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Angelle Siyang-Le on the journey that brought her to Art Basel Hong Kong

The director of Asia’s largest contemporary art fair on finding her voice through art and immersing herself in the artistic community

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Angelle Siyang-Le, the director of Art Basel Hong Kong. Photo: courtesy Art Basel
Vanessa Lee
I spent my early childhood in mainland China. My mother took me to different parts of China because of her job – she worked between journalism, trading and publishing. I don’t know the exact order of what she was doing, but I remember going between Shanghai, Shenzhen and Nanning, near the border with Vietnam. Around the age of 12, I was sent to England. Like many young people at the time, I was part of the wave of kids sent to study abroad.

Luck of the draw

Angelle Siyang-Le and her mother, in Shenzhen. Photo: courtesy Angelle Siyang-Le
Angelle Siyang-Le and her mother, in Shenzhen. Photo: courtesy Angelle Siyang-Le

In elementary school, we were encouraged to keep a diary. I remember my teacher said, “You don’t have to start the diary with ‘jintian’ [today]. You can start by drawing your day, something a bit more creative.” I was eight or nine. I definitely liked painting my days better than just recording what was happening.

Finding a forte

In mainland China back then, art or anything outside literature and science wasn’t considered a real subject. So I didn’t know I was fond of art and design until I moved to England. It wasn’t until I received a scholarship for my A-level art that I realised, “Oh, perhaps [art] could be considered as a career path.”

Express permission

Angelle Siyang-Le with then boyfriend, now husband, Grégoire Daudé at Art Basel Hong Kong 2015. Photo: courtesy Angelle Siyang-Le
Angelle Siyang-Le with then boyfriend, now husband, Grégoire Daudé at Art Basel Hong Kong 2015. Photo: courtesy Angelle Siyang-Le
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