Adrian Cheng, a key figure in Hong Kong's art world, identifies major trends shaping the city's art scene ahead of Art Basel Hong Kong. He highlights the convergence of major art fairs, auction house sales, and new gallery openings during the 'Art March' period, drawing a global audience with high-profile exhibitions by international artists like Mary Weatherford, Nicole Eisenman, and El Anatsui.
Art Basel Hong Kong opened with robust sales and high energy, signaling a strong recovery for the Asia-Pacific art market. Blue-chip galleries reported several seven-figure transactions early on, including a $4 million Picasso at Bastian and a $3.8 million Liu Ye painting at David Zwirner. The fair's debut of the digital-focused 'Zero 10' initiative and a significant presence of regional collectors underscored a diverse appetite for both postwar masters and contemporary digital works.
Artist Sougwen Chung is presenting new work, including the 10-metre scroll 'Recursion 0,' at Art Basel Hong Kong's new Zero 10 sector. The piece, created with brainwave data, will be completed live at the fair, showcasing her ongoing exploration of human-machine collaboration.
A flurry of art fair activity across Asia marked the early weeks of 2026. Art Basel's inaugural Qatar edition broke format with single-artist presentations, focusing on MENASA artists and discreet institutional buying. The India Art Fair in New Delhi reported strong sales for local and international galleries, while new fairs launched in Jakarta, Manila, and Hong Kong. Tokyo Gendai announced its return, and Art Basel's digital platform Zero 10 expanded to Hong Kong.
Art Basel Hong Kong 2026 will feature 240 galleries and an expanded program, including the Asia debut of the digital-focused Zero 10 section and a reimagined Encounters section. The Encounters section, curated by a team led by Mami Kataoka, will feature 12 large-scale works based on the Five Elements theme, with pieces by artists like Suki Seokyeong Kang and Parag Tandel. The Film section is under new curation by Ellen Pau, and the fair coincides with major exhibitions at institutions like M+.