The Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong 2015 took place from May 22 to 24 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, and now in its third year, DBS continued to support the event as the headline sponsor in Asia.
A total of 135 local and international galleries were featured, representing an 11 percent increase from last year’s event. Sixty percent of the galleries originated from Asia, and there was naturally a strong Hong Kong presence. With 28,000 visitors, HK$36 million in art sales and nearly 2,000 individual art pieces going to new owners, the organizes were naturally very pleased with the outcome.
Stephanie Kelly, Fair Director of Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong, is proud and confident about Kong Kong’s role in the expanding the international fair, as well as the impact it is having closer to home.
“Our aim is to put more art in Hong Kong homes, and for art to be accessible for all to own and enjoy,” she says.
Regarding why Hong Kong is such an interesting example of art market growth in the region and the world, Stephanie believes it comes down to a number of different factors.
“Hong Kong has such a passion for art which is reflected in the number of visitors to major art events. The collecting culture is still developing in Hong Kong and we have many first-time buyers as well as regular art buyers,” she says. “There is a thirst for knowledge about art and the Fair has education at its heart with a range of fun and interactive talks, tours, workshops and demonstrations.”
A cultural shift towards owning and appreciating art is a marked characteristic of the territory she believes.
“Hong Kong is certainly an exciting place for art lovers and we have been overwhelmed by the success of the previous Affordable Art Fairs in Hong Kong, notes the Fair Director.
“In contrast to other regions, there is a lower rate of art ownership here. More than 30 percent of our visitors have never bought art before compared to about 10 percent in cities like New York and London. I think it’s more a part of the culture in other countries to visit national and local art galleries from a very young age.
“But this is such an exciting time to be part of Hong Kong’s art scene. So many little galleries are springing up, there are some really talented young artists out there and art-related activities and events are increasing – which can only be a really good thing.”
Founded in London in 1999, the philosophy behind the Affordable Art Fair (AAF) is to demystify the often-intimidating world of art and to inform and inspire visitors to engage and enjoy it. Information and prices are clearly displayed so there are no unwelcome surprises, and with a wrapping service on site, artwork can be taken home on the spot, making the whole experience as easy as possible.
“Affordable Art Fair’s ethos is all about making art more accessible to all, especially the large portion of the population that did not previously think they could afford to buy and enjoy art,” explains Stephanie Kelly. “It was born when founder Will Ramsay went into a gallery in London and wasn’t treated as a serious customer. He set up Will’s Art Warehouse in Battersea to try to make the whole experience of looking at and buying art accessible to everyone. He wanted the process to be fun, vibrant and exciting. Most importantly, he didn’t want people feeling intimidated or unable to even contemplate buying a piece because of exorbitant prices.”
Affordable Art Fairs now take place in cities around the world including Amsterdam, Brussels, Milan, Singapore, Hamburg, Stockholm, Hong Kong and Maastricht, with Seoul being the newest addition in September this year. Globally, over 1.6 million people have visited an Affordable Art Fair, buying over US$367 million worth of art.
