Daring perspectives
While the Hong Kong art scene seems bullish as borders reopen and international buyers return, recent wobbles in the local stock and property markets have investors taking a cautious outlook, according to Enders Wong, founder of the Touch Ceramics gallery at Tai Kwun.
“There’s a tendency for individuals to take a wait-andsee approach by holding onto their funds rather than making spur-of-the-moment purchases,” he said. “If the stock and real estate markets bounce back this year, it may invigorate Hong Kong’s art sector in turn.”
Hong Kong has long served as a hub for art trading in Asia, dating back to the 1980s when auction houses like Sotheby’s and Christie’s opened offices here. More recently, players like Phillips have also established local branches, along with galleries and mega fairs such as Art Basel Hong Kong.
Lawyer and long-time collector Hallam Chow believes “Hong Kong should transform beyond just being a trading platform into an art ‘influencer’ by leveraging its unique geographic position at the crossroads of Asia and the West, as well as its access to China.”
“Collectors here and the government should provide more support to local talent and attract major international exhibitions from Asia and abroad. The city could also host vibrant scholarly exchanges between cultural institutions,” he noted.
M+ and Tai Kwun have the resources to showcase something new – they shouldn’t just try to mimic others HALLAM CHOW, ART COLLECTOR
Preferences among collectors appear to be shifting. Wong said that during the pandemic, people within Hong Kong felt somewhat confined due to ongoing travel restrictions. “Our focus was more on artworks featuring strongly localised themes, such as those depicting the MTR system,” he said.
Now, global connections have resumed, and everyone is travelling, leading to collectors becoming “less drawn to works with an overly narrow local focus”, he said.
In the context of Hong Kong, selecting art is more than just a matter of taste or passing trends.
Chow said, “There’s a joke that most popular art in Hong Kong must fit in the lift of a typical small apartment, limiting choices mainly to paintings and smaller sculptures.
“Galleries at Art Basel Hong Kong have always tried to predict Hong Kong and Asian collectors’ tastes by bringing supposedly ‘saleable’ works. Frankly, I find such guesswork a bit naive and concerning,” he added.
The local art landscape is changing, with big developments like the establishment of world-class cultural institutions like M+ and Tai Kwun over the past six years.
“Art lovers and collectors in Hong Kong have a broader platform to appreciate diverse art forms. I hope they fulfil their missions of introducing different perspectives to Asia and the world,” Chow said.
If there’s one thing Hong Kong’s top art players agreed on, it’s that developing unique artistic identities independent of topical references will be key to the success of galleries, venues and creators alike.
“While ticket sales matter, cultural institutions in the city should take bolder curatorial stances beyond just ‘blockbuster’ artists overexposed on social media,” Chow urged. “M+ and Tai Kwun have the resources to showcase something new.
“They shouldn’t just try to mimic others Tate Modern or The Museum of Modern Art.”
Meanwhile, galleries would do well bringing diverse pieces, and collectors should feel empowered to develop bolder, more personal styles than just following “which artists to buy” suggestions on social media, according to Chow.
Traditionally, bricks-andmortar art galleries have served a vital role as showcase spaces for artists. Social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook now help amplify the reach of galleries.
No one gallery holds absolute sway over market trends, but Wong said prominent institutional backing can significantly influence buying appetites over time. “When mega-galleries like M+ and Tai Kwun exhibit and purchase an artist’s pieces, their seals of approval incentivise further patronage and help fuel market momentum for those endorsed artists,” he explained.
Going forward, Hong Kong’s cultural scene must evolve to cement its global standing beyond pure commercial exchanges.
“It’s time for Hong Kong to shed its image as purely an art trading hub. With the right vision, the city can establish itself as a distinctive, universal cultural destination by championing fresh voices and unique programmes,” said Chow.