In 2024, Art Basel Hong Kong returned to its pre-pandemic scale for the first time. Despite much uncertainty, the fair welcomed 242 leading galleries from Asia, Europe, the Americas, Africa and the Middle East, and attracted a total of 75,000 visitors, dispelling the gloom that has shrouded much of the art world in recent years. 

As the world experiences a vibrant resurgence this year, Art Basel Hong Kong is refocusing its lens on its inherently unique value. Amidst external competition from the likes of Frieze Soul and the recently introduced Art021 Hong Kong Contemporary Art Fair, how does Art Basel Hong Kong maintain its edge? What crucial role does Art Basel Hong Kong play in supporting the local art scene and the development of emerging artists? Director of Art Basel Hong Kong Angelle Siyang-Le sits down with us to discuss.

Art Basel Hong Kong 2024 marked a return to the fair’s pre-pandemic scale. Would you say that the art world has fully recovered? 

2023 was a year of re-opening, and the mission for 2024 was to reconnect. At the 2024 edition of the fair, we successfully reestablished connections with the world and I’d say that by March, Hong Kong had regained its international presence having hosted numerous events both within and beyond the fair itself. We can look forward to 2025 as a year of repositioning, with a greater focus on promoting the developments of the entire art ecosystem.

How will that be reflected in Art Basel Hong Kong 2025? 

Firstly, I see the global art scene undergoing a reshaping. In the post-pandemic era, our primary focus is to showcase connectivity, hence we have art galleries from 42 countries and regions across the globe—32 of which are from Hong Kong—and 23 are exhibiting in Hong Kong for the first time. Some are from distant places like Guatemala and the Republic of Kosovo, which is testament to Hong Kong’s close ties to the rest of the world. Art Basel has always prioritised the long-term development of the local art community, and we’re continuing to foster partnerships with local institutions. For instance, the 2025 show’s Film program will be curated by Para Site for the first time. This has taken a long time to plan, but we believe that collaborating with young curators can inject more energy into the fair.

Can you tell us more about 32 local galleries that are showing at Art Basel Hong Kong 2025?

Every year, new galleries emerge in Hong Kong, and those participating for the first time this year are relatively young. SC Gallery (established in 2022) and PHD Group (established in 2021) are particularly interesting—they previously held an alternative art event called “Supper Club”. We really admire these young galleries; beyond representing artists and holding exhibitions, they have greater ambitions to transform Hong Kong into a more experimental art scene. So their participation is quite exciting.

Art Basel Hong Kong is launching its inaugural MGM Discoveries Prize aimed at supporting emerging artists and their galleries. Could you share more about this new initiative?

We’re well aware of the challenges that emerging artists face, such as the operational and logistical expenses required to participate in major fairs, which can be quite difficult for them. Therefore, we especially want to support smaller galleries. There are many ways to provide support, but what is the best approach? Ultimately, we settled on a cash prize that is to be shared between the artist and their representing gallery as the efforts of both parties are equally important. In addition, we will exhibit their works in Hong Kong and Macau. We have formed a special judging panel for this award and the list of judges will be announced shortly.

After the pandemic, I noticed that Macau’s art scene is booming. What do you think are the differences between the art ecosystems in Hong Kong and Macau? Do you see them as mutually beneficial or as competitors?

Both Hong Kong and Macau are located in the Greater Bay Area, and there are many new developments throughout the region. I think having such rich artistic resources in and around Hong Kong is advantageous, especially given how close Hong Kong and Macau are. Macau has its own historical traditions, art and culture that are completely different from Hong Kong, and it is this diversity that is helpful in the overall development of the Greater Bay Area. While there aren’t many Macau artists participating in Art Basel Hong Kong this time, I believe the future is promising, especially since Macau is investing heavily in its art and culture scene. We can expect to see more and more artists emerging from Macau. 

Localisation has been a big buzz word in the art world these past few years. The pandemic prompted countries to refocus on their local markets and actively create their own arts resources. For instance, Japan has seen the success of Art Week Tokyo, and Singapore has its S.E.A. Focus, both of which are locally centered. Art Basel has collaborated with these two art initiatives (the Art Week Tokyo collaboration is ongoing) to better integrate into the local arts and culture scene. Are there any similar plans for Hong Kong?

As a matter of fact, Art Basel Hong Kong not only hosts large exhibitions during the fair in March but also organizes a variety of art activities throughout the year, including VIP programs and collaborative partner events. For example, we recently held a collectors’ breakfast featuring renowned collector Shane Ackroyd, who shared more about his collection journey, particularly focusing on his video art collection. He’s also a board member of Para Site and one of the acquisition committee members for M+. We are actively seeking to expand participation beyond the fair, hoping to bring together different communities and connect more art enthusiasts.