exhibition “Don’t come so fast, darling”, with Para Site, a leading contemporary art centre in the city. Her featured work is a selection of pieces produced from 2017 onwards, including video, photography, installations and a new continuing performance where she reflects on recent personal experiences, pointing out the absurdities and paradoxes hidden within our daily routines. Hong Kong’s diversity, and its location close to many different cities and cultures, make it an extremely exciting place to live Katie Graham For Chan, being an artist in the former British colony is about building a sense of belonging. “It is important that the art scene here makes me feel safe and comfortable to talk about basically everything I wanted to,” she says. Chan, who grew up in Hong Kong, says, “The language we use here is a very important part of my art, or maybe even my personality. Cantonese is almost the opposite of being tender, but it is a very honest language and you can tell things in a very direct way. There are always art shows happening in this city, whether big or small. So there are a lot of opportunities, but of course for artists it’s never too much.” Peter Yuill says, “One of the major challenges in Hong Kong is a relative lack of respect for arts on the broad scale. Hong Kong is a very finance- and real estate-dominated city, and appreciation for the arts and culture always takes a back seat. Art Basel 2018: How many ways can a Lady Dior bag be recreated? “That being said, there are lots of truly amazing people doing remarkable things here, but it is always an uphill struggle to actually produce anything wonderful.” With the high rental prices in Hong Kong, it is nearly impossible for local talent to take risks, the Canadian artist observes. “Great art or great experiences are inherently risky, which makes them very difficult to pull off here.” But Yuill adds, “The trade-off with that is that there is also a lot of money in Hong Kong, so you can also find companies with decent budgets and clients who appreciate art who can afford to collect work – so it’s kind of a double-edged sword.” Want more stories like this? Sign up here . Follow STYLE on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter