Category: Art

US$4.5 million bid for Fourteen Poems on Planting Bamboo by Li Dongyang

With 2019 looking set to be the Year of Reemerging Classical Chinese art, another venerable artefact from the Middle Kingdom’s golden era smashed expectations when it come up for auction at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong earlier this year. The collectible in question, Fourteen Poems on Planting Bamboo by Li Dongyang (1447–1516), dated back to the time of the Ming Dynasty and eventually changed hands for US$4.5 million – five times the original estimate.

Li Dongyang

For those wondering just how this handwritten scroll’s hefty price tag can be justified, a brief history lesson may prove enlightening. Li Donyang was something a distinguished fellow – a scholar, a poet, a painter a calligrapher and a holder of the highest level-imperial degree. Naturally highly regarded, his 14 poems run the length of the 10-metre scroll, with every character exquisitely calligraphed in the author’s distinctive cursive script. Even more impressively, it is virtually in mint condition, with only four characters said to have been lost in the five centuries since he sat down to work on it. A remarkable feat and one that, understandably, commanded a remarkable price.

Painted Penang: A stroll down the vibrantly decorated Penang Art Street

The Malaysian city of Penang has long been something of a heritage hotspot, so one would be forgiven for assuming the various artistic murals that are scattered across the buildings along Beach Street in the Georgetown neighbourhood were painted quite a while ago. However, these colourful creations are in fact something of a new phenomenon for the region, having been brought to life only within the past decade and gifting the lane with a new epithet – Penang Art Street. 

 

Unsurprisingly, Georgetown itself was officially designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site back in 2008 thanks to its countless well-preserved Colonial-era structures and tranquil hill-station vibes – a throwback to the days when empire-minded Brits ruled the island. Today, the neighbourhood still feels like a living-breathing real-life museum for those bygone times. 

Speed up to 2012, though, and Penang’s municipal council decided it was time to revamp the area, and breathe new life into the traditional shop houses found across its inner city. They chose to do so by bringing in London-trained Lithuanian artist, Ernest Zacharevic. From there, the city council collaborated with Zacharevic to create a unique form of Penang wall art and bring back the rich history of Georgetown’s streets.

Inspired by the everyday lives of the local inhabitants, Zacharevic created a handful of murals that truly capture the bustling spirit of the city through a mixture of images, particularly of the children who call Penang their home.

Penang’s Art Street is indeed the perfect reason to dust off your old 35mm camera, or at the very least make sure your iPhone battery is at 100 percent. 

Text: Bailey Atkinson

Martijn Oremus on the BMW Art Car, Art Journey and what to expect from the carmaker in 2019

The recent Art Basel Hong Kong fair marked the seventh anniversary of the fruitful partnership between the mega art event and renowned German automaker BMW. We spoke to the marque’s new managing director Martijn Oremus about this successful relationship, its Art Basel highlights and what Hong Kong’s auto enthusiasts can expect from the luxury carmaker in 2019.

           

Tell us about the partnership between BMW and Art Basel, and what makes it such a successful one?

The partnership between BMW and Art Basel spans seven fruitful years, but actually, the engagement of BMW in cultural partnerships goes back even further, encompassing five decades. In essence, it’s creativity that ties everything together. Creativity is key, not only to art, but to innovation, design and technology. To that end, it a fundamental part of our business.

With Art Basel being one of the leading platforms for creativity, it brings together all the relevant people from an expansive array of industries in the name of art. We are very happy to be partnered with Art Basel, not just in Hong Kong but worldwide.

Martijn Oremus with BMW Art Car No1 at Art Basel Hong Kong
Martijn Oremus, Managing Director of BMW Hong Kong, with the BMW Art Car No.1 at Art Basel Hong Kong

What can we expect from BMW at Art Basel Hong Kong 2019?

We have a range of activities going on, and one I’m particularly proud of is the BMW Art Journey. Each year, we bring young emerging artistic talents and give them an opportunity to travel the world as part of this unique art competition. It’s not just a prize but an opportunity for them to develop as artists. At Art Basel Hong Kong, we’ve announced the shortlist of potential awardees for the next Art Journey. The winner will be chosen in the coming months. This year, we have three female finalists, which is quite special.

BMW Art Car No1 circa 1975

Tell us a little bit about BMW’s all-new Art Car. What were the inspirations behind its design?

Over the years, we have brought a total of nine BMW Art Cars to Hong Kong, but this year it’s even more exciting because we have the original Art Car No.1 from 1975. It’s a particularly special occasion because this was the car that laid the foundation stone for the entire Art Car collection. It was French racer Hervé Poulain who commissioned his friend, the renowned American artist Alexander Calder, to transform on his actual BMW racecar. It is that precise car that is on display at Art Basel Hong Kong, and is the pioneer for a line that now boasts 19 unique models. The Art Car really highlights to blending of creativity and artistic flair with our cars, which evokes emotional responses in people’s hearts and emotions, much like the world of art.

Martijn Oremus is the new Managing Director of BMW HK

What’s can we expect from BMW in 2019? Which new models will be making their debuts?

First and foremost, we will have a range of new models launching in the market. First of all, the new generation of the 3-series. The 3 series for us represents the core of sheer driving pleasure. It’s the most dynamic and sporty car that we have, and will be coming to Hong Kong very soon. On top of that, this year we’ll be focussing on the luxury segment. For example, we will bring a revamped version of the 7-series, but also two all-new concept cars – the BMW 8-series and the X7, which will be the first full-size SAV in this luxury segment to be introduced to the market.

Thank you.

Interview and photography by: Tenzing Thondup
Video: Kingsley Lau

Conveted Canvas: Record bid for Ammi Phillips’ Red-clad Girl

A truly iconic item of American folk art wowed would be bidders at Christie’s in New York when one of the most beautiful portraits ever completed by American painter Ammi Phillips (1788-1865) went under the gavel. Universally known as Girl in a Red Dress with a Dog, the work, with its powerful central image of a young girl clad in a vivid red gown gazing steadfastly out of the canvas, fetched a staggering US$1.69 million, vastly exceeding its pre-sale estimate.

ammi phillips
Girl in a Red Dress with a Dog

The size of the winning bid is all the more spectacular given that Phillips was all but forgotten after his death. Even though a number of his works came to be widely appreciated in the early ’20s, they were not correctly attributed to him until 1958, when Mary Black, a renowned art historian, finally secured him the recognition that had long eluded him.

Part of his much-admired four-piece Children in Red series – a set of works that includes Girl in a Red Dress with Cat and Dog, his most celebrated portrait – the recent sale did indeed offer ‘a rare chance to acquire an undisputed masterpiece of American folk art’.

Richard Nagy brings trove of Egon Schiele artworks to Art Basel Hong Kong

It’s no secret that the late Austrian artist, Egon Schiele (1890-1918), is widely regarded as the “Bad Boy” of the Austrian Expressionist art world. His penchant for sensational and controversial erotic paintings of nude figures have long held a special fascination for collectors the world over. In fact, in the wake of the centenary anniversary of his premature demise last year – which saw some of the most-lauded art museums worldwide pay tribute to his oeuvre – the Austrian painter’s masterpieces have become even more highly sought-after across the globe. 

Egon Schiele is controvertial and sensational to the extreme

Despite the burgeoning rise of passionate and dedicated Asian art collectors, to date, Egon Schiele has never been represented or displayed by any gallery within the region. It was a particularly thrilling treat, then, when the internationally acclaimed gallerist Richard Nagy showed an expansive collection of 45 museum-quality Schiele artworks at the recent Art Basel Hong Kong fair – the first-ever retrospective show of the Austrian artist’s works in Asia.

Richard Nagy debuts Egon Schiele artworks at Art Basel Hong Kong
Richard Nagy, founder of Richard Nagy Ltd, has been dealing in Egon Schiele artworks for almost 40 years

A self-confessed fan of Egon Schiele, Richard Nagy (owner of the eponymous Richard Nagy Ltd art gallery) says: “Schiele’s an artist that I’ve worked with for almost 40 years now, and still find exciting. He’s intellectually stimulating and very confrontational.”

Egon Schiele is renowned for being the Bad Boy of Viennese art

“Not only did he break with convention by becoming the first Austrian Expressionist painter, he also reinterpreted the depiction of naked women as individuals wholly in control of their bodies, rather than as objects for the voyeuristic  pleasure of men.  His works are vibrant and unapologetically raw. It’s something to which people still react and it’s still the reason that some people are upset by him. It gets under their skin.”

Check out our interview with Richard Nagy in the video below to find out exactly why Egon Schiele is such a fascinating figure, and why his artworks were at the centre of the his gallery’s Art Basel Hong Kong exhibition.

           

Panda Brander: Dennis Chan on his new HaHaPanda sculptures and their Chinese connection

Dennis Chan, the Hong Kong-born jewellery guru who founded the much-loved haute joaillerie maison Qeelin, now looks set to dominate the art world with his HaHaPanda sculptures…

When did you first realise you were destined for a career in design?

As a child, I had no idea that design was to be the great passion of my life. In fact, it wasn’t until I finished high school that I even considered the notion. It was one of my uncles who first spotted my potential and encouraged me to take up art. My parents weren’t too keen on the idea. Coming from a family of doctors, my artistic streak was something of a surprise to them. I did manage to convince them, though, and eventually signed up for an Industrial Design programme at Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

HaHa Panda

What led you to specialise in product design?

While I was at university, I was introduced to a wide range of design disciplines, including interiors, fashion – for which I had a particular knack – and engineering. Without a doubt, though, product design – and three-dimensional design in particular – was my favourite, and that’s what I finally settled upon. I think it’s hugely versatile and essentially multi-disciplinary. Through it, you can pretty much access any other design sector. It’s a decision that’s definitely stood me in good stead over the course of my career.

Is it fair to say that all your designs have a distinctly Chinese feel to them?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been captivated by Chinese culture. Also, I spent a large portion of my early career working in the UK, Europe and Japan. So I’ve got a very distinct East-meets-West perspective – a balance that’s a part of the charm and character of all my creations. So, in my designs, I want to bring out that traditional influence, but in an internationally contemporary fashion. I feel that, when people discuss Chinese style, they’re usually talking about old-fashioned, traditional objects, and that’s fine. We can’t stop there, though. There needs to be some inclusion of modernity as well. Take Ming dynasty furniture, for example. While it’s undeniably very beautiful, we can’t simply keep replicating it. Otherwise, 200 years from now, when future designers analyse the work being produced right now, they won’t see any unique design interpretations, they will just see something exactly the same as what was produced centuries before.

Dennis Chan

Nowadays, you are perhaps best known as the founder of Qeelin, the luxury jewellery company. What led you to branch off from jewellery design and into sculpture?

On the surface, they’re both quite similar. Jewellery is something you can use to decorate yourself with, while sculpture is something you can accessorise your home with. With jewellery, though, there are certain limitations as to how much you can express yourself. With sculpture, though, you can really express your own thinking and your own ideas. That’s what led me to launch HaHaPanda more than 10 years ago…

Why ‘HaHaPanda’?

I think the one thing everyone is seeking is (ha)ppiness. To achieve that, you need (ha)rmony, hence, HaHaPanda.

The idea to create HaHaPanda came to me first while visiting the Sichuan Panda Foundation. The undeniable naivety and purity of the baby pandas sparked something in me. As soon as I returned to Hong Kong, I started sculpting models based on the sketches and photos I’d brought back from that trip. That’s how HaHaPanda first came about.

HaHa Panda

While HaHaPanda is seen as very much part of a new wave of Chinese art, how much of it is inspired by traditional culture?

While I haven’t made a conscious decision to draw only from Chinese culture, it’s something inherent in my creative psyche. Pandas, for instance, are something I deploy as symbols for modern Chinese people. The country is increasingly opening up to the world and participating on a global scale – economically, politically and socially. I feel we’ve entered a new age – Modern China if you like – and I use HaHaPanda to express my own take on this blossoming era.

How have the HaHaPanda sculptures evolved over the years?

The initial spark came from the pandas in Sichuan and the first collection was definitely true to life in terms of their mannerisms and aesthetics. Over time, though, more abstract motifs have emerged and it’s an evolution I’m very happy with – it lets me go deeper and I can imbue greater meaning into each piece. There are two aspects to everything I produce. Firstly, it should be aesthetically appealing, and secondly, it should embody good feng shui. If you study my pandas, you’ll see they’re all curved and rounded, with no sharp edges or protrusions that could disturb the harmony of a room. Even the colours have been chosen to evoke happiness and bring good cheer. Then there are the deeper symbolisms in each piece. I created one particular panda, for instance, that was entirely covered in reversed gold coins. In Chinese culture, it can symbolise an in-pouring of wealth.

Dennis Chan

Are there any new HaHaPanda projects that you’re particularly excited about?

I don’t believe in having any boundaries and I love to express myself freely. Just because I’ve focused on 3D sculptures doesn’t mean I want to just stick to that. To that end, one of the new additions is a series of 2D wall-mountable designs, which I’m hoping to build on further by including lighting elements. I’m also in the process of creating some panda-inspired digital sculptures. Looking ahead though, there’s one particular project that I’m hugely excited about – an upcoming exhibition at The Landmark in Hong Kong. It opens in May and I can’t share too many details just yet, but watch this space…

Thank you.  

 

Interview by: Tenzing Thondup
Video: Kingsley Lau
Photos: Neville Lee
Art Direction: San Wong
Make-up: Mak Tung
Venue: Isola Bar & Grill

George Michael Collection Evening Auction grandest highlight

While not under the best of circumstances, no less, the art world was certainly treated earlier this month, to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as Christie‘s hosted the George Michael Collection Evening Auction in London earlier this month. The adored British pop-star who passed away 2016, was an avowed art collector and left behind an impressive collection of sculptors, paintings and modern art deco spanning over two decades.

Fellow Brit, Damien Hirst’s Incomplete Truth (b.1965) ended up being the most impressive lot of the night, by commanding a whopping US$1.2 million. Initially acquired by Michael’s in 2007, the sculptor presents a hovering dove, suspended in mid-flight in formaldehyde, within a 222 x 176 x 74cm glass cage. Doves, which symbolise the Holy Spirit as well as peace, are arguably in tune with Michael’s hit Gotta Have Faith, perhaps it’s what inspired him to acquire the unique suspension in the first place.

George Michael Collection Evening Auction
Photographed by Prudence Cuming Associates © Damien Hirst and Science Ltd. All rights reserved, DACS 2012

 

Beyond Basel: Four Satellite Art Exhibitions in Hong Kong

While Art Basel is surely on every art lover’s to-do list this month, that’s no reason to miss out on some of the other satellite art exhibitions taking place in Hong Kong at the same time. Here are the ones we’ll be checking out for sure.

FUTURA – Abstract Compass

satellite art exhibition

A celebrated street artist based in New York, FUTURA is coming to Hong Kong this month with his FUTURA – Abstract Compass exhibition at Space 27. Displaying 27 new and existing works, the exhibition will showcase his unique abstract graffiti style, with signature evanescent symbols in spray paint can fashion.
27 to 31 March
Space 27, 10/F, Block AB, Tung Chong Factory Building, 653-659 King’s Road, Quarry Bay

Lui Shou-Kwan – A Centenary Celebration

 satellite art exhibition

Over at Alisan Fine Arts, meanwhile, legendary ink artist Lui Shou-Kwan’s solo exhibition is being staged in honour of his birth centenary. On display will be Lui Shou-Kwan’s revolutionary ink artworks that merged traditional Chinese ink art painting with Western Abstract Expressionism – a style that later came to be known as New Ink Movement.
30 March to 16 May
Alisan Fine Arts, 21F Lyndhurst Tower, 1 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central

 Convergence

 satellite art exhibition

Three of Hong Kong’s leading art galleries, Maria Kiang Chinese Art, 88 Gallery and Chelesa Art, have joined forces to host Convergence – one of the most important satellite art exhibitions overlapping with Art Basel. Spanning Chinese objets d’art, historic furniture by Robert Goossens and ink paintings by contemporary artist Ren Zhong, the art exhibition deftly marries modernity with nostalgia through its showcase.
16 March to 2 April
6/F, Pedder Building, 12 Pedder Street, Central

 Art Deco. The France-China Connection

 satellite art exhibition

While anticipating Art Basel, it’ll be a shame to miss this particular satellite art exhibition happening at CityU Exhibition Gallery, in somewhat faraway Kowloon Tong. Titled “Art Deco. The France-China Connection”, the exhibition brings together Art-Deco-style art objects of Chinese origin, including furniture, sculptures, paintings, posters, costumes, ceramic glassware, vases, jewellery, etc. all of which have been deeply influenced by the French Art Deco Movement of the 1920s.
6 March to 30 June
CityU Exhibition Gallery, 18/F, Lau Ming Wai Academic Building, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong

All For A Good Cause: Markus Klinko’s ‘2000s: David Bowie and Beyond’ exhibition in Hong Kong

As you enter the plush premises of Landmark Mandarin Oriental’s MO Bar this weekend, don’t be surprised if your eyes are automatically drawn towards the walls, because hanging on them are a range of striking photographs of some of the most legendary stars of our times – from David Bowie to Lady Gaga – shot by none other than award-winning celebrity photographer Markus Klinko who’s hosting his first exhibition in Hong Kong titled 2000s: David Bowie and Beyond till 16 April.  

Kevin Cheng, Jo Soo Tang, Markus Klinko, Daphne King

And these photos are just the tip of the iceberg. Klinko has not only teamed up with The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, but also with Central-based art gallery Alisan Fine Arts to showcase some of the most iconic photos in his repertoire – be it Bowie’s behind-the-scenes portraits from his Heathen photoshoot or Beyoncé’s Dangerously in Love album cover. Shot entirely on Fuji cameras, what sets them apart from run-of-the-mill celebrity photos is Klinko’s unfailing ability to reveal an unexplored side of the artist’s personality in each of his ethereal, almost otherworldly compositions. 

Irene Wan in front of Lady Gaga’s photo by Markus Klinko

Keen not to miss out on the experience, Hong Kong’s art aficionados have been thronging Alisan Fine Arts since the opening night to appreciate the photos firsthand and also to support Hong Kong Adventist Hospital Foundation (HKAHF)’s cancer fund, with the proceeds of the sale going to this charity. And though Klinko’s exhibition is officially ending on 16 April, art lovers would rejoice to learn that some of his photos would be available for sale at Alisan Fine Arts for the whole of March.

Lindsay Lohan X Kaws by Marcus Klinko

Meanwhile, Kaws fans would also be happy to know that the inflatable version of the American artist’s signature cross-eyed Companion floating on Victoria Harbour won’t be the only Kaws memorabilia to grace our Fragrant Harbour this month. Some photos from Klinko’s Lohan X Kaws photoshoot will also be available for sale at Alisan Fine Arts.

It’s just the right kind of exciting build-up to Art Basel, isn’t it?

Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay

Frank Exchange: Norman Rockwell’s portrait of Frank Sinatra fetches big bucks

Norman Rockwell, the renowned painter and illustrator best known for the popular covers of American culture he created for New York’s The Saturday Evening Post, was again the talk of the town when one of his works – Sinatra: An American Classic – was the most sought-after lot at Sotheby’s Lady Blue Eyes: The Property of Barbara and Frank Sinatra auction. When the gavel finally dropped on his 1973 oil canvas painting of the beloved singer, actor and hell-raiser, the winning bid – after a heated six-way battle – was US$687,000, nearly six times its US$120,000 reserve price.

Frank Sinatra

Initially published in conjunction with an article of the same title (a work by his long-term friend and collaborator, Rosalind Russell) in a 1973 edition of the Ladies Home Journal, the original Frank Sinatra portrait spans 47.6cm x 33cm and was one of the last paintings Rockwell completed before his death in 1978. As well as the many years he spent working as a magazine illustrator, Rockwell was also known for his portraits of notable American celebrities and politicians, including John F Kennedy, John Wayne and Ronald Reagan. What makes the Frank Sinatra portrait so unique, though, is its vibrant green background, as most of Rockwell’s works were predominantly grey. Maybe Frank insisted he did it his way.