Inside Hong Kong’s Art Futures Group

As world leaders in Chinese contemporary art for investment, Art Futures Group offers international investors a chance to diversify their portfolio and gain a foothold into this lucrative market.

We talked to Jeremy Kasler, founder and CEO of Art Futures Group to learn more about art investment.

As an entrepreneur from a very early age, what are your earliest memories and experiences and who inspired your career path?

My earliest memory as an entrepreneur is selling Christmas wrapping paper on the street corner in the UK. During my teenage years, I did this every Christmas to ensure I had money to buy presents and generally enjoy the things that teenagers do. If it rained, we sold umbrellas. This was my first lesson in adapting to meet different market conditions.

My inspiration was my grandfather, the hardest working man I have ever met. He worked for himself his entire life and was very committed to his business. A man of great morals, he was hugely respected by those that knew him and was a great inspiration to me as an entrepreneur.

Before Art Futures Group (AFG), you were in the property and investment sector. What inspired you to move into the art industry?

I wandered into a gallery in Singapore and was appalled by the lack of transparency when I was told that the piece of art I was looking at was a good investment “because it will go up in value”. In that moment, I decided it was time to create a company to bring fair pricing and transparency to this market.

How is AFG bringing art investment from the high-cost playing field of the elite to middle class working professionals and Gen Y investors?

Before we opened in Hong Kong, the only way to get art investment advice was to commit US$2,000,000 to the market and in return, HSBC would allocate you an advisor. With no one to help the average man, we decided to offer a service to help the mid-range clientele invest in artworks in the HK$200,000 – $800,000 category.

How do you help your clients gain a profit through your end-to-end investment service?

First, we identify artists that we believe have investment potential and then help to secure selected pieces on our client’s behalf. During this process, we perform a substantial amount of due diligence to find the art pieces with the best prospects for capital growth including monitoring the market to give buy and sell recommendations, just as a stockbroker would. Finally, we provide certificates of provenance to show the artwork was purchased directly from the artist. This is significant when putting the artwork to auction or for sale.

Jeremy Kasler, founder and CEO of Art Futures Group

AFG also provides rental services of the purchased piece. How can this maximise a client’s potential profit?

We have a leasing department that in many cases allows us to rent the client’s artwork to third parties. This creates a residual income over and above the capital growth and is paid quarterly to the client just like a dividend.

What advice would you give to art enthusiasts who may be looking to invest in this lucrative market?

Buy original artworks, not prints. Try and find a certain sector you enjoy, for example Chinese contemporary art, and concentrate on that. Always establish a good provenance as there are many copies out there. Finally, buy the best you can afford.

For more information please visit, www.artfuturesgroup.com or call (852) 3758 7888

Scroll Survivor: Lost Chinese handscroll from Qing era attracts mountain bids

A little bit of history resurfaced at Sotheby’s Hong Kong outpost recently when a lost Chinese handscroll from the time of the Qing dynasty, thought to have been lost for nearly a century, came up for auction.

Known as Ten Auspicious Landscapes of Taishan, the rediscovered masterpiece is said to be the work of Qian Weicheng, one of the most renowned artists of the court of Emperor Qianlong.

Measuring 458cm x 33.7cm, the scroll is divided into ten sections, each depicting an aspect of Mount Tiantai, one of the sacred peaks of the Zhejiang province. Depicting peaks, valleys, streams, waterfalls, woods and historic sites at the same time, the scroll is said to mark the highpoint of Qian’s artistic career and was probably created during his time as the Education Commissioner of Zhejiang between 1763 and 1765.

Adding to the historic value of the Chinese handscroll, it also includes ten poems said to be inscribed by Emperor Qianlong himself. It was no wonder, then, that the sale attracted more than 100 bids, finally going for a truly impressive HK$146,794,000 (US$18,704,491).

Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay

Blooming art: Five upcoming Hong Kong artists we’re rooting for

It’s safe to say that Hong Kong’s art scene is flourishing. This seems to have encouraged a slew of young artists to give in to their creative sides and try to grab a foothold in the competitive art scene. We have for you a list of five upcoming Hong Kong artists, who we think are here for the long run.

Chloe Ho

Ink artist Chloe Ho has already carved a name for herself in the international art scene with her East-meets-West creations. Feted in Hong Kong and overseas alike, Chloe is also fascinated by the strange marriage of art and technology and is currently experimenting with virtual reality art forms. Talking about what draws her to ink art, she says, “Ink is naked and unalterable. It’s a lot like life – you don’t get a do-over.” (Read full interview here)

Victo Ngai

The next artist on whom we can firmly place our bets is LA-based illustrator from Hong Kong, Victo Ngai. A Forbes Art & Style 30-under-30 honouree and a two-time gold medallist at New York Society of Illustrators, Victo’s list of achievements is already quite staggering. A regular illustrator for the New York Times and the New Yorker, her work has also been used by Hollywood powerhouses like DreamWorks. Her most recent tribute to Hong Kong was an illustration of a Cantonese opera performer that was featured on Johnnie Walker Blue Label limited-edition bottles.

Chris Huen

Chris Huen, another millennial on our list, draws inspiration from things around him. He deliberately avoids larger schemes in life, like religion, politics, etc. and instead chooses to focus on the beauty that lies hidden in our mundane humdrum ways of existence.

Huen’s art is inspired by en plein air (French for painting outdoors) which he applies to his paintings of indoor scenarios. His artworks try to capture the relationship between space and object.

Jaffa Lam

One of Hong Kong’s most renowned sculptors, Jaffa Lam has brought a new dimension to her artworks through her sustainable approach to art. Specialising is large-scale installations, Jaffa creates mixed-media sculptures using recycled materials like old furniture, crate wood, discarded fabrics, etc. One of her most notable work – that even made it to Sotheby’s Women in Art exhibition – is Starry Day, which was made using white umbrella scraps gathered during the iconic Umbrella Movement of 2014.

Jennifer Chow

Our final to-watch artist is Jennifer Chow, whose character Sad Cherry borrows from her own life experiences. Being born and raised in Hong Kong, her artwork is heavily steeped in the city’s visuals. According to Jennifer, her art is her process of self-discovery and it’s as much an inward journey as an outward journey for her.

Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay
Photo credit: Victo Ngai, Sotheby’s, Chris Huen, Jennifer Chow Art Facebook page

French Maze at Opera Gallery: A selection of artworks from French masters

French Maze, Opera Gallery — Marc Chagall, Les amoureux le soir, 70×55,4cm, watercolour, pastel and pencil on paper laid on board, 1949

For the first time ever in Hong Kong, works of 10 French artists made between 1949 and 2017 will be showcased under one roof, courtesy of Opera Gallery, Hong Kong. Always a pioneer in Hong Kong’s art scenario, Opera Gallery proudly presents French Maze, a selection of 27 artworks from French masters, ranging from the Post War period to contemporary times. Running from 17 May to 30 June 2018, the exhibition offers art connoisseurs a chance to turn the pages of art history, where French art plays a pivotal role in shaping European and world art scenes.

Figurative and abstract, these compositions form a collection of highly personal memories and ideas, interweaving the artists’ reflections and their artistic paths. Exploring different styles and mediums in the French art scene, French Maze will showcase works by Marc Chagall, Bernard Buffet, Jean Dubuffet and Mathieu Georges to the contemporary Andre Brasilier, Pierre Soulages, Chu The-Chun and Robert Combas, Andre’ Lanskoy and Haudressy Pascal.

Exhibition Highlights

French Maze at Opera Gallery — Brasilier Escale sous la neige à Loupeigne, 2017

Andre Brasilier’s work is typified by a breezy lyricism, wherein real-life subjects are transposed into dreamlike settings. Brasilier’s images portray a peaceful world, with delicate composition and colour harmonies bathed in soft, cool light.

Marc Chagall’s world is dreamlike as well, with flying lovers, musicians, circus figures, flowers and animals – all intense personal symbols that combine in a complex tapestry of multiple narratives.

Jean Dubuffet – known for his idealistic approach to aesthetics – embraced the so-called ‘low art’ and eschewed traditional standards of beauty in favour of what he believed was a more authentic and humanistic approach to image-making.

To find out more about Opera Gallery, visit www.operagallery.com or click here to read our interview with Director, Sharlanee Foo.

Exhibition dates: 17 May – 30 June, 2018

Opera Gallery, W Place, 52 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong

Monday – Saturday: 10:00 am – 7:00 pm | Sunday and Pubic Holidays: 12:00 am – 6:00 pm

Home is where the art is: Mount Pavilia promotes sculpture park living at Clear Water Bay

New World Development’s latest low-rise residential project, Mount Pavilia, channels your inner artsy self by promoting the first-of-its-kind sculpture park living concept at one of Hong Kong’s poshest address, Clear Water Bay.

Clear Water Bay’s Rebounds, 2015, by Jean-Michel Othoniel

Embracing the theme ‘Home & Family’, Mount Pavilia’s various community spaces are dotted with bespoke sculptures created by some of Hong Kong’s most talented, including Gao Wei Gang, Kum Chi Keung, Tatiana Trouvé and Jean-Michel Othoniel. These abstract art pieces explore boundless imagination and provide a premise for residents to channel their own inner creativity by engaging with these artworks.

Mount Pavilia’s White Yard designed by Minsuk Cho

One prime example of such a pinnacle of creativity is the clubhouse, White Yard Club, designed by award-winning architect Minsuk Cho. Equipped with all modern facilities, its architecture still allows it to form a symbiotic relation with the great outdoors. The White Yard Gallery is another such example of architectural genius. Combining art, F&B and leisure, the gallery promotes eco-living while allowing residents to pursue their artistic inclinations at chi art space, where exhibitions are held periodically.

The whole thrust of the project, carefully curated and nurtured by Adrian Cheng, is towards a holistic better lifestyle. Upholding the concept of ‘a garden without boundaries’, Mount Pavilia painstakingly creates a space where humans and nature can cohabit.

In the spirit of harmonious coexistence, the project offers around 340,000 sq. ft of clubhouse and landscape area where residents can jog on the Woodland Trail or can dabble in some agricultural feats at the Urban Farm. In another such nod to eco-friendliness, Mount Pavilia boasts such sustainable features as solar-powered outdoor street lamps, aquaponics and drip irrigation that all contribute to reducing carbon footprints.

Green communities mean a better future for our next generation and Mount Pavilia promises just that through its thoughtful conceptualisation and realisation.

Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay
Photos: New World Development

Going Dutch: Dutch Days in Hong Kong explores the country’s rich culture and heritage

To celebrate King’s Day or Koningsdag – Holland’s National Day that falls on 27 April – the Dutch Consulate General in Hong Kong dedicates the whole month of April to celebrate all things Dutch through a month-long festival, aptly named Dutch Days in Hong Kong.

Now in its fourth year, the festival – co-organised by Asia Week Hong Kong – featured a series of panel discussions, art competitions, photography exhibitions, culinary evenings and good ol’ family fun activities – all steeped in that quintessential Dutch flavour.

As Annemieke Ruigrok, Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Hong Kong and Macau puts it, “The Dutch Days will give you an insight into other forms of Dutch art and culture that may not be that well known.”

Several events like a Dutch oyster and caviar masterclass by Blend Brothers and Martin Rjik, an art x dining experience inspired by the Dutch Golden Ages, a photography exhibition by Dutch photographer Frank van Driel were among a host of cultural exchanges that brought nearer the rather distant shores of Hong Kong and the Netherlands this year.

In Asia Week Hong Kong Director Candice Lee’s own words, this celebration is an endeavour to “learn about Dutch society, culture, arts, entrepreneurship, which, we hope, will motivate everyone to enjoy what the Netherlands has to offer.”

Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay
Video: Lai Tin Yeung

Chloe Ho on her multicultural upbringing and life-long love affair with ink

Feted at exhibitions in New York and Hong Kong, artist Chloe Ho and her ink works are the talk of a generation.

When did your artistic impulses first emerge?

Even when I was very young, I expressed myself through art. In Chinese International School (CIS), I was always drawing in the playground and my schoolmates would ask if I wanted to be an artist when I grew up.

In 1997, I won a contest for postcard design run by Time magazine. That led to my first appearance in an exhibition, with the winning entries showcased in the China Club. I was eight and that was the first time I received recognition as an artist. From then on, things just started to build.

How does your international upbringing manifest itself in your works?

I see myself as something of a sponge. My international education exposed me to a range of artistic traditions from many different countries. Ultimately, I combined many of these influences when I came to create my own works, something that freed me from the stylistic rules of any one school or aesthetic.

You are particularly highly-regarded for your work with ink. What drew you to this medium?

For me, ink is almost a religion. I first fell in love with it holding a brush in a Chinese art class at CIS. Since then, my passion has only grown.

It is, however, an unforgiving medium. Ink does what it wants to do. Ink is bold and unapologetic, but it can also be subtle and sophisticated. It’s something you can’t enhance or emend. Ink is naked and unalterable. It’s a lot like life – you don’t get a do-over.

You’ve also experimented with 3D effects and virtual reality art…

For me, that strange marriage of art and technology is fascinating. It’s a new and evolving medium and one that raises fundamental questions about what we consider art to be.

My most recent show – Ascendence – was focused on the concept of time, while also embracing humanity’s progress and the way we now use technology in our everyday lives.

Alongside this, I explored the possibilities opened up by VR painting, creating an installation you could walk through. Essentially, it was an immersive, ‘inner universe’ experience, one where users could actually interact with the art on show.

To date, what have you been most proud of?

That’s a tough one to answer. There’ve been quite a few highlights along the way. Recently, my work was featured in the MGM Chairman’s collection. My show at New York’s Forbes Gallery also stands out for me. More recently, my Ascendence show wrapped here in Hong Kong. It was great that it was just so well received by Hong Kong art lovers.

Having said all that, as an artist, you always believe that your best work is yet to come.

Aside from your artistic endeavours, what else takes up your time?

I’ve been short-sighted nearly of my life and, a few years back, I suffered from a detached retina. As a result, optical health is a subject that is very close to my heart. It was this experience that inspired me to get involved with eye care in Hong Kong, and to launch the Chloe Ho Safeguarding Sight Initiative, a joint venture with the Hong Kong University School of Medicine. Together, we raise funds to help ensure that underprivileged children and adults get proper access to routine retina health checks and treatments. We also fund a free eye-testing service in Sham Shui Po.

As an artist, how do you view your likely legacy?

The legacy of any artist has to be the work they leave behind. If it is to outlast its creator, it has to be strong enough to stand on its own and speak across the gulf of culture and time. I hope my body of work will convey how I feel about the world and the issues we all face.

On a more personal level, I hope to leave a legacy of kindness and generosity and I hope that I have – and will – inspire others to follow their artistic passions.

Thank you.

Interview by: Tenzing Thondup
Photos: Neville Lee
Art Direction & Styling: San Wong
Make-up: Margaret Wong
Hair: Eric Lee @ Kim Robinson Salon

Le Matador: A remarkable self-portrait by Picasso

Le Matador, a remarkable self-portrait by Pablo Picasso created just three years before his death in 1973, went under the gavel at earlier this year with a staggering reserve price of US$20-25 million.

First unveiled at an exhibition at the Palais des Papes in Avignon shortly after the artist’s death, Le Matador depicts Picasso as a sword-yielding bullfighter in a ring surrounded by thousands of spectators, holding his blade in the style of a paintbrush, as if preparing for some final battle.

One of the most mature works in his oeuvre, the painting has been aptly described as a culmination of the painter’s life-long obsession with matadors. Familiar bullfighting from an early age, his first-ever painting – Le Picador, depicting a bullfighter on a horse entering an arena observed by spectators – was created when he was just eight, not long after his father had taken him to watch his first such contest.

Though Picasso spent most of his adult years in Paris, he had always retained a strong sense of his Spanish heritage. It’s perhaps fitting, then, that as he neared the end of his life, he returned, once again to the image of the matador and to the subject of his earliest artistic endeavour.

Emerald City by K11 Art Foundation explores geometric patterns through diverse art genres

K11 Art Foundation recently hosted a group exhibition called Emerald City that explores the concept of geometry through a cross-section of artistic approaches.

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Through 40 artworks spanning a wide range of artistic genres, including painting, sculpture, video, photography, and site-specific installations, the Emerald City exhibition explored how geometry – literally meaning “measurement of the Earth (geo)” – has influenced our imagination of the world.

The idea takes shape from the Neo-Geometric Conceptualism (“Neo-Geo”) art movement of the ‘80s and ‘90s that saw a large-scale reimagining of global connectedness based on geometric patterns.

Emerald City shows the persistence of geometric thoughts in contemporary society by juxtaposing works of renowned artists like Ashley Bickerton, Carl F. Cheng, Keiichi Tanaami, with younger artists like Nik Kosmas, Oscar Chan Yik Long, Mountain River Jump!, Zhang Ruyi and Doris Wong Wai Yin.

Talking to the press, Adrian Cheng, Founder and Honorary Chairman, the K11 Art Foundation, says, “K11 Art Foundation has evolved into a dynamic and autonomous cultural entity within its own right. We are delighted to have forged connections between Chinese contemporary artists and major global institutions in recent years and look forward to continuing to nurture these ongoing relationships. Now is the right time for the Foundation to bring to the fore the extensive academic insight that has been cultivated internally since our inauguration in 2010 and to bring together an exhibition that illustrates the breadth of expertise and unique cultural perspective offered by the Foundation.”

Reflecting Light: Giacometti’s chandelier depicts the dark days of World War II

Alberto Giacometti, one of the most prominent sculptors of the 20th century, is best known for the haunting, stark qualities of his work. His most mature piece, Lustre avec femme, homme et oiseau, an elegant chandelier only ever produced in a limited edition of just three, recently came under the spotlight at Sotheby’s London, offering a rare chance to acquire one of his most admired pieces.

In the years following World War II, Giacometti found himself entirely overcome with a sense of isolation and loneliness. His sculptures, which were already stark to begin with, became ever more austere and basic, reflecting his take on human condition. This particular work – valued at around £6,000,000-8,000,000 – has long been seen as the apotheosis of his Post-War work.

Originally conceived in 1949, but not cast in bronze until 1952, the chandelier embodies the artist’s unique Post-War vision. Depicting a solitary woman in a cage and a man circling it, the artist set out to capture the pathos of an existential crisis, one where captivity and release are not simple binaries, with neither bringing true freedom.

Summarising the piece, Thomas Bompard, Head of Sotheby’s London Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Sales, said: “This work represents a tangible coming together of visual arts, decoration and theatre.”