Super late post!
I was lucky to have been invited to Art Basel Hong Kong 2015 last March 2015.
I love art, but I’d never been to Art Basel and didn’t know what to expect. The first time I ever heard of it was in 2009 when Brad Pitt famously bought a painting at Art Basel, Switzerland.
Art Basel, considered the premier art show in the world, is staged annually in Basel, Miami, and Hong Kong.
Here’s what I learned from the Art Basel HK experience:
1) Prepare your wardrobe. It is teeming with chica people, and I’m not talking about fashionistas. Art people are so much chicer than fashion people. I saw this from the moment we landed at Hong Kong International Airport. The vibe was different when we arrived. People were so well dressed.
2) How to dress: Wear comfortable shoes and clothes. This is not a time to wear heels or cocktail dresses. Wear sneakers and flats with smart clothes. There is no need to overdress. The show is about art, not you (no offence).
3) Where to stay: Jeroen and I stayed at the Landmark Mandarin Oriental, though the official hotel partner of Art Basel HK was Mandarin Oriental, which provided shuttles to the venue. There are two Mandarin hotels in Hong Kong’s Central district. Both are not far from the Art Basel venue in Wanchai.
But if you really want to be near the venue, the best place to be is Grand Hyatt Wanchai, which is literally next to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
4) There’s Art Basel, and there’s Art Central. Aside from Art Basel, there was a smaller event called Art Central close to the area. Art Central’s inaugural Art Central event had 30,000 art collectors, buyers, and guests. There are less art pieces and though some are really expensive, there are more affordable offerings here.
My favorite piece: giant tablets (US$21,500)
Spotted: Bencab
Interesting
The VIP Lounge
5) Do attend the talks. Jeroen and I went to the Art and the Movies talk at Art Central moderated by Alexandra Seno with guest speakers Joyce Wang, Fanny Pereire, and Fiona Marin. First time I heard and learned that almost every single thing you see in a movie scene needs to be cleared with its copyright owner.
6) Do not walk from Art Central to Art Basel! It may seem near, but it’s not. There as a construction going on in between venues, so Jeroen and I had to walk circles to get to Art Basel. The walk was pretty brutal for a girl with short legs, though Jeroen didn’t seem to have a problem with it. That said, I’m glad I wore Converse sneakers. My advice: take a cab.
Looks near, but far
Hang layo.
7) There’s a lack of food choices at both venues. Jeroen and I were lucky to grab HK$100 burgers at Art Central (I had two). After our long walk from Art Central to Art Basel, I wanted to find a place to eat and drink, but nothing decent. If McDonald’s were there I’m sure they would be packed.
At Art Central, this was packed
This was lunch, eating standing outside
8) What those VIP passes mean. When you get a VIP pass, you don’t have to pay entrance and you get to preview the shows before the masses enter. But beware, there are tons of VIPs in Hong Kong! That means every place is teeming with people. I can’t imagine how thick the crowds were when it opened to the public. But I saw the photos—the VIP days had better dressed people.
VIP Lounge, Art Basel HK
9) You will feel poor. You will see things you want but cannot afford. Not in your wildest dreams. Jeroen and I heard the price of a David Hockney painting—over US$1,000,000.
Yayoi Kusama
Yoshitomo Nara
Julian Opie
My favorite artist: Mr.
I love: Koji Tanada
10) You will feel overwhelmed. The sensory overload is too much you will feel like vomiting art after awhile. So pace yourself. Try not to take in everything in one day which we did because I got sick in Hong Kong.
Come inside
That’s not human. That is sculpture
So that’s my Art Basel experience. Thank you so much Alexandra Seno and Adeline Ooi for having us. Next time I know what to do.
To know more about Art Basel, click HERE.