Art
“We see massive and rapid development of
the art scene in this community.”
Graham Steele, Director
White Cube Hong Kong
Hong Kong – The Creative Hub of Asia Pacific
With the vision of developing Hong Kong as an international
arts and cultural metropolis, the Hong Kong SAR Government
is developing the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD).
The 40-hectare waterfront site at the southern tip of West
Kowloon is being developed into an integrated arts, cultural and
entertainment district. The HK$24 billion (US$3 billion) project
encompasses 17 art and cultural venues and should complete
in 2020.
The first WKCD arts venue scheduled for commissioning in
2016 will be the Xiqu (Chinese opera) Centre. M+, Asia’s first
international museum for 20 th and 21 st century visual culture –
encompassing design, contemporary art, popular culture,
moving image and architecture – is scheduled to be completed
in 2017. The 14 hectares of landscape public space will provide
an arts pavilion and green open space and a vibrant venue for
music, dance, theatre, exhibitions and events, targeting to open
in phases from 2014 on.
Married Quarters (PMQ) on Hollywood Road in Central. CPSC
will be a centre of heritage, arts and leisure facilities with space
for galleries, exhibitions, performances and arts organisations,
and is expected to complete in 2015. Due to open in 2014, PMQ
will become a creative industries landmark with over a hundred
design studios, start-up establishments, retail and pop-up spaces
for designer products and crafts as well as exhibition space.
Hong Kong has a thriving arts scene with an art district centred
around Central, SoHo, NoHo and Sheung Wan as well as
destination art galleries that are evolving into art clusters in
warehouse sized ex-industrial buildings in Aberdeen, Chai Wan,
Kwun Tong, Kwai Chung and Fotan. A new art destination called
South Island Cultural District, spanning Wong Chuk Hang to Ap
Lei Chau, Tin Wan and Aberdeen, is also rapidly growing and
enriching the art scene in the city.
With all these exciting developments, Hong Kong is poised to
become a vibrant international centre for arts and culture in Asia.
Also supported by the Government is the development of the
Central Police Station Compound (CPSC) and Former Police
Hong Kong Advantages and Opportunities
1. One of the World’s Largest Art Markets by Auction Sales
3.Low and Simple Tax
Auction sales show Hong Kong has grown in importance
in comparison to New York and London in recent years.
Sotheby’s and Christie’s have achieved record-breaking
sales in Hong Kong. Many international galleries have
recently set up in Hong Kong, including Gagosian Gallery
(US), White Cube (UK) and Edouard Malingue Gallery
(France).
Hong Kong’s low and stable tax regime is extremely advantageous
to art buyers and sellers alike. There are no sales tax, or taxes
levied on the import and export of art in Hong Kong, giving
overseas and Mainland galleries and collectors the opportunity
to expand into the region from a city that promotes simple and
predictable taxation.
2.Buoyant Market
Hong Kong has one of the world’s most efficient transport and
logistics networks, a world-class international airport, and one
of the world’s busiest container ports. Hong Kong’s professional
service providers are equipped with extensive knowledge and
experience in handling artworks.
Hong Kong provides access to 3.7 million high net worth
individuals (HNWIs) in Asia Pacific. HNWI wealth expected
to reach US$16 trillion by 2015 (Capgemini World Wealth
Report 2013). The rapidly growing number of wealthy Asian
and Chinese collectors has resulted in skyrocketing prices
for Chinese contemporary and western art, and has added
to the buoyancy of Hong Kong’s art market.
4.World-class Logistics
Art
“Hong Kong is the perfect
place to start a business
in art.”
Alexandre Errera, Founder and CEO
Artshare
Chinese Contemporary Art – Online
A French entrepreneur has turned his passion for art into an online business
After working for three years at Morgan Stanley in London,
Alexandre Errera, Founder and CEO of Artshare, decided
to leave the financial industry, and move online instead. He
successfully launched his first online business two years ago
and, passionate about art and fascinated by Asia, he decided to
move to Hong Kong in 2012 to set up Artshare. He spent one year
researching the regional market, meeting with leading artists,
curators, collectors, critics, and gallerists before setting up in
Hong Kong.
“Hong Kong is the perfect place to start a business in art. There is
a lot going on in the cultural scene. It is a major art auction centre
in the world and full of dynamism. The quality of art galleries
and exhibitions here is of an international level and is evolving
quickly. There is a strong demand for art and it is our mission to
offer people the opportunities to see and enjoy art. Also, there
are no import and export taxes on art, which is different from
Mainland China,” Errera said.
His vision for Artshare is for it to become a hub for Chinese
contemporary art. People who may know little about it can visit
the online gallery, view the curated exhibitions and learn about
what is happening in the region. While the focus is on the webbased platform, collectors also have the opportunity for private
viewings in person.
Errera promotes this platform both online and offline, including
at exhibitions and panel discussions and via social media such
as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest. The site takes an
in-depth curatorial approach to the online model, selecting 10 or
more pieces of work per month to exhibit online. The mediums
include painting, drawing, sculpture, and photography. Sourcing
is wide, from private collections to galleries, working with
established as well as emerging artists, with a focus on Chinese
contemporary artwork.
Original date of publication: April 2014
The company is also supported by an Art Advisory Committee
which comprises five public figures in the art scene but with
different profiles.
The clientele is mixed – 50 percent in Asia and 50 percent split
between Europe and the US. “We want to build a platform not
just for Hong Kong or for Asia but for people in Europe and
the US as well, especially where a number of key initiatives
are happening in these markets which focus on Chinese
contemporary art,” Errera added.
Artshare currently has five local staff in Hong Kong who look
after marketing, content generation, video production, logistics
and payment services, and two interns who are local university
students studying art.
Errera has never lived in Asia before but found it amazingly easy
to adapt to the lifestyle in Hong Kong. “Everything is so easy, from
setting up a company to operating a business on a daily basis.
Things just could not be better,” he enthused.
He appreciated the support from InvestHK in virtually all
aspects of the setting up process and connecting him with
partners in the cultural field. “I cannot think of anywhere else in
the world where a government department is so willing to help
and is always available,” he concluded.
Artshare
• Founded in Hong Kong in April 2013
• Five local staff
www.artshare.com
Art
An Art Lover’s Second Home
air|space has opened in Hong Kong’s southern district and offers its clientele a new
experience combining a contemporary art gallery and organic food in a congenial
living space
Slow down. Sip a cup of espresso, savour the taste of fresh organic
food, and indulge in Latin American art. The air|space art gallery
dining experience was brought to Hong Kong last October by Italian
gallerist Birgit Vagani, and partner Riccardo Bardallini from the UK.
Located in a factory-turned-commercial building in Ap Lei Chau,
air|space comprises an art gallery named toof [contemporary]
which connects to a warm and welcoming health and organic
eatery called artichoke [canteen] with an outdoor terrace.
air|space ‘s goal is to bring international contemporary arts
focused on Latin American and Brazilian artists to Asia. “We are
very fortunate to be part of the emerging South Island Cultural
District. It is home to 15+ galleries and studios and is frequently
visited by local people and an international crowd, including
visitors,” air|space ‘s director, Vagani, said. “Inspired by art, food
and conscious living, we found this integrated experience is well
received by Hong Kong people.”
Contemporary Art District
Positioned as Hong Kong’s new destination for contemporary
art, the South Island Cultural District includes Wong Chuk Hang,
Ap Lei Chau, and nearby areas. Its connectivity will be further
enhanced upon completion of the MTR South Island Line (East)
in early 2015. “The accessibility of this district will improve and
it is exciting to see new businesses opening next door. It is very
easy to form partnerships with other small businesses like wine,
tea and coffee companies, and even some in hospitality. I came
from Milan and I see in Hong Kong a great combination of arts
and culture, city and nature. It’s so small, so contained, and it’s
never boring. Within 15 minutes, we can get to a very nice beach
or go hiking,” Vagani enthused.
“Doing business is easy and welcoming, and we don’t need to deal
with bureaucracy. The sense of freedom, and people’s openness to
“Hong Kong is a great
combination of arts and culture,
city and nature. It’s so small, so
contained, and it’s never boring.”
Birgit Vagani, Owner and Director
air|space
Original date of publication: April 2014
appreciate arts from a different perspective – all these add to Hong
Kong’s appeal as a contemporary hub in this region,” she added.
A Unique Multi-purpose Venue
With dining chairs and tables handmade from abandoned boat
wood by Bardallini, the space aims to promote a sense of health
and wellbeing. “We want to bring something new and positive to
Hong Kong. air|space’s concept is more common in Europe but is
still a fresh one in Asia. We consider Hong Kong our home, and we
want to make air|space an art lover’s second home,” Vagani said.
The 4,500 square-foot space is also marketed as a multi-functional
space which is sophisticated and well equipped, suitable for both
private and public functions. Within half a year of operation, air|space
has played host to many corporate and PR events and attracted an
impressive amount of media coverage in print and on TV.
Hong Kong’s central location in Asia is convenient for emerging
artists travelling to this region. “air|space is a bridge between
artists, collectors and art lovers. We will continue to leverage
InvestHK’s support and networks to spread the celebration
of art in all its forms and open peoples’ eyes beyond visual
stimulation,” she concluded.
air|space
• Opened in October 2013
• Formed by the art gallery toof [contemporary] and the
health eatery artichoke [canteen]
www.toofcontemporary.com
Art
“
It has been a privilege to be part of the extraordinary growth of the art scene
in Hong Kong and in Asia. The launch of Art Basel in Hong Kong heralds a new
chapter in this development.
”
Magnus Renfrew, Director Asia, Art Basel
Affordable Art Fair
Asia Contemporary Art Show
The Affordable Art Fair (AAF) returns to the city following its
successful debut in Hong Kong in 2013. Its vision is to demystify
the art world. The concept is simple yet unique: an inspiring and
friendly atmosphere in which original works of art in painting,
print, sculpture and photography by emerging artists through
to household names are on show, with prices ranging from
HK$1,000-100,000. For the first time in 2014, there is a special
curated exhibition of works in the “Under HK$10,000 Wall”
showcasing a diverse range of accessible artwork from around 40
art galleries.
The Asia Contemporary Art Show was first launched in October
2012 and is now held in Hong Kong every May and October. It was
founded by collector and gallery owner Mark Saunderson and
business partner Douwe Cramer who are both active in the city’s
vibrant art scene.
The Asia Contemporary Art Show was designed with the goal to
connect people on many different levels. It offers collectors, art
enthusiasts, galleries and artists a relaxed environment to see,
buy, sell and talk “art”.
The Educational Art Talks offers tips on starting a collection. The
“Gallery Speed Dating” provides a 60-minute run down on different
art styles, mediums and artists from 10 participating galleries,
helping one to find a soul-mate from the art world within an hour.
There is also a huge array of complimentary art-related activities,
including artist-led creative workshops where people can create
their own artwork using Faber Castell art products, the “Dare to DJ”
workshop, and the Children’s Art Studio – a great place for children
to let their creative juices flow.
In 2014, the largest-ever show moves to its new home in the Conrad
Hong Kong Hotel. There are 100 galleries from 18 countries in Asia and
the world from 15-18 May – the same time as Art Basel Hong Kong, and
the most dynamic week of the year for art lovers and collectors. Five
floors at the Conrad Hong Kong Hotel are transformed with original
paintings, limited editions, sculpture and photography from some of
the world’s most interesting emerging and mid-career artists.
Being in a hotel provides a unique environment for everyone to
interact and has proven to be a popular format with exhibitors,
bringing cost advantages for both galleries and artists.
Annual Art Fairs in Hong Kong
Asia Hotel Art Fair
Art Basel Hong Kong
Affordable Art Fair
Asia Contemporary Art Show
www.hotelartfair.kr
www.affordableartfair.com
www.artbasel.com
Fine Art Asia
www.fineartasia.com
www.asiacontemporaryart.com
Useful Links
Asia Art Archive
Hong Kong Arts Centre
Para/Site Art Space
www.aaa.org.hk
www.hkac.org.hk
www.para-site.org.hk
Central Police Station Compound
Hong Kong Arts Development Council
PMQ
www.centralpolicestation.org.hk
www.hkadc.org.hk
www.pmq.org.hk
CreateHK
Hong Kong Heritage Museum
Spring Workshop
www.createhk.gov.hk
www.heritagemuseum.gov.hk
www.springworkshop.org
Fotanian
Hong Kong Museum of Art
South Island Cultural District
www.fotanian.com
www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Arts/
www.sicd.com.hk
Hong Kong Art Gallery Association
Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre
West Kowloon Cultural District Authority
www.hk-aga.org
www.hkbu.edu.hk/jccac
www.westkowloon.hk
Hong Kong Art Walk
Oi!
www.hongkongartwalk.com
www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/APO/
en_US/web/apo/about_oi.html
Contact
Doris Fong
Head of Creative Industries
25/F, Fairmont House, 8 Cotton Tree Drive, Central, Hong Kong
Tel: (852) 3107 1011 Fax: (852) 3107 9009 Email: [email protected]
InvestHK is the department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government
responsible for Foreign Direct Investment, supporting overseas and Mainland businesses to set up and
expand in Hong Kong. We partner with clients on a long-term basis and are available at any stage of
their business development process.
©Copyright Invest Hong Kong, April 2014. All rights reserved.
25/F, Fairmont House,
8 Cotton Tree Drive, Central, Hong Kong
Tel: (852) 3107 1000
Email: [email protected]
www.investhk.gov.hk
Success Stories
Art for All,
and All for Art
Edouard Malingue Gallery aims to
establish a cultural dialogue between
east and west
“ There is a limit to cost here,
but there is no limit to what you
can achieve.”
Edouard Malingue, Founder
Edouard Malingue Gallery
Edouard Malingue spent six years working with his father in his
gallery in Paris and a further five years in London as an art dealer.
In 2009, he considered it the right time to open his own gallery
to show contemporary art and chose Hong Kong, the best art
platform in Asia, as a place to import works of art and from which
to explore the rest of the region. To his delight, the immigration
and business facilitation procedures were straightforward and
within a month or so he had completed the process and started
his own gallery in Hong Kong.
“Hong Kong is one of the largest auction centres in the world, after
London and New York. The legal and taxation systems are simple
and straightforward. The gallery has been developing steadily in
the last few years,” Malingue, founder of the gallery, said.
Malingue attaches great importance to cultivating an open and
trustworthy relationship with his customers. In addition to the
local market, he travels frequently within the region, including to
Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia, Mainland China, Korea and Japan
to meet his clients. In this respect, Hong Kong is a convenient city
as every key market in the region is within four hours’ flight time.
According to Malingue, the local art market is growing in depth
and breadth. Asian collectors are beginning to collect works of
art from around the world. They have also gained self-confidence
and aesthetic appreciation in the sense that they are willing
to collect works of art which delight them, rather than simply
collecting works by famous artists. In Malingue’s view, art
collection should go beyond the investment perspective and
establish a cultural dialogue between the artist and the collector.
The gallery organises around five shows a year, participates in art
fairs and publishes catalogues to let people know more about its
works and artists. While rent is not cheap, Malingue finds costs in
Hong Kong reasonable as compared to other jurisdictions which
levy heavy taxes. “There is a limit to cost here, but there is no limit
to what you can achieve,” he said.
Presenting Public Art
The gallery has gained recognition for installing large-scale public
sculptures in the city, including the sculpture Three Heads, Six
Arms at 1881 Heritage in Tsim Sha Tsui, Laurent Grasso’s Anechoic
Pavilion on the rooftop of Pier 4 in Central, and recently, Fabien
Mérelle’s life-size sculpture “Pentateuque” in Statue Square.
Malingue appreciates the help from InvestHK in making these works
of art accessible to the Hong Kong public through providing the
contacts of various companies and government departments. He
also welcomes art students to visit his gallery and start a dialogue.
Edouard Malingue Gallery
The gallery showcases emerging and established contemporary
artists from around the world. Notable exhibitions held in the city
include the French conceptual artist Laurent Grasso, sculptor
Fabien Mérelle and Cuban collective Los Carpinteros. The
gallery also showcases works by emerging Asian, Taiwanese and
Mainland Chinese artists.
• Founded in Hong Kong in 2010 to showcase established
and emerging contemporary artists
www.edouardmalingue.com
investhk.gov.hk
Original date of publication: March 2014
© Copyright Invest Hong Kong, April 2014. All rights reserved.
Success Stories
“We see massive and
rapid development of
the art scene
in this community.”
Graham Steele, Director
White Cube Hong Kong
White Cube to Broaden
Contemporary Art
Horizon
Hong Kong was the first choice for UK’s largest art gallery to promote
world-class artists to an enthusiastic and wealthy Asian audience
White Cube, the largest gallery in the UK with four galleries
worldwide, chose Hong Kong over other cities in the region for
expansion, soon after opening its 60,000-square foot gallery in
Bermondsey, London in 2011. That gallery is among the largest in
the UK.
“Hong Kong was our immediate choice,” Graham Steele, Director,
White Cube Hong Kong, explained. “It’s such an amazing and
vibrant city. It has the energy of New York and the commerce
of China. It’s a post-colonial territory with ties to Europe but
quintessentially Asian. It offers a platform as the region’s
economic centre to do business in an incredibly easy way, far
easier than any other place in the world.”
Creating Deeper Dialogue
Opened in 2012 and situated in the heart of Hong Kong’s Central
district, White Cube’s impressive two-storey gallery space has
showcased a series of Damien Hirst’s works. Previous
exhibitions included programmes from Gilbert & George,
Anselm Kiefer and Cerith Wyn Evans.
“There aren’t any museums in Hong Kong yet to see exhibitions
of new and fresh international contemporary art on the level
that White Cube is known for,” Steele said. “With a stable of artists
as broad and deep as the gallery is lucky enough to work with,
moving into a territory where they could be shown for the first
time to an entirely new and exciting audience simply made a lot
of sense.”
Most companies go to Asia for economic reasons but for a
gallery of this calibre and size, White Cube is motivated by the
challenge of doing something new. “It would’ve been easier to
do business perhaps without the exhibition. But we are here
to engage in this community, we are dedicated to producing
ambitious, challenging new shows that will excite and change
the way that people see contemporary art in Hong Kong,” Steele
said.
White Cube’s aim is to create a deeper dialogue among art
collectors, artists and curators as well as the general public in
Hong Kong.
“There are phenomenal collectors who don’t travel to London
and it’s much easier to bring them to Hong Kong and have
discussions with them. We see massive and rapid development
of the art scene in this community,” Steele explained.
Commenting on local talent and government support, Steele
was very satisfied with the level of professionalism of the local
staff he hired in Hong Kong and the level of PR support that
InvestHK has been rendering White Cube.
White Cube
• Two galleries in London, one in Hong Kong and one in Sao
Paolo, Brazil
• Represents more than 50 world-renowned contemporary
artists
• Hong Kong gallery was opened in March 2012 and
employs seven staff
whitecube.com
investhk.gov.hk
Original date of publication: May 2013
© Copyright Invest Hong Kong, April 2014. All rights reserved.