Presenting a stellar line up of exceptional curated exhibits by established and emerging contemporary artists from 70 galleries across the globe.

Text by Art Central Hong Kong
Images courtesy of Vanessa Li Photography
February 13, 2023

Art Central, presented together with Lead Partner UOB, is delighted to return to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) for its much-anticipated 2023 edition. As a cornerstone event of Hong Kong Art Week, the eighth edition of Art Central will be held from Wednesday 22 to Saturday 25 March 2023 (Preview on Tuesday, 21 March), showcasing the next generation of talent from Asia’s most ambitious galleries alongside distinguished artists from around the globe.

With the recent lifting of travel restrictions in Hong Kong, the Fair looks forward to reuniting local and international audiences in a truly multicultural celebration of art. Art Central 2023 will welcome the participation of 70 influential galleries and over 300 artists.

Hailing from Hong Kong to Busan, Johannesburg to New York, Madrid, Tokyo and beyond, the Fair will demonstrate a diversity of artistic practices through innovative programmes across three gallery sectors – Central Galleries, Curated Booths, and Solo Presentations. Additionally, Art Central’s prominent sector for large-scale installations and spatial interventions will return in 2023; selected projects will be announced shortly.

Gallery Highlights

Highlights of gallery presentations at Art Central 2023 will include:

• MARC STRAUS, a leading New York-based gallery fostering and re discovering both new and mid-career talents, will feature the Pua Kumbu weavings of Anne Samat, hyper realistic ornamental rug paintings of Antonio Santín and semi-abstract architectural paintings of Ulf Puder.

• Hong Kong-based Square Street Gallery will offer a cutting-edge programme of contemporary artists with a bent towards those working locally, including post-modern portraitist Nobody Here, and Dave Chow, who works with found objects. Other artists will include Emily Kueis, Daisuke Tajima, Amy Tong and Clara Wong.

• The influential 021gallery based in Daegu will bring together leading creative thinkers of South Korea’s contemporary art scene, featuring the experimental abstract paintings of Rahm Parc and levitating charcoal sculptures of Seon-Ghi Bahk, amongst other artists.

• Mainstay Hong Kong gallery Contemporary by Angela Li will present a selection of works by artists from Hong Kong and mainland China, including expressionist calligraphy paintings by Kurt Chan, vigorous landscapes by Lv Shanchuan, and additional works by Ken Chan King Long, Chan Wai Lap, Cheung Tsz Hin, Fatina Kong, Kwong Man Chun, Ng Chung, Jacky Tsai, Wong Sze Wai, Wu Didi and Angela Yuen.

• Johannesburg-based gallery Guns & Rain will offer a disruptive exploration of Africa’s collective and personal histories from voices across the continent, bringing to the Fair a solo presentation of self-taught, mixed-media artist Tuli Mekondjo, and a special immersive installation by Bev Butkow.

• Houston-based gallery Art of the World which represents masters of Latin American art, will showcase the dreamlike impressionist paintings of Julio Larraz and the Afro-Cuban modernist aesthetics of Wilfredo Lam.

• K Gallery from Chengdu will join the Fair with a group exhibition of artists from the Chinese contemporary vanguard: Zhou Chunya, Fang Lijun and Yin Zhaoyang.

• VETA by Fer Francés, the progressive, Madrid-based gallery, will feature paintings by Matías Sánchez, Abraham Lacalle and Manuel Ocampo, amongst others.

Artist Highlights

The Fair’s eighth edition will present some of the most exciting and groundbreaking contemporary artists working today from Hong Kong, the Asia-Pacific region and beyond:

• Figurative ink painter Wilson Shieh will join the roster of contemporary artists from Hong Kong and Japan curated by JPS Gallery (Hong Kong), with his witty, subversive imaginings of modern bodies and identities.

• Artemis Art (Kuala Lumpur) will present ‘Future Myth’, a collaborative project by prolific Indonesian artists Dedy Sufriadi and Taufik Ermas, which examines how today’s advanced technologies and rapid information dissemination have resulted in the decline of analytical media comprehension, raising hypothetical questions on our future societies and human experience.

• The multi-dimensional pictorial objects of the late Japanese avant-garde artist Katsumi Nakai who spent considerable time in Milan in the 1960 70s, will be featured prominently in a booth presentation by Novalis Art Design (Hong Kong), displaying spellbinding origami structures akin to metaphysical mysteries.

• The figurative paintings by Spanish-born painter Cristina Lama, whose gestural, figurative visual-art language and pictorial compositions undercut serenity with psychological intensity, will be featured in a solo presentation by Delimbo Gallery (Seville).

• Hungarian-born József Csató will debut at Art Central 2023 with a solo showing by Double Q Gallery (Hong Kong), incorporating a hybrid of Neo primitivism traits with tongue-and-cheek references to art history and European Christianity in his expressive, geometric paintings.

• An artist of the Japanese diaspora, the fantastical creations of Tomokazu Matsuyama will be featured prominently in a group presentation of international artists presented by Curator Style (Hong Kong), exploring themes of globalisation and national identity in the age of the Internet.

• The minimalist works of celebrated Korean artist Soonik Kwon will be showcased amongst an installation of Japanese postwar and contemporary art by Whitestone Gallery (Hong Kong, Taipei, Tokyo, Karuizawa, Singapore).

Exclusive Online Partner

Art Central is pleased to announce its continued partnership with Artsy, the largest global online marketplace for buying, selling, and discovering art by leading artists. The commercial digital platform will feature selected works from each exhibiting gallery, to be launched on 21 March 2023. As the Fair’s Exclusive Online Partner, Artsy will provide a unique opportunity for exhibiting galleries to promote their virtual booths to Artsy’s global audience.

Christine Ip, CEO – Greater China, UOB, said, "UOB is honoured to partner with Art Central for the seventh consecutive year. The partnership is a testament to our long-term commitment to the vibrant Hong Kong art scene and to fostering greater connectivity within and beyond Hong Kong through visual art. The diversity of our artists, art programmes, and art forms reflects the multi-cultural society we live in. Together, we look forward to providing a dynamic and inspiring cultural experience to audiences during the Hong Kong Art Week.”

Corey Andrew Barr, Fair Director, Art Central, said, “Following the long-awaited reopening of the border to mainland China and the rest of the world, we are delighted to be able to once again reunite international exhibitors and visitors with our local audience, galleries and artists. As a cornerstone event of the Hong Kong Art Week, Art Central is honored to be working with its trusted partners to bring a strong programme of innovate art from around the world to the heart of Asia’s market for contemporary art. This outstanding edition of Art Central will bring an abundance of cultural experiences for collectors, curators, and visitors alike – to be moved, enlightened, and inspired by the boundless potential of the art of our time.”

Advance Tickets to Art Central are now available. Visitors are encouraged to book online in advance to save: http://artcentralhongkong.com/visit/tickets

Fair dates and Opening hours

Preview (by invitation)

Tuesday 21 March 2023

General Opening

Wednesday 22 March 2023, 2pm – 8pm

Thursday 23 March 2023, 12nn – 8pm

Friday 24 March 2023, 12nn – 8pm

Saturday 25 March 2023, 11am – 6pm

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About Art Central

Art Central, a cornerstone event of Hong Kong Art Week, showcases the next generation of talent from Asia’s most innovative galleries alongside distinguished artists from around the world. Since its inaugural edition in 2015, Art Central has established itself as a professional platform for pushing boundaries in contemporary art and is recognised today as a place of discovery for collectors and curators representing private, corporate, and institutional collections worldwide.

The strong gallery line-up is complemented by a dynamic programme that includes large-scale and interactive installations, experimental film and performance and engaging panel discussions.

About Managing Director, Charles Ross

Charles Ross was the Managing Director of ART HK from the its inception in 2007 until Art Basel acquired the Fair in 2011. He played a pivotal role in ART HK’s collaboration with Art Basel, and has been the Managing Director of Art Central, Taipei Dangdai and ART SG since their founding.

About Fair Director, Corey Andrew Barr

Corey Andrew Barr was formerly a Specialist and Head of Sales for Phillips, where he also organised exhibitions of contemporary art, photography, and design–working with leading international artists to mount exhibitions in New York and London. Prior to joining Art Central in 2019, Barr was the Director of a prominent Hong Kong and London-based gallery focusing on Asian Contemporary art and was responsible for influential gallery exhibitions and presentations at prestigious international fairs.

Board of Directors

Tim Etchells, Sandy Angus and Will Ramsay co-founded Art Central in 2015. In 2008, Etchells and Angus were responsible for launching the first international art fair in Hong Kong, ART HK, which quickly became a major fixture in the international art world prior to Art Basel acquiring the Fair in 2011. Etchells and Angus are also co-owners of Sydney Contemporary, Taipei Dangdai and ART SG. In addition, Sandy Angus is the owner of India Art Fair and PHOTOFAIRS Shanghai.

About UOB

United Overseas Bank Limited (UOB) is a leading bank in Asia with a global network of around 500 offices in 19 countries and territories in Asia Pacific, Europe and North America. Since its incorporation in 1935, UOB has grown organically and through a series of strategic acquisitions. UOB is rated among the world’s top banks: Aa1 by Moody’s Investors Service and AA- by both S&P Global Ratings and Fitch Ratings. In Asia, UOB operates through its head office in Singapore and banking subsidiaries in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as branches and representative offices across the region.

Over more than eight decades, generations of UOB employees have carried through the entrepreneurial spirit, the focus on long-term value creation and an unwavering commitment to do what is right for our customers and our colleagues.

We believe in being a responsible financial services provider and we are committed to making a difference in the lives of our stakeholders and in the communities in which we operate. Just as we are dedicated to helping our customers manage their finances wisely and grow their businesses, UOB is steadfast in our support of social development, particularly in the areas of art, children, and education.