Art Basel Hong Kong: parallel event celebrates LGBT+ artists
With so many art events popping up, it is easy to forget the amount of work that goes into putting exhibitions together.
Calvin Hui, co-founder of London and Hong Kong-based 3812 Gallery, says there are many considerations in setting up an art exhibition.
“There’s the artist and their artworks; the exhibition space – sometimes at galleries but art fairs and other venues such as museums are becoming increasingly popular; curatorial; cataloguing and publishing; sales and marketing; and audience/collector engagement,” says Hui.
Collectors need to understand the nature of their acquired work and how to preserve it when keeping it at home or in the office; or it needs to be properly stored at a professional art storage facility
With a laundry list like that, it takes a team to put an exhibition together. Kane Dowsett, marketing, brand and communications executive manager for law firm Clifford Chance Asia-Pacific, agrees.
Clifford Chance organises an annual art event celebrating LGBT+ artists. Its Arcus Annual Pride Art exhibition is held in 11 of its offices around the world, including Hong Kong.
“Establishing an event such as our Arcus Pride Art event involves bringing together our internal teams, clients, peers in the industry and of course, a local curator and artists. Each year we use the planning phase to reset and review our strategy and event purpose,” says Dowsett.
“For us, Pride Art has two areas of focus; providing a platform for local artists to share their work and its purpose with the market, and to demonstrate to our people, peers in the industry and clients that we encourage an environment where people can be themselves,” Dowsett says, adding that the community aspect is vital and forms the basis of how they approach the delivery of the event.
Organising an event starts with practical considerations. David Ho Yeung Chan, a curator and project coordinator for the “Exit Strategies” public art experience at H Queen’s, which is running until April, says the project was inspired by the venue itself.
“Art also relies on space to give it meaning. In this town, where we are always transient and moving, space becomes the medium through which we can explore notions of psychological escapism,” Chan says.
The experience features works from several local artists in different mediums, embedded in the building’s structure from the 17th floor down to the ground floor. The event is H Queen’s fourth public art initiative.
Next comes the logistics of staging art events. After selecting a gallery or curator, Dowsett at Clifford Chance works closely with them to brief them on the heritage of the event, the attendees, and the intention they hope to achieve.
“It is vital to have the curation team understand the intricacies of the event, including the target audience, to ensure we align the artists and artwork accordingly. Selecting the venue, and navigating through transport and insurance of valuable artwork is crucial to the success of the event,” says Dowsett.
“When the stars align on venue, gallery, artists and the theme, the ancillary planning around event logistics (lighting, entertainment, promotion and catering) become less important – although good aesthetics and an experience where your guests are looked after completely does not hurt.”
Dowsett says the challenge of running any event of this type is really about being able to keep all the pieces moving.
“The event fundamentals must be planned and executed concurrently, so it is vital that your relationship with the gallery/curator is solid – communication is vital in keeping both sides across any inevitable changes right up to the event,” he says.
“Artists are also unique in that they often use a different side of the brain, so it is not uncommon to work with a high level of variability of where you start, to where you arrive.”
He also reminds those promoting art events to have a strong and clear strategy.
“For Pride Art, we’re all about inclusion. We encourage our Arcus (LGBT) members and their allies to use the event as a point of connection with their clients, and professional colleagues in the city. We always offer the gallery and artists an opportunity to bring guests along to celebrate their work,” says Dowsett.
He also suggests bringing the artists to the events if possible, as this drives engagement and often has a very important role in promoting sales.
“People love to hear the stories and thoughts behind the works,” Dowsett says.
It is vital to have the curation team understand the intricacies of the event, including the target audience, to ensure we align the artists and artwork accordingly
“Another point is reminding people what happened last year – we always show photos and video from the previous event to build expectation and help attendees feel comfortable with what to expect.”
And even after an acquisition is made, the work does not end.
“Certified documentation of the collection/asset is also essential,” says 3812’s Hui.
“In terms of collection management, the condition of the artwork has to be maintained and verified.
“Collectors need to understand the nature of their acquired work and how to preserve it when keeping it at home or in the office; or it needs to be properly stored at a professional art storage facility.”
And collectors, particularly first-time buyers, might rely on curators to advise them on these considerations.
Though it might seem daunting, those in the business still encourage others to go ahead with organising exhibitions.
“Putting together an art exhibition is huge. I cannot underestimate it. But it is incredibly rewarding,” says Fiona Argyle, director of Aratong Galleries. “The main advice I would give is to invite the world, and just do it.”
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- Clifford Chance organises an annual art event celebrating LGBT+ artists. Its Arcus Annual Pride Art exhibition is held in 11 of its offices around the world, including Hong Kong
