Asia gets top billing at Hong Kong's third Art Basel

Swiss fair giant Art Basel opened its doors to VIP guests last night at the height of Hong Kong's art fever, with the event's new Asia director hailing prominent participation from the region amid exhibition halls flooded with major international players.

Galleries were optimistic about sales this year despite a strong US dollar, event organisers said at the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai even as a high-profile satellite fair in Central vied for its share of the limelight yesterday with its own opening to VIPs.

Asia was well presented at Art Basel, including Hong Kong artists and 26 galleries that had exhibition spaces locally, Asia director Adeline Ooi said.

Ooi, meeting the media for the first time in her new role, succeeded Magnus Renfrew just 10 weeks before the Hong Kong fair opened. She had been Art Basel's Southeast Asia VIP relations manager for two years.

"There are not only Asian artists represented by Asian galleries, but also international galleries representing Asian works," she told nearly 200 journalists from around the world.

The presence of Japanese and Korean art was strong, she said, while contemporary artists resurfaced this year, making stronger references to historical content.