Top 10 at the Hong Kong fair

With less than 2 weeks until Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong opens its doors to the public for the 2018 edition, Fair Director Stephanie Kelly takes us through her Top 10 highlights of the fair.

Enjoy a packed programme at Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong 2018

Hello! I can hardly believe it is almost time for the 2018 fair, it feels like yesterday that we were planning the concepts for the fair, and to see so many of them come to life is hugely exciting.

To help you get the most out of the fair and plan your trip in advance I’ve selected my Top 10 events, activities, artworks and features of the fair, enjoy!

1) Immerse yourself in art and creativity at the #ForArtsSake Friday charity evening

Friday 18th May, 6pm – 10pm

In our fast-paced city, mental health is a pressing, but often under-mentioned health issue, and with Affordable Art Fair’s charitable mission to improve people’s lives through art, it is a subject that is close to our hearts. To help raise awareness for two very special charities working in this arena, Sovereign Art Foundation and Joyful (Mental Health) Foundation, Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong will be hosting a #ForArtsSake charity evening on Friday 18th May from 6pm – 10pm. Join us to immerse yourself in an evening of art and creativity, with an enticing line-up of artists from around the globe performing live, along with a live speed yoga inspired life-drawing by Sergei Rozhnov (RU) and dance performances throughout the evening.

2) Art, art, art!

The art at the fair, if I say so myself, is the strongest its ever been – we have such a varied, and carefully curated, selection of paintings, prints, photographs, sculptures and mixed media pieces. With subjects from the traditional landscape through to the avant-garde from over 1,000 local and international artists – check our our art preview page here. And of course, there are pieces for all budgets, from HK$1,000 and HK$100,000. I am particularly excited about seeing Mária Švarbová (Slovakia) from new gallery Momentum Fine Art Gallery & Art Consulting (USA) in person, I love the meticulous minimalism in her photography.

3) Champion Hong Kong’s Young Talent

Our annual Young Talent exhibition is back by popular demand! Created in 2013, the programme is hugely important in helping young and emerging artists establish their careers and gain exposure in the local art culture, providing a platform to showcase their work to the public.

This year, some of the hotly-tipped names selected to exhibit include Angela Yuen, Zhang Xiaoli, Tse Chun Sing, Tom Chung Man, Doreen Chan and Cheung Wai Lok. Alongside this exciting roster of talented artists, Anliza Lam Tsz Ching will present an installation made of bra wires, exploring the role of motherhood.

4) Go big, with our Special Projects

I am a huge fan of installation art, the bigger the better! And we have some fantastic large scale pieces for your to enjoy, such as “Container Hong Kong” by Hong Kong and China artist collaboration i-MOST Alterative Space, “POPek” dog by UK artist Sebastian Burdon, “#SignHackHK” by Hong Kong artist Loiix Fung, “SAME AND DIFFERENT” by French/Hong Kong artist Antoinette Rozan, and finally “Journey#(Moment)” by Korean artist Cha Jaeyoung. Also, to mark the 10th anniversary of Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre’s (JCCAC), their “All Art Great and Small” installation includes the opportunity to take away a bespoke, commemorative art ticket featuring work from resident artists, including a number of Young Talent Hong Kong alumni.

5) Galleries, galleries, galleries!

This year we have an enormous 115 galleries at the fair! We choose our family of galleries very carefully; the ethos at the centre of the Affordable Art Fair is to make art accessible to all, and our galleries are the embodiment of this – they are welcoming and knowledgeable – so have a chat with them, they would be delighted to tell you about the artworks on their stand. For a sneak peek, view our galleries preview page here. We’re proud to welcome 35 new galleries to the fair this year, I’m looking forward to seeing the Artered stand as they will be bringing artwork by Siro, Edyta Gryzb and Hunter Gutti to the fair for the first time.

6) Get arty at the Creative Hub

I’m pretty sure that everyone that walks through the doors of an Affordable Art Fair, a gallery, or any creative space, feels the need to create – it’s in our human nature. As ever, you don’t need to travel elsewhere to get arty – visit the Creative Hub where you will find the 2018 edition of M+ Rover: Travelling Creative Studio by Ng Ka Chun (HK) and the colourful Children’s Art Studio supported by Sovereign Art Foundation.

7) Nespresso Café, Peroni Kitchen or Ruinart Bar – the choice is yours

Thanks to our partners Nespresso, Peroni and Ruinart you have a choice of where to drink and eat within the fair. Whether to need a caffine fix, or a refreshing Italian beer or glass of champagne don’t forget to take some time to sit and relax in the middle of your visit, there’s so much to see and do your feet will thank you for it later!

8) ACCESSIBLE ART UNDER HK$10,000

We have been inspiring collectors around the world since 1999 and nearly half a million artworks have found happy homes. Whether you are looking for a painting, print, sculpture or photograph the fair has something for you.

We have highlighted the artworks under $10,000 with pink stickers so you can easily find these gems.

9) Artist-Led Tours

There is something really special about having an exhibition tour by an artist, I have always found their insights to pieces provide a really interesting viewpoint, and one I wouldn’t have considered myself. Our artist-led tours will be led by Hong Kong [collective?] Alter Modernist, taking place at multiple times, daily. As there are limited spots for all of our tours, don’t forget to register in advance here.

10) Director’s Picks Tours

And while I’m on the subject of tours, it would be remiss of me to not mention my own tour! I will be leading daily ‘Directors Picks Tours’ at 5pm on 17 and 18 May, and 2pm on 19 and 20th May, and plan to take you on a journey of my favourite artworks around the exhibition. Register here and I look forward to meeting you in person!

All the best,
Stephanie Kelly
Fair Director, Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong

To find out more about the Hong Kong fair, click here »