Art Central 2022 to Focus on Hong Kong Galleries

Over 50 galleries will participate in the fair, which runs in concert with Art Basel Hong Kong, from 26 to 29 May.

This year's Art Central will see greater focus on Hong Kong galleries and artists across the fair's programmes when the event returns to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from 26 to 29 May.

Fair director Corey Andrew Barr saw the renewed focus on Hong Kong as a 'silver lining' to the pandemic.

'This is a great moment for our community to support Hong Kong-based artists and galleries, and a chance for collectors to delve deep into the creative output of our city,' he told Ocula Magazine.

While he saw the pandemic as a corrective that helped 'rebalance the system in a way that gives Hong Kong art the prominence it very well deserves,' he added that 'we expect to see strong participation from our overseas galleries again as soon as travel allows.'

Art Central's Yi Tai Sculpture and Installation Projects sector is helmed this year by Qu Chang, previously a curator at Hong Kong art space Para Site. The sector will include six large installations connected by the theme of 'Thinking Magic'. This will include works by Hong Kong artists Afa Annfa, Bing Lee, and Louis To Wun as well as Marton Nemes (Hungary), Sueyon Yang (Korea), and Batten and Kamp (New Zealand).

Of the 52 exhibitors taking part, more than 20 will be participating in Art Central for the first time, including several Hong Kong galleries. Double Q Gallery will present works by Hungarian geometric art pioneer Gizella Rákóczy; Touch Gallery will show works by Ogata Kamio, Sara Tse and Szelit Cheung; and Square Street Gallery will exhibit Hong Kong street artist Lousy.

Another gallery making their Art Central debut is Mwimbi Fine Art, which has galleries in Hong Kong and Lusaka, Zambia. They will exhibit work by Hong Kong artist Lee du Ploy alongside David Makala, in a curated booth exploring themes of identity, race, power and place.

Meanwhile, Polish artist Igor Dobrowolski, and American street artist Joe Iurato will release new artworks with Gin Huang Gallery, which has locations in Taipei and Taichung.

Among those returning to Art Central, Whitestone Gallery (Hong Kong, Tokyo, Karuizawa, Taipei), will present post-war avant-garde artists such as Shinoda Toko and Yayanagi Go alongside emerging Chinese and Japanese artists.

Also returning are Novalis Art Design (Hong Kong), with a showcase of programmed and kinetic art from the 1960s and 70s, LEE & BAE (Busan) with a presentation featuring Seungtaik Jang, Jinwook Yeom, and Seontae Hwang; and Galerie Zink (Waldkirchen), who will present the first exhibition of Gregory Forstner in Asia.

The full list of participating galleries can be found here. —[O]