STATE OF THE ART

With Art Basel Hong Kong, Frieze Seoul, and ART SG in full swing once more, the region is back on the world stage. But how is it rebounding? PRESTIGE quizzed the industry's top experts.

- ANDRE NEVELING

How has Asia’s art landscape changed now the region is restriction-free? How should you start a collection? And can Asia regain its status as a vibrant international art hub? To answer these and other questions ahead of Art Basel Hong Kong 2024, we turn to the experts: Alexie Glass-Kantor, Curator for Encounters, Art Basel in Hong Kong; Li Zhenhua, Curator for film, Art Basel Hong Kong; Xue Tan, Senior Curator at Tai Kwun; Shasha Tittmann, Director of Lehmann Maupin; Elaine Kwok, Hauser & Wirth’s Managing Partner in Asia; Patrick Sun, the Founder and Executive director of the Sunpride Foundation for Hong Kong, Taipei, and Bangkok; Leo Xu, Senior Director of David Zwirner in Hong Kong; and Wendy Xu, White Cube’s General Manager for Asia.

What do you think are some of the big market trends for 2024?

WENDY XU: 2024 will be the year for Asia to have its moment after being separated from the world during the COVID-19 restrictions. The South Korean market will continue to flourish, given the number of international galleries now open there, including our own space, which opened in September 2023. M+ hosted a big event last year during Frieze Seoul and K11 Art Foundation is also opening a space in Seoul. Asian diaspora artists will have their moment this year in major international institutions outside of Asia, and likewise, international artists will have some major shows at Asian institutions. There’ll also be more innovative public art programmes in the region.