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From 23 to 25 March, the 5th edition of Art Basel, Hong Kong will showcase 242 premier galleries from 34 countries and territories – including Australia – presenting works of the highest quality, ranging from the Modern period of the early 20th century to today’s most contemporary artists in three specific categories: Galleries, Discoveries, and Encounters.
Patricia Piccinini, The Bond, 2016. Courtesy the artist and Tolarno Galleries, Melbourne
Selected Australian galleries and their artists who will be exhibiting:
Tolarno Galleries will showcase the work of Ben Quilty and Danie Mellor as well as unveil a new work by Patricia Piccinini.
Sullivan+Strumpf present a group show of artists who all live and work in the Asia-Pacific region – Polly Borland, Karen Black, Tony Clark, Sam Leach, Tim Silver, Sanné Mestrom and Darren Sylvester. The gallery will premiere an installation by Dutch-Australian artist Sanné Mestrom, The Bathers (2016), based on Cézanne’s infamous painting of the same name, extends Mestrom’s investigation into the language of painting as explored through sculptural form. The work will be the artist’s most ambitious work to date, consisting of a series of three large resin figurine abstractions that appear to recline in the ‘tears’ of a fourth abstracted figurine – a large aluminum and bronze ‘water fountain’.
Darren Knight present the work of Australia-based artists Rob McHaffie and Ronnie van Hout, whose practices are connected by their exploration of the strange and surreal nature of everyday urban and suburban existence.
THIS IS NO FANTASY + dianne tanzer gallery will exhibit the work of Australian painter Chris Bond and Australian ceramist Kirsten Coelho. Both of these artists are known for their extraordinary technical abilities and understanding of classical techniques.
Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery and Michael Lett will present Putto (2015-2016) by New Zealand artist Michael Parekowhai. The interactive sculpture will allow visitors to sit on an elongated bench, sharing the space with a large sculptural cherub, or putto, who appears to be sleeping, drunk or dead. While putti are generally depicted as nude and plump winged baby boys, this figure has been stripped of his wings and placed beside a recognisably earthly object, relegated to the banality of urbanity. With a hard, shiny cast, each chubby bulge appears tumorous and grotesque, rather than squiggly and fleshy like a child, calling into question the way we perceive cultural icons.
Michael Parekowhai, Putto, 2015-2015. Courtesy the artist and Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney
In addition ‘Encounters’ will be guest curated by the Executive Director of Artspace, Sydney, Alexie Glass-Kantor. The category explores the relationship between time and experience with site-specific and new work from Asia Pacific artists.
Also on the island, 21 to 25 March, Art Central hosts artists from around the world giving a platform to Art Atrium, Artereal, Chalk Horse, Dominik Mersch, .M Contemporary, 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art, MARS and Hill Smith Gallery.
