Patrons of Asia Art Archive reveal what they have their eye on at the charity's upcoming fundraising auction

Always a highlight of Hong Kong's art calendar, this year's Asia Art Archive fundraising auction features more than 70 works donated by artists, galleries and patrons from near and far. This year's line-up features a particularly strong selection of female artists, which mirrors the ongoing research done by the organisation into the often overlooked careers of women artists around the region.

"A comprehensive history should not leave out any voices," says Dee Poon, who leads AAA's Women In Art History initiative. "Our initiative is but one additional entry point into creating and preserving these conversations. Asia Art Archive is the most generous art endeavour that I know of.  By bringing together the stories around the creation of art, we ensure the protection of the intentions and ideas surrounding the object that is the focal point."

With this in mind, fellow Women In Art History initiative patrons Edward Tang, Jonathan Cheung and Luke Fehon have chosen their favourite works by women artists in this year's auction—and team Tatler have highlighted some lots, too. See our picks below. 

Edward Tang's Picks

House (2019) by Lorna Simpson

Tatler Asia
Above Lorna Simpson, House (2019). (Donated by Hauser & Wirth)

“I have always been a fan of Lorna Simpson," says Edward Tang. "Her recent solo show at Hauser & Wirth in New York blew my socks off! And this unique collage titled House really stands out to me. Though not large in scale, Simpson’s signature themes of architecture, fashion, gender and identity are wonderfully distilled in this work.”

Nasturtiums (TAM. 1557) (1965) by Ruth Asawa

Tatler Asia
Above Ruth Asawa, Nasturtiums (TAM. 1557) (1965). (Donated by the estate of Ruth Asawa and David Zwirner)

“Ruth Asawa was a pioneer, a visionary and an artist whose work I adore," says Edward. "While she is mostly celebrated for her sculptural work, this lithograph from 1965 reveals her fascination in organic forms—it is a vibrant image, full of movement and life!”

See also: Tatlergram: Inside Edward Tang And John Auerbach's Lavish Tuscan Wedding

Jonathan Cheung's Pick

Tatler Asia
Above Cao Fei, Prison Architect 07 (2018). (Donated by the artist and Vitamin Creative Space)

Prison Architect 07 (2018) by Cao Fei

“Anyone who’s seen Cao Fei’s Prison Architect at Tai Kwun was mesmerized by it—at least I was," says Jonathan. "This beautiful still image takes the viewer back to that surreal and emotional moment of the film. She’s also having a solo show next year at the Serpentine Galleries, so I suppose this is the right time to acquire one of her works!”

 

Luke Fehon's Pick

Untitled (2019) by Maria Taniguchi

Tatler Asia
Above Maria Taniguchi, Untitled (2019). (Donated by the artist and Silverlens)

“Blurring the line between architecture and art in such a meditative way embodies so much of how I approach my own life," says Luke Fehon, founder of luxury property developer Fuin Real Estate. "Art should be deeply personal and for me this work reminds me of the complexity involved in creating what at first glance is taken for granted as simple.”

See also: If These Walls Could Talk: Kowloon Walled City Captured By Photographers Ian Lambot And Greg Girard

Tatler's Picks

China Landscape (1992) by Rosamond Brown

Tatler Asia
Above Rosamond Brown, China Landscape (1992). (Donated by the artist)

Artist Rosamond Brown moved to Hong Kong in the 1960s and has spent the decades since painting everything from the traditional junks that still sail through Victoria Harbour to temples tucked between the city's skyscrapers. 

Brown has also travelled extensively around Mainland China, and it was one of those trips that inspired this large oil-on-canvas painting of towering, dramatic mountains. 

Lily's Reception Desk (2018) by Cheng Ting-ting

Tatler Asia
Above Cheng Ting-ting, Lily's Reception Desk (2018). (Donated by the artist and Bo Editions)

Cheng Ting-ting is a rising star of Hong Kong's art scene and has impressed critics, collectors and the public with her drawings and paintings of scenes from everyday life. 

This work, Lily's Reception Desk, was made in collaboration with Hong Kong Open Print Workshop, the city’s first non-profit printmaker. It's the first fine art print ever produced by Cheng. 

See also: 6 Hong Kong Artists On The Rise

Stuffed Air (2016) by Firenze Lai

Tatler Asia
Above Firenze Lai, Stuffed Air (2016). (Donated by the artist and Vitamin Creative Space)

The boxy, distorted figure in this painting makes it instantly recognisable as the work of Firenze Lai—another local talent. 

Lai's paintings have been exhibited around the world, including at the New Museum in New York, the Power Station of Art in Shanghai and the Venice Biennale. 

#3 from A Brief History of Collapses (2012) by Mariam Ghani

Tatler Asia
Above Mariam Ghani, #3 from A Brief History of Collapses (2012). (Donated by the artist and Ryan Lee Gallery)

This photograph is a still from #3 from A Brief History of Collapses—a video installation first shown at Documenta in 2013.

Mariam Ghani is an Afghan-American artist, writer and filmmaker whose work spans video, sound, installation, photography, performance, text and data. This video explored similarities between the Fridericianum built by Simon Louis du Ry in Kassel, Germany in 1779 and the Darul Aman Palace built by Walter Harten in Kabul, Afghanistan in 1929. Ghani was drawn to these buildings because they each represented a moment of modernity and hinted at hopes for the future. 

To bid on any of these works—or other works in the auction—visit aaa2019auction.com

To learn more about the fundraiser, visit aaa.org.hk

See also: Art With Heart: What To Expect At The Asia Art Archive's Annual Fundraising Auction

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