Fifteen local galleries are taking part in the event
Unscheduled, an art fair established in 2020 by the Hong Kong Art Gallery Association, is returning for a second edition this September.
Running from September 2 to 6, the fair will feature 15 local galleries and showcase works by both local and international artists. The event will take place in the former Topshop store at 59-65 Queen's Road Central, which will be transformed into an exhibition space by local design studio Beau Architects. Curators Jing Chong and Clara Wong have been tasked with deciding on gallery placement to create a cohesive, thought-provoking experience for visitors.
Unscheduled was founded last year as a response to the cancellation of Art Basel Hong Kong 2020 and a string of other events due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which was a huge blow to the city's galleries, financially and otherwise. Before last year's event, Willem Molesworth, vice-president of the HKAGA explained: "Obviously the Covid-19 pandemic isn’t going away. But that doesn’t mean we can’t take a moment to focus inwards and look at ourselves and the community within the city. Hong Kong has a vibrant and thriving arts community, so it’s important that we create a moment to showcase that."
See also: Unscheduled: Hong Kong's Newest Art Fair Launches This June
Last year's event was hosted in Tai Kwun, featured 12 local galleries and attracted more than 2,800 visitors over ten days, adhering to the social-distancing regulations at the time. Galleries who took part reported strong sales. The prices of works on show last year ranged from roughly US$3,000 to US$40,000.
"We have been thrilled with the outcome of Unscheduled, which has surpassed all our expectations," said Fabio Rossi, director of Rossi & Rossi gallery and co-president of HKAGA, and Molesworth in a joint statement at the end of last year's show. "There has been a genuine appetite and positive energy among the art community and art enthusiasts to reunite and interact with art in a physical space. The event has had strong attendance from some of the most active collectors in Hong Kong as well as new collectors, which is reflected in the sales across all 12 participating galleries. This is an encouraging indication of the resilience of Hong Kong’s local art scene and as an international hub as the city further opens up."
This year's event will be open to the public from September 3. Tickets for adults will cost HK$80, concession tickets will cost HK$40 and under 12s can enter free. Proceeds from ticket sales will be shared among all participating galleries and donated to local charity partner Hands On Hong Kong to support ongoing relief efforts for those most affected by Covid-19. The second edition of Unscheduled is being sponsored by Hublot.