Opera Gallery director Olivier Demblum is bringing the works of legendary artists Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring and Kenny Scharf to Hong Kong—but between curating shows and conducting calls with clients across timezones, he finds time for kung fu practice and even a round of mahjong
French-born Olivier Demblum joined Opera Gallery as its Hong Kong director last August, after over a decade in the financial industry.
It’s long been a dream of his to present pop art to Hong Kong, says Demblum—and he’s about to present his biggest exhibition ever: a show featuring the works of legendary New York street artists Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring and Kenny Scharf, which will open at Opera Gallery on April 1, 2022.
The three were key members of New York’s neo-expressionism movement, which emerged in the 1970s. An Andy Warhol protégé, Basquiat was a graffiti artist, poet and musician—though decades after his passing, he remains best known for his radical paintings, many of which explored sociopolitical issues. Haring was famed for his spontaneous, large-scale murals on subway walls. Scharf’s futuristic creations spanned different mediums—from sculptures to performance art—and he was also known for using pop culture icons in his work. Activism was a frequent theme in the works of the three artists, who were instrumental in making art accessible at a time when it was widely considered to be for the elite.
Read more: A Jean-Michel Basquiat Masterpiece Is Set to Fetch US$22 Million in Christie's May 2021 Auction
