Text by Marz Aglipay
Art prevails in the time of crisis. In early February, the organizers of Art Basel Hong Kong made a join statement regaring the cancellation of the fair in light of the growing epidemic in Hong Kong.
The decision to cancel Art Basel Hong Kong was an extremely difficult one for us. We are acutely aware of the importance that the fair plays within the region and for our galleries, both in Asia and around the globe. However, while we have all worked incredibly hard over the past year to stage a successful show, the outbreak and impact of the novel coronavirus, which on January 30 was declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization, has radically changed the situation.
The joint statement was issued by Art Basel’s Global Director Marc Spiegler, Art Basel Asia Director Adeline Ooi and Americas Director Noah Horowitz. The health and welfare of the fairgoers and its participants remain a proirity for the fair organizers.
They conclude their statement. “Although this year’s fair will not take place, our commitment to Asia and Hong Kong has not changed. The next edition of Art Basel in Hong Kong will take place in March 2021. Again we express our deepest condolences to all those whose lives have been affected by the epidemic.”
As an alternative, participating galleries are provided with online viewing rooms on the Art Basel website where users may view the exhibitions.
Online viewing rooms may be accessed for free using your Art Basel account on https://www.artbasel.com/viewing-rooms until 25 March 2020.
