Cover For the first time, Art Basel Hong Kong organisers will present an artwork beyond the confines of the fair, at Pacific Place (Photo: courtesy of Pacific Place)
For the first time, Art Basel Hong Kong organisers will present an artwork beyond the confines of the fair, at Pacific Place (Photo: courtesy of Pacific Place)
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Artist Awol Erizku merges ancient history with contemporary art at Pacific Place—this is the first time that an artwork from Art Basel’s Encounters sector has been exhibited offsite
Anticipation in the international art world is rapidly ramping up as Art Basel Hong Kong roars back into action this month for the first time since pandemic restrictions were lifted in the city.
And while a respectable 171 galleries from 32 countries and territories are gearing up to exhibit their works on the main site at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, this year, its offsite programme is generating just as much buzz.
For the first time in the event’s history—as part of its Encounters sector for large-scale installations—organisers will present an artwork beyond the confines of the fair, at nearby Pacific Place.
Above “Gravity” by Awol Erizku (Photo: courtesy of Pacific Place)
Above “Gravity” by Awol Erizku (Photo: courtesy of Pacific Place)
“Gravity” by Awol Erizku (Photo: courtesy of Pacific Place)
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As part of the retail destination’s efforts to make art and culture experiences part of everyday life, Gravity will be on display from March 17 to April 2. The piece, by Los Angeles-based conceptual artist Awol Erizku, is a 10-metre-tall immersive installation modelled after King Tutankhamun, the Egyptian pharaoh famous for his tomb filled with lavish treasures, which was unearthed in 1922.
Born in Ethiopia, Erizku’s reimagining of ancient African figures in Gravity invokes both timelessness and presence, inviting Pacific Place occupants and guests to break from their daily routines and momentarily pause to engage with the playfulness of the piece.
Erizku is well known for his multidisciplinary explorations of race, identity and culture. He gained widespread recognition for his photograph of Beyoncé announcing her pregnancy with twins, which became the most-liked photo on Instagram at the time of its release. His work has been featured in many of the world’s foremost museums and galleries, including the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Centre Pompidou in Paris.
Above From left: Alexie Glass-Kantor and Awol Erizku (Photo: courtesy of Pacific Place)
From left: Alexie Glass-Kantor and Awol Erizku (Photo: courtesy of Pacific Place)
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The offsite exhibition marks the global debut of Gravity and is a fitting addition to the groundbreaking and ever-popular Encounters sector. This year, it includes 14 installations under the theme “This present, moment”, curated by Alexie Glass-Kantor, executive director of Artspace, Sydney, and the curator for the Australian pavilion at the 59th Venice Biennale. The collection also features works by local artists Trevor Yeung and Jaffa Lam, and international artists including Gimhongsok, David Altmejd, Nabuqi and Stanislava Pinchuk.
It’s presented by Ben Brown Fine Arts with support from Swire Properties, an official partner of Art Basel Hong Kong. The unprecedented move to display such a high-profile work offsite reflects both companies’ commitment to making fine art accessible to the city’s residents.
Gravity is on display until April 2, 2023 at Pacific Place. Find out about more art month happenings here.
