Art & Space at Art Basel Hong Kong

There is something about placing objects and images within a white washed backdrop. Especially in Hong Kong. In any other places in the world where space is ample, the art gallery and exhibition space is the backdrop of the art work. Yet in a tight, densely populated urban environment of Hong Kong, the tension between the art work and the space around it is palpable. In fact the price per square foot of the space may be comparable to the content. The sheer act of hosting an art show on premium exhibition land of the territory is already theatrical in nature. To get in to see art objects placed against the specially, temporally constructed minimalistic space of the gallery is to place oneself in a moving theatre, regardless of the content of the work and the arrangement of the space. Therefore an admission ticket must be charged in order for such an experience. Art Basel Hong Kong has developed from the idea of an art market hub in the port of the South China delta seven years ago. It is a crowded and anticipated event in the spring. What is that anticipation? For latest art works from established artists, emerging new works to be shown first time in Asia, a social event? In an information overloaded society the singular object against a pure backdrop signifies the kind of contemplative space that an urbanite needs to pause, to think, to contemplate, meditate, rest, pacing down, a moment of reflection. So it is not really about the art work, it is the space, with something that pretends to be meaningful content, but actually doesn't matter. We pretend that there is something to look at, to ponder about, to address, but we may well be gazing at empty wall and the void, it is really the internalized mental space that we are dealing with. With art works as icing on the cake to suggest something, initiate something, a thought to be cherished and in a moment, a certain notion, a meeting of minds crystalized and erased by taking a photo on the mobile.