“Unscheduled” Art Fair Aims to Stimulate Hong Kong’s Art Scene

On May 25, Hong Kong Art Gallery Association (HKAGA) announced the launch of a selling and networking gallery showcase entitled “Unscheduled,” slated to take place at a duplex studio at Tai Kwun, the center for heritage and arts in Central, Hong Kong. The program (June 17–27) aims to reinvigorate the city’s art scene following a string of delays and cancellations of events this year due to Covid-19, including Art Basel in March. 

Co-curated by local independent curators Ying Kwok and Sara Wong, the aptly named fair will display solo presentations from 12 Hong Kong and international galleries based in the city. Speaking to ArtAsiaPacific, the curators reflected that the galleries are loosely categorized into three groups according to the artistic approaches of the artists they are showing. The first group consists of artists who “intentionally create a distance to avoid or disturb the direct encounter with the subject matter,” such as emerging Japanese artist Etsu Egami from Whitestone Gallery (Hong Kong / Taipei / Tokyo / Karuizawa). Egami depicts the ambiguity of communication on abstract canvases. For the second group, the highlighted works are more explicit with the exploration of their subject matters, including experimental ink paintings by Hong Kong modern master Irene Chou, from Hanart TZ Gallery (Hong Kong). Finally, the third group presents minimalistic works that convey a sense of tranquillity, such as Singaporean mixed-media artist Heman Chong, from Rossi & Rossi (London / Hong Kong). Chong imagines the future with images, performance, and writing.

The organizing committee is fronted by HKAGA board members Willem Molesworth, director of de Sarthe gallery (Hong Kong), and Fabio Rossi, owner and principal at Rossi & Rossi. Molesworth stressed the necessity of holding the ten-day event to AAP, saying that “it demonstrates the resilience, importance, and strength of the city. Coming together through a collective effort like this will reenergize the community . . . from forging new connections to developing new and meaningful conversations.” 

The designated Tai Kwun space has a fixed floor plan, but will be repurposed in collaboration with BEAU Architects to become a free-flowing structure with no aisles. The result will enable a decentralized and inclusive art fair environment, allowing individual  booths to integrate with one another.

Ticket sales to the event will be partially donated to local charity partner Hands On Hong Kong to help vulnerable communities impacted by the pandemic.

Here is the full list of participants:

Frog King Kwok (10 Chancery Lane Gallery)
Kitty Chou (Ben Brown Fine Arts)
Ng Chung (Contemporary by Angela Li)
mak ying tung 2 (de Sarthe)
Chou Yu-Cheng (Edouard Malingue Gallery)
Irene Chou (Hanart TZ Gallery)
Zhang Gong (Kwai Fung Hin Art Gallery)
Aruta Soup (L+ / Lucie Chang Fine Arts)
Duan Yifan (Leo Gallery)
Liu Bolin (Over the Influence)
Heman Chong (Rossi & Rossi)
Etsu Egami (Whitestone Gallery)

Ashlyn Chak is an editorial intern of ArtAsiaPacific; Pamela Wong is assistant editor.

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