Art Basel Hong Kong 2025 marks the 12th edition of the fair. It takes place from March 26 to March 30 alongside Art Central’s 10th edition, which includes over 100 galleries. Both events are held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Gallerists and collectors such as Pearl Lam, Pierre Chen, and artist Lu Yang say that Hong Kong is still strong but experiencing change. Pearl Lam says, “You cannot have great collectors without great museums,” pointing out the need for deeper cultural infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Artist Lu Yang adds a futuristic lens with works fusing digital life and identity, while Pierre Chen continues to invest heavily in Asian and Western masterpieces.
Key Takeaways
- Art Basel Hong Kong 2025 includes 240 galleries from 42 countries and runs from March 26 to 30, alongside Art Central’s 10th edition, featuring over 100 galleries.
- Exhibitions across the city feature artists such as Louise Bourgeois, H.R. Giger, Su Xiaobai, Emma Webster, and Wu Jiaru, offering works that explore history, identity, and global issues.
- Experts like Wei Rongda, Ellie Huang, and Angelle Siyang-Le share practical advice for new collectors.
11 Exhibitions to See in Hong Kong During Art Basel Week
Here are eleven specific exhibitions to see in galleries around Hong Kong during Art Basel:
1. Lynne Drexler – “The Seventies”
Where: White Cube (Mar 26–May 17)
This is Drexler’s first solo exhibition in Asia. In the 1970s, she faced a mental health crisis and experienced temporary color blindness. During this time, she created abstract paintings with limited colors inspired by music. Foam (1971) and Burst Blossom (1971) are two featured works. Her earlier painting Erratic Water (1963) will appear at White Cube’s fair booth.
2. Su Xiaobai – “Niao Niao”
Where: Pearl Lam Galleries (Mar 26–May 15)
“Niao Niao” means “adrift” in Chinese. Su Xiaobai, who lives between Shanghai and Düsseldorf, uses lacquer and powders to create tile-like paintings that resemble ceramic surfaces. His technique reflects both traditional Fujian rooftops and his feelings of displacement.
3. “Beauty Will Save the World”
Where: 10 Chancery Lane Gallery (Mar 22–May 16)
This group show includes artists from Southeast Asia. FX Harsono’s work uses electric candles to remember Chinese Indonesians killed in Java (1947–1949). Josephine Turalba presents sandals made of bullet casings. Vũ Dân Tân and Dinh Q. Lê explore the impact of war and media using currency prints and photo-weavings.
4. József Csató – “Behind the Curtain”
Where: Double Q Gallery (Through Apr 26)
Hungarian painter József Csató creates playful scenes with plants and objects as characters. His works, like Long Minutes of Courtesy (2025), combine oil and acrylic in layers to create visual depth.
5. Wu Jiaru – “Apollo Center”
Where: Flowers (Mar 27–Apr 26)
Wu Jiaru allows collectors to cut out and keep sections of her large painting docile_body_l_ii (2025). She uses automatic drawing with bright colors, faces, and symbols, influenced by artists like Francis Bacon and digital culture.
6. H.R. Giger – Solo Exhibition
Where: Woaw with Mai 36 Galerie and Kaleidoscope Magazine (Mar 25–Apr 18)
This is the first solo exhibition of Swiss artist H.R. Giger in Hong Kong. His biomechanical works, like Biomechanoid 100 (1969), are featured, along with items from the Giger Bar in Tokyo and a Harkonnen chair designed for an unrealized version of Dune.
7. “Tradition Transformed”
Where: Alisan Fine Arts (Mar 24–Jun 14)
This show features 18 artists from the New Ink Movement. Key pieces include Irene Chou’s gestural ink painting Untitled (1980s), Xu Lei’s modern take on gongbi techniques, and Wang Tiande’s works combining Qing dynasty rubbings with ink and burn marks.
8. Louise Bourgeois – “Soft Landscape”
Where: Hauser & Wirth (Mar 25–Jun 21)
This exhibition includes Spider (2000), which was shown in Asia for the first time. Other highlights are Mamelles (1991/2005), a breast-shaped bronze fountain, and painted wall pieces made from old sculpture crates.
9. Sarah Sze – Solo Exhibition
Where: Gagosian (Mar 25–May 3)
Sze explores image overload with layered paintings like Forever Now (2025), which combines cityscapes, snow-covered mountains, and cut-out animals. Her hanging mobile sculptures offer a softer contrast.
10. Emma Webster – “Vapors”
Where: Perrotin (Mar 25–May 17)
Webster made 11 paintings during the 2024 Los Angeles fires. She creates dramatic landscapes using digital models and 3D scans. In The Means That Make (2025), a storm cloud looms over a quiet scene.
11. Dominique Fung – “Beneath the Golden Canopy”
Where: MASSIMODECARLO (Mar 24–May 16)
Canadian artist Dominique Fung references Empress Dowager Cixi to explore women’s power. Works like Yellow Silk Screen (2025) show split scenes of royalty and servitude. She also displays miniature paintings inside antique jewelry boxes.
Insider Advice for New Collectors
First-timer Ellie Huang, expert advisor Wei Rongda (Asia Art Center), and fair director Angelle Siyang-Le offer helpful advice:
How to Begin
Wei: “Don’t rush. Do research. Know the galleries and artists. Make a route.”
Siyang-Le: “Even pros get lost. Plan your time and focus on sectors like Insights or Discoveries.”
Huang: “I started with big galleries like Pace and Zwirner, but now I explore smaller booths and back rooms.”
What Not to Do
Collectors are advised not to follow trends or rush into purchases. Instead, they should buy what they connect with emotionally. If unsure, take time to revisit the piece and compare it to others. Huang fell in love with a piece on Day 2 of the 2024 fair. After learning about the artist and price, she bought it on closing day. “It just clicked,” she says.
Budget Tips
You can pay in installments! Wei says: “Ask about payment plans or even discounts. It depends on the gallery, but most want to build a relationship.”
Transporting Art
Yes. Galleries can ship internationally and handle customs paperwork. Some buyers carry small works by hand. Art can also be rolled and re-stretched later.
Meet Other Collectors
Join VIP events, attend talks, or mingle at partner venues like Tai Kwun Contemporary’s Artists’ Night. Siyang-Le says, “It’s where creatives from all industries come together.”
Artists and Galleries from Asia-Pacific
Several standout artists and galleries from Asia-Pacific include:
- Saju Kunhan (Tarq, India) – Mixed media on teakwood explores migration and memory.
- Kim Lim (STPI, Singapore) – Minimalist prints from the 1970s and 1990s.
- Aisha Khalid (Anant Art, India) – Miniature paintings address gender and East-West contrasts.
- Fernando Botero (Ora-Ora, Hong Kong) – Portraits in his bold, rounded style.
- Lin Ke (BANK, Hong Kong) – Digital prints on nano sponge question technology and language.
- Pinaree Sanpitak (Ames Yavuz, Thailand) – Paintings explore the female form and identity.
- Htein Lin (Richard Koh Fine Art) – Art shaped by time in prison and Buddhist thought.
- Ha Jung-woo (Hakgojae, Korea) – Paintings by the actor, inspired by Basquiat and daily life.
