Hong Kong Shows Its Colors During ART HK 11 Expo

Asia’s leading international art fair, ART HK 11 (aka the Hong Kong International Art Fair) returns to Hong Kong for its fourth year with some highly anticipated new elements, including a showcase for solo artists of Asian origin called ASIA ONE. Taking place from May 26 – 29, 2011 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), this year’s expo will feature over 250 galleries from 38 countries. The event is open to the public and all works on display are  for sale. Never heard of ART HK? Seeing as China is now the world’s second largest art market, you may be hearing more about this expo as well as others, like the Asia Pacific Contemporary Art Fair held each fall in Shanghai.

This year’s ART HK will be 30% larger than the previous year in terms of exhibition space, and the event promises a stellar line-up of top tier international and regional galleries including Barbara Gladstone from the US, White Cube from the UK and ShanghART from China. New participants this year include Blum & Poe, Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, Alan Cristea Gallery, Cheim & Read, as well as Nature Morte and Vitamin Creative Space from Asia. International artists including Tracey Emin, Anish Kapoor, William Kentridge, Takashi Murakami, Antony Gormley, and Zhang Huan will be represented.

In addition to the ASIA ONE showcases, which are solo shows mounted by each gallery focusing on the work of a single Asian artist, ART HK will also host the latest evolution of ART FUTURES. First introduced two years ago, the ART FUTURES section features works by emerging artists represented by new galleries less than five years old.

Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong On Display
Providing a stylish complement to this year’s event, Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong is partnering with ART HK, offering guests a series of artistic treats ranging from an exclusive stay and an art-inspired afternoon tea, to special cocktails in the hotel’s M bar.

This year’s ART HK art-inspired afternoon teas in the hotel’s Clipper Lounge will feature a new exhibition of artistic ‘dessert’ temptations by artist Zhou Tiehai that guests can enjoy while indulging in the Mandarin Oriental’s legendary afternoon tea service.  The exhibition runs through June 5th and presents original pieces of art by Zhou, each linked to a dessert and displayed in specially created cake boxes.

For something a little stronger than Earl Grey, the mixologists at the hip M bar, perched on the 25th floor of the hotel, will also offer a series of art-inspired cocktails.  “Future” will highlight their molecular skills using Margarita foam and lime caviar, while “Asia One” will be made from sake, peach liqueur, Mandarin napoleon, grapefruit juice and grenadine. “Art” will be created using vodka, peach liqueur, lemon juice, raspberry purée and syrup, topped off with champagne.  These specialty cocktails are available until May 29. If your tastes run to something a little more bubbly, at the hotel’s sister property, the Landmark Mandarin Oriental, the MO Bar and Veuve Clicquot Champagne are toasting ART HK by offering two free tickets to ART HK with the purchase of a bottle of Veuve Cliquot champagne through the month of May.

The Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong’s “ART HK” package includes:

• Overnight accommodation

• Breakfast in the Clipper Lounge or Café Causette

• Two VIP tickets to ART HK, including access to the fair, an invitation to the Vernissage, use of the VIP Lounge, access to all VIP events related to the fair and a complimentary catalogue

• LUXE City Guide Hong Kong, exclusive edition for Veuve Clicquot ART HK

• A bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne at the Veuve Clicquot Bar  at ART HK

Room reservations can be made by contacting the hotel directly at +852 2522 0111 or by visiting the website at www.mandarinoriental.com/hongkong.

Tickets to ART HK 11 are priced at HK$250 (approx. $32 US) at the door, with a buy-one-get-one-free early bird discount before May 20. Concession tickets for full-time students are priced at HK$100. The Vernissage will be held on 25 May, from 5:00 – 9:00pm; tickets are priced at HK$500 (through invitation and online pre-sale only). Tickets are available at www.hkticketing.com .