ART BASEL HONG KONG transitioned to an online experience this month. In the wake of COVID-19, exhibitions and art events have been canceled and postponed across the world. In response, the Hong Kong art fair never opened to the public and instead announced it would move forward as a digital-only experience, introducing online viewing rooms. Exhibitors are unable to engage with visitors and collectors in-person, but they can connect online.
Blum & Poe Gallery, ABHK Viewing Room: TONY LEWIS, “Punk,” 2020 (mixed media, graphite, pencil, and colored pencil on paper mounted on wood, 75.5 x 100.0 x 1.1 inches). © Tony Lewis | $25,001-$50,000
The 235 viewing rooms are open March 20-25 (closing March 25 at 6 p.m. HKT) and feature images of up to 10 works from participating galleries. (To gain access, you must register for an Art Basel account, which requires submitting your email address.) Works that would have been displayed in their art fair booths are now showcased online. Viewers can explore images of art, read basic information about the works, and reach out to the gallery if they wish to learn more.
The platform also includes up-front pricing, an element of transparency ordinarily not available when viewing blue-chip art. If you want to know how much a particular work costs, usually you must “inquire.” (Unlike an ordinary retail purchase, most galleries are willing to negotiate prices and some offer installment plans.)
More than 2,000 works are featured in the viewing rooms. ABHK galleries are showing a modest selection of works by artists of African descent, about three-dozen works. Sam Gilliam, Chris Ofili, Theaster Gates, Tony Lewis, Noah Davis, and Nari Ward are among those represented. Only a handful of black female artists are featured, including Wangechi Mutu, Nona Faustine, and Sable Elyse Smith.
Works by McArthur Binion are showcased in the viewing rooms of three galleries—Lehmann Maupin, Gray, and Massimo De Carlo. Blending abstraction and minimalism, Chicago-based Binion’s works are realized in tightly composed grid patterns embedded with his personal history
The title for Tschabalala Self’s ICA Boston exhibition comes from “Out of Body,” a 2015 mixed-media painting by the artist. Self’s work depicts two female figures with exaggerated body feature alongside their out-of-body reflections. In its viewing room, Pilar Corrias gallery is offering “Out of Body” (2020) a mixed-fabric editioned version of the work made this year.
Presented by Jessica Silverman Gallery, “Woody De Othello: Precarious Oracles” features a new body of work that “interrogates the art history of ‘still life’ and the global tradition of animism.”
Notably, Jessica Silverman Gallery has dedicated its entire presentation to works by Woody De Othello, an emerging California artist who works primarily in sculpture.
“Woody De Othello: Precarious Oracles” features new ceramic works and paintings. According to the gallery, the body of work “interrogates the art history of ‘still life’ and the global tradition of animism. Whether descended from Chinese folk superstitions, Japanese Shintoism, African Voodoo, or even the Buddhist concept of karma, animist belief systems imagine that objects possess distinct spiritual essences or immortal psychological characters.” CT
Victoria Miro Gallery, ABHK Viewing Room: CHRIS OFILI, “Poolside Magic 5,” 2012 (charcoal, watercolour and pastel on paper). | $75,000
The following list includes works by black artists exhibited in the Art Basel Hong Kong viewing rooms (galleries in alphabetical order):
Please Note: To view the links below, you must be logged in to an Art Basel account. The viewing rooms close March 25 at 6 p.m. HKT
BEN BROWN FINE ART
Hank Willis Thomas
“Champion (White),” 2017
Mixed Media
Mixed media including sport jerseys
$50,001-$100,000
BLUM & POE
Tony Lewis
“Punk,” 2020
Mixed Media
Graphite, pencil, and colored pencil on paper mounted on wood
$25,001-$50,000
CARLOS/ISHIKAWA GALLERY
Oscar Murillo
“Untitled (catalyst),” 2018-2019
Painting
Oil and graphite on canvas
$250,001-$500,000
Oscar Murillo
“Manifestation of Loss, 24,” 2017
Painting
Oil, spray paint, graphite, and silkscreen on paper in artist’s copper frame
$50,001-$100,000
Sable Elyse Smith
“Pivot II,” 2019
Sculpture
Stainless steel with 2k painted finish
$10,001-$25,000
Sable Elyse Smith
“Riot I,” 2019
Sculpture
Stainless steel with 2k painted finish
$10,001-$25,000
Galleria Continue ABHK Viewing Room: PASCALE MARTHINE TAYOU, “Graffiti Neon (blue), 2018 (neon), Edition of 3. | $28,000
DAVID ZWIRNER GALLERY
Noah Davis
“Untitled (Man on Couch),” 2009
Painting
Oil and acrylic on linen
$360,000
Kerry James Marshall
“Black Boy,” 2018
Painting
Acrylic on PVC in artist’s frame
$1,500,000
GALLERIA CONTINUA
Pascale Marthine Tayou
“Poupée Pascale,” 2019
Sculpture
Crystal, mixed media
$50,000
Pascale Marthine Tayou
“Graffiti Neon (blue),” 2018
Mixed Media
Neon, Edition of 3
$28,000
Galerie Lelong, ABHK Viewing Room: SAMUEL LEVI JONES, “Aberration,” 2020 (medical books on canvas). | $25,001-$50,000
GALERIE LELONG & CO.
Samuel Levi Jones
“Aberration,” 2020
Mixed Media
Medical books on canvas
$25,001-$50,000
Barthélémy Toguo
“The Canopy Man,” 2018
Painting
Ink and wash on canvas
$50,001-$100,000
GLADSTONE GALLERY
Wangechi Mutu
“Outstretched,” 2019
Sculpture
Soil and feather
$250,000
GRAY
McArthur Binion
“dna:study,” 2019
Painting
Ink, oil paint stick and paper on board
$100,000
Theaster Gates
“Arc,” 2019
Mixed Media
Rubber, tar and wood
$350,000
Gray, ABHK Viewing Room: MCARTHUR BINION, “dna:study,” 2019 (Ink, oil paint stick and paper on board). | $100,000
JESSICA SILVERMA GALLERY
Woody De Othello
“A Hope for a Prayer,” 2020
Sculpture
Ceramic, underglaze and glaze
$10,001-$25,000
Woody De Othello
“One Foot Forwards,” 2020
Sculpture
Ceramic, underglaze, glaze
$10,001-$25,000
Woody De Othello
“Help From Yourself,” 2020
Painting
Oil on canvas
$10,001-$25,000
Woody De Othello
“Cool Escape,” 2020
Sculpture
Ceramic, glaze
$10,001-$25,000
(Entire viewing room—10 works—is dedicated to the artist)
Jessica Silverman Gallery, ABHK Viewing Room: WOODY DE OTHELLO, “A Hope for a Prayer,” 2020 (ceramic, underglaze and glaze). | $10,001-$25,000
LEHMANN MAUPIN
Nari Ward
“Breathing Bear Paw,” 2019
Mixed Media
Oak wood, copper sheet, copper nails, and darkening patina
$250,001-500,000
McArthur Binion
“DNA:Study,” 2019
Painting
Ink, oil paint stick, and paper on board
$100,001-$250,000
MARIAN GOODMAN GALLERY
Tavares Strachan
“Josephine,” 2019
Mixed Media
Mylar, matte paper, pigment, spray paint, acrylic, oil stick, enamel, vinyl, graphite
$135,000
MASSIMO DE CARLO
McArthur Binion
“Hand:Work,” 2019
Mixed Media
Oil paint stick and paper on board
$100,001-$250,000
Metro Pictures ABHK Viewing Room: GARY SIMMONS, “Bracing for the Blast,” 2020 (oil and cold wax on canvas). | $100,001-$250,000
METRO PICTURES
Gary Simmons
“Bracing For The Blast,” 2020
Painting
Oil and cold wax on canvas
$100,001-$250,000
MITCHELL-INNES & NASH
Jacolby Satterwhite
“Winner Room,” 2019
Photography
UV print on aluminum
Edition of two, plus one AP of two, plus one AP
$18,000
Jacolby Satterwhite
“Room for Demoiselle Two,” 2019
Photography
UV print on aluminum
Edition of two plus, one AP of two, plus one AP
$18,000
Modern Institute ABHK View Room: WALTER PRICE, “Trying to find the rhythm in the words,” 2018 (acrylic, masking tape, and super adhesive on wood). | $10,001-$25,000 (No longer available in viewing room at publication time)
MODERN INSTITUTE
Walter Price
“Trying to find the rhythm in the words,” 2018
Painting
Acrylic, masking tape, and super adhesive on wood
$10,001-$25,000
(No longer available in viewing room at publication time)
PACE GALLERY
Sam Gilliam
“Untitled,” 2018
Installation
Acrylic on Cerex nylon
$500,001-$1 million
PEAL LAM GALLERIES
Leonardo Drew
“Wall sculpture: Number 133L,” 2015
Sculpture
Wood and paint
$25,001-$50,000
Pilar Corrias Gallery, ABHK Viewing Room: TSCHABALALA SELF, “Out of Body,” 2020 (quilted fabric), Edition of 30. | $10,001-$25,000
PILAR CORRIAS
Tschabalala Self
“Out of Body,” 2020
Mixed Media
Quilted fabric, Edition of 30
$10,001-$25,000
STEPHEN FRIEDMAN GALLERY
Yinka Shonibare CBE
“Butterfly Kid (Boy) IV,” 2019
Sculpture
Fibreglass mannequin, Dutch wax printed cotton textile, silk, metal, globe, leather and steel baseplate
$100,001-$250,000
Yinka Shonibare CBE
“Bronze,” 2019
Sculpture
Bronze sculpture hand-painted with Dutch wax Batik pattern
Unique in a series of 9 (5)
$100,001-$250,000
TEMPLON
Kehinde Wiley
“Untitled,” 2020
Painting
Oil on canvas
$250,001-$500,000
Victoria Miro Gallery, ABHK Viewing Room: WANGECHI MUTU, “Womangrove,” 2018 (red soil, pigment, paper pulp, adhesive, wood, cow horn, feathers, wood, glass, and acrylic beads). | $75,000
TWO PALMS
Nona Faustine
“Liberty or Death, Sons of Africa,” 2019
Prints & Multiples
Silkscreen, Edition of 20
less than $10,000
Nona Faustine
“My Country,” 2019
Prints & Multiples
Silkscreen, Edition of 20
Less than $10,000
VICTORIA MIRO GALLERY
Chris Ofili
“Poolside Magic 5,” 2012
Work on Paper
Charcoal, watercolour and pastel on paper
$75,000
Wangechi Mutu
“Womangrove,” 2018
Sculpture
Red soil, pigment, paper pulp, adhesive, wood, cow horn, feathers, wood, glass, and acrylic beads
$75,000
WHITE CUBE
Theaster Gates
“Civil Tapestry (Dirty Yellow),” 2012
Mixed Media
Decommissioned fire hose
$800,000
White Cube Gallery, ABHK Viewing Room: THEASTER GATES, “Civil Tapestry (Dirty Yellow),” 2012 (Decommissioned fire hose). | $800,000
Pace Gallery, ABHK Viewing Room: SAM GILLIAM, “Untitled,” 2018 (acrylic on Cerex nylon). | $500,001-$1 million
BOOKSHOP
“Theaster Gates: Every Square Needs a Circle” and “Theaster Gates: Black Madonna” will be published next month. Forthcoming in July, “McArthur Binion:DNA” explores McArthur Binion’s DNA Series, a cornerstone of his four decade practice. More than 80 works by Binion are illustrated in the volume authored by Diana Nawi with contributions by Jamillah James, Michael Stone Richards, and Hamza Walker. “Wangechi Mutu – A Promise To Communicate” documents a recent Wangechi Mutu installation at the Institute of Contemporary Art Boston. “Wangechi Mutu: A Fantastic Journey” accompanied the artist’s first solo museum exhibition.
