My first time into the world of art started with the Affordable Art Fair in Hong Kong, thanks to my artist friend who gave me VIP tickets to the fair this weekend.
Okay let’s be honest, I’m just a Mom who doodles on her spare time, totally not an art connoisseur, so this perspective on an art fair is for you regular, uncertified art folk out there, like me.
What the Eff is Affordable Art Fair?!
The Affordable Art Fair was started in 1996 by Will Ramsay as a way to bring well-seasoned artists, as well as new artists together showcasing their pieces at affordable attainable prices for the public. The fair is made up of art galleries from around the world showcasing pieces from their artists.
It’s the perfect entry way for a regular person like me. Set in a hip, but casual, non-stuck up setting, I was able to feel fancy for going to an art show, but still comfortable enough to enjoy it. A lot of the exhibits had the actual artists there and it was amazing talking to them about their work.
What was really special about this year’s art fair in Hong Kong is that it’s the first time post-Covid that the doors have been opened to the world without having to quarantine. And A LOT of artwork reflects on that time period (having talked to many artists). It wasn’t just an art fair but a compilation of recent history we have all collectively experienced together, but interpreted into a variety of perspectives by artists from around the world.
Like award winning mixed media artist, Shazia Imran’s Glimpse of Spring. A painting of a city skyline on a rainy day. When asked which city was depicted in her painting, she humbly said it was to our own interpretation. Inspired by when she was stuck in rainy Sydney during lockdown with longing and desire to be able to travel again (especially back to Hong Kong), her latest painting, Glimpse of Spring was born, with the buildings influenced by both Sydney and Hong Kong. This imaginary city comes to life against the liveliness of the trees in the foreground where she created with a mixture of light and dark paint. The reflection from the rain water gives a subtle movement to her painting. The trees brings a sense of life and hope to the painting like “there will be life after this dreary period.” The final product is an exquisite piece showing the romanticism of hope and longing from an artist.
Then there is Jennifer Tan’s beLonging Series that was born out of her move back to Hong Kong from Malaysia during Covid. While being confined in the small spaces of Hong Kong during Covid, Jennifer felt claustrophobic in the city. So when her husband went to work, she would go hiking on the many spectacular hiking trails of Hong Kong. That was the only time she was able to get away from the overbearing world of Covid fear and chaos, it gave her a sense of calm and serenity, a moment where she “felt like [she] could breathe again.”
Through her artistic vision, she was able to strip Hong Kong’s famous concrete jungle down to just it’s original form, its landscape. Highlighting the beauty of Hong Kong’s natural shapes and curves that most people tend to miss due to the bustling vibe that “the city that never sleeps” is known for. This series is such a stark contrast to what people usually think of Hong Kong to be, but Jennifer manages to capture the essence of an overlooked Hong Kong. She masterfully captures a sense of serenity she has discovered about the city and puts in on cavas for all of us to feel. A rare tranquility that a lot of us desperately need after the past 3 years of uncertainty, it is truly a welcoming sight amongst all the other busy art pieces that highlights Hong Kong. Jennifer defies popular opinion and dares to bring a new perspective on Hong Kong for us to see and enjoy.
Penny’s Bay by local artist Sophia Hotung is the epitome of inspiration from Covid in Hong Kong. The quirky Hong Konger series is her witty interpretation of Hong Kong through painted magazine cover’s (think New Yorker), her piece, “Penny’s Bay” is an ode to the Zero-Covid era in by Sophia, makes me wonder if it’s from personal experience. Get in touch Sophia!
Her piece “Heart Times” has also created some buzz, a magazine cover of 216 real Hong Kongers all seemingly doing finger hearts, but also looks like they’re doing RAT tests. Dated Aug 2022, it’s made people speculate if it’s Sophia’s genius double entendre way of making fun of Hong Konger’s “hard times” with the government.
Final Words
The Affordable Art Fair in Hong Kong was the perfect introduction to the world of art for this little doodler. For anyone not into the stuffy gallery scene, but want an introduction to art in more approachable and fun doses, check out the Affordable Art Fair which has fairs in over 10 cities!
To me, what makes the art pieces special is the story behind the inspiration, being able to talk to the artists and see the world through their eyes. This time it felt a little bit different, a bit more intimate and relatable as a lot of these pieces were inspired by something that we had all collectively experienced together and truly fascinating to see it interpreted in so many ways.
If you get a chance, check out the Affordable Art Fair near you! This is a great entryway to enjoying and collecting professional art at reachable prices.