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Hong Kong: a week full of art (and more)

artists

20 May 2014

I have just returned from Hong Kong, where I spent a week enjoying the Art Basel Hong Kong 2014, having great food and searching for new coffee shops!

Art fair or biennale? Personally I prefer the biennale to the commercial art fair. However, it's always good to see these different events, and I think there is a place for both.

I love the satellite exhibitions and openings, and discovering different spaces and pop up venues. Hong Kong had many brunches and pop up bars on the 2014 program – it's always worth researching it to fully enjoy the experience.

I also love to debrief and people watch over a glass of wine or two (interesting to see the type of people who attend an art fair and what work attracts the eye of the buyers or collectors).

Highlight – And what did I enjoy the most? The sector called Encounters (there were 6 exhibition sectors: Galleries, Insights, Discoveries, Encounters, Film and Magazines).

"Encounters section is dedicated to presenting large-scale sculpture and installation works by leading artists from around the world. Encounters provides visitors with the opportunity to see works that transcend the traditional art fair stands. The sector presents these works in prominent locations throughout the exhibition halls."

Yuko Hasegawa, Chief Curator of the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo and Curator of the Sharjah Biennial 11, curated Encounters.

The standout piece for me was Automated Colour Field (Variation V) by Perth-based artist Rebecca Baumann. The work consists of a grid of 132 split-panel flip clocks, each with the number cards replaced with cards of solid colour.

In this movement, this flipping, Baumann recognises the potential for suspense and expectation. We watch and wait, desiring to witness the moments when change occurs (watch how the installation works on YouTube).

I first viewed Baumann's work at Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA) NEW11 exhibition in 2011, and it was wonderful to see it again.

Time flew and suddenly I was back in the new Qantas lounge at the Hong Kong airport chatting to other Melbournians who had also enjoyed a week of art!