No Ordinary Art Fair: Hong Kong Contemporary Prepares for Spectacular Debut.

Hong Kong Contemporary is firmly on its way to becoming the must-attend art fair during the Hong Kong Art week in May. Though Hong Kong Contemporary runs concurrently with the longstanding, prestigious Hong Kong International Art Fair and Christie’s Auction - it is clear that this debut art fair is no ordinary affair.

Leading the way with a bold new concept, Hong Kong Contemporary (www.hongkongcontemporary.com) will showcase at the Park Lane Hong Kong in the heart of bustling Causeway Bay. Here, gallery owners will display their artwork in taste- fully furnished hotel suites, while also staying at the Park Lane hotel as guests them- selves. Gallery owners are embracing this concept across Asia, according to Hong Kong Contemporary’s director, Roger Lin.

“Gallery owners are throwing their support behind this popular and highly successful trend of exhibiting work out of hotels,” Mr. Lin says, “It is a new concept of showing and selling artworks, and it is growing in popularity in Asia over the past few years.”

This method of exhibition helps facilitate a more relaxed interaction between the gallery owner and client, and provides an intimate and attractive setting for the art works to be showcased. In addition, gallery owners are taking advantage of the cost effectiveness of promoting work in Hong Kong itself. Currently, it is the world’s leading art market according to auction turnover and significantly, unlike Mainland China, no tax exists on the import and export of art.

“We aim to create an art fair that is fresh, trendy, and accessible,” Mr. Lin says, “By setting up a platform for Hong Kong artists and galleries to exchange information and ideas with international galleries, we hope to promote Hong Kong art and bring it to an international level.”

Unlike conventional hotel fairs, Hong Kong Contemporary will launch two special exhibitions: “Passionate Dynamics” curated by New York based curator Elga Wimmer (Chief Curator of Chelsea Art Museum, New York), and a special solo exhibition of Korean Movie Star, renowned visual artist, Ha Jung-woo (The Chaser [2008], The Client [2011], Berlin [in production]). Additionally, Hong Kong Auctions Limited will host an exclusive art auction for Hong Kong Contemporary on May 20th. Each participating gallery will submit one piece of artwork for auction.

To further raise the event’s profile and to support local Hong Kong art, Hong Kong Contemporary will launch the Hong Kong Contemporary Art Award - a competition open to all Hong Kong artists with a Hong Kong permanent ID. A panel of judges, including art collectors and academics, will present the prize to the winner on opening day (May 18th, 2012).

Mark your calendar for Hong Kong Contemporary: May 18 to 20, 2012.