ART BASEL HONG KONG 2023 EDITION
“This was our first show since Hong Kong lifted all pandemic measures, and the excitement and energy in the halls – and across the city – were extraordinary.”
The Hong Kong edition of Art Basel's 2023 show has come to a close, and it was a resounding success. The event saw brisk sales across all market levels and celebrated its ten-year anniversary in the city. For the first time since 2019, the show took place across two floors of the HKCEC and featured 177 galleries from around the world, with 42 returning after a pandemic hiatus and 22 making their debut. The special sectors, including Encounters, Film, Kabinett, and Conversations, also returned, with Encounters showcasing a large-scale inflatable sculpture of King Tut by Awol Erizku in Hong Kong's Pacific Place.
The fair drew in private collectors from 70 countries and territories, as well as museum directors, curators, and patrons from over 100 international museums and institutions. Two-thirds of the participating galleries had exhibition spaces in Asia and the Asia Pacific, with 33 galleries having spaces in Hong Kong. Galleries from mainland China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, India, and Southeast Asia presented compelling booths.
In addition to the fair itself, Art Basel and its partners commissioned public programming around the city. Pipilotti Rist's moving image work, "Hand Me Your Trust," was projected on the façade of M+ and incorporated the city's dynamic urban landscape. The Film program at the Hong Kong Arts Centre and Conversations, featuring 15 roundtable discussions and more than 85 speakers on various topics, were also available for the public to enjoy.