The impact of Art Basel on the local Hong Kong art scene was palpable during ‘Art Week’, 21 – 25 March 2017. Every gallery and institution was opening a new show or hosting an event, hoping to capitalise on the huge number of visitors drawn to the city by the fair. In its fifth iteration under the Art Basel brand, this year the fair included 242 galleries from 34 countries and territories. Notably, the fair expanded its curatorial displays and program, including talks and films, attracting the participation of prominent art world specialists. The focus of these programs was on themes relevant to contemporary art in the Asia-Pacific region. Considering over half of the participating galleries are from or have a presence in the region, this focus provided useful context to the works on display.
The introduction of the ‘Kabinett’ section, first seen at Art Basel Miami Beach, was a highlight of the fair. Here galleries had the opportunity to present a small solo or group exhibition, with an art historical take on key artists or themes, in a separate space within their booths. Standout showcases included work by Etel Adnan at Galerie Lelong, Lee Kit’s recent video installation It Was a Cinema (2016) at Massimo De Carlo, Bettina Pousttchi’s ceramic sculptures at Buchmann Galerie, and collages, drawings and illustrations by Keiichi Tanaami from the 1970s at Nanzuka. Particularly strong was Rossi & Rossi’s presentation of renowned Iranian film director, poet, screenwriter and photographer Abbas Kiarostami’s Snow Series (2002). Hidden behind a petition at the back of the Rossi & Rossi booth, numerous black-and-white 57 x 90cm images of cinematic snow-covered landscapes were arranged in a tight gridded formation from