Celebrity Life

The work of Los Angeles-based artist Alex Hubbard encompasses different media, including video art, painting and sculpture, to explore the boundaries of each through an investigative cross-examination of different practices.

For his second solo exhibition and inaugural presentation at Simon Lee Gallery in Hong Kong, Hubbard has created a series of mesmerising paintings that feature classic and new techniques as well as wide range of materials. One of his latest process, for instance, involves UV printing technology to combine abstraction and figuration in a single canvas.

In his oeuvre, thanks to the use of fast-drying materials, Hubbard embraces chance happenings, revealing the autonomy of his chosen media.

We talked to Alex Hubbard about his Hong Kong exhibition and the meaning behind his art.

Can you tell us about your inaugural presentation in Hong Kong? What can gallery goers expect?

I use a wide variety of materials and techniques to make paintings. They are created from plastics, fiberglass, sprayed automotive paints, oil paint and printed images. The materials and images are layered, building up a surface. In this show, I'm using that process and surface as a springboard to start a painting. Then I paint into the work with traditional oil paint.

How would you describe your artistic style?

I'm not restless, but I do love to explore new materials, new methods. Vito Acconci would speak about his process. It was always the problem, the resolution of that problem in a work and then the problem with that. All to create the next problem and series of problems. It's less explicit in what I make but there is an underlying dialectic approach to materials and medium.

What are the many themes of your work?

I'm often using very common objects from the studio to create imagery. I'm filming chairs, buckets, tools, ladders. I'm painting gloves, caster wheels and printing pictures of wheelbarrows and dollys. The work is very process based. I want it to have life. Getting there is hard, and it takes planning and labor. That's the contradiction for me, I make things that look like an accident - it takes so much time to properly plan an accident.

How did you become an artist?

It was the only thing I was any good at. My mom is an artist, but it wasn't her profession. I never imagined people did it as a profession. I grew up in a rural coastal area in Oregon. I knew an older figurative painter who drank vodka from teacups and lived in a shack next to the ocean. When I attended college, my second college of many, I met other young people who were more familiar with contemporary art. They were going to be artists. I guess that was my introduction. Several colleges later I moved to New York and attended the Whitney Independent Study Program then worked for Christopher Wool in his studio.

Did the challenges of 2020 inspire your work in any way? How?

I don't know if inspiration is the word I would use - but a certain sense of liberation brought on by the isolation of Covid. So much of being a contemporary artist is being a part of a general dialogue or rejecting the dialogue - a syntax formed through the public presentation of different ideas and techniques. The exchange that takes place through normal exhibitions, the exchange between artists drinking at a bar together, or studio visits with collectors - all that stopped, and my schedule stopped. Everything was cancelled initially, and it was hard to work. No deadlines, no shows to look at, just the books in the studio and time. I drew a lot at first - I think that's some of what this show comes out of.

Has art been personally helping you to get through the pandemic?

I'm very much a studio artist and I love to work, getting completely consumed in work is a great escape.

You use a lot of mixed media and technology in your works. Can you tell us more about that?

I love problem solving. I love to see how different artists are working through materials and compositions. Good painting can be a window into an artist's internal chain of thought, an unfolding or a record of intelligent ideas and similar to a visualization of good music. I see the materials and technologies I use in the same way. The idea is to always push it, to create something that hasn't been done or seen. I like to present myself with a challenge or puzzle and try to solve it in a graceful and interesting way. I see people make the same painting for like ten years and I just have no idea how they can stand to do it. I would just feel like I was pantomiming myself. I love a good studio disaster, then trying to get out of it.

What is like to be a contemporary artist in LA?

LA has its moments. I have an incredible studio. Los Angeles has great light and the environmental conditions for using so many of the materials I use are perfect. Low humidity and high temperature is how things dry and cure. A good deal of the materials I use overlap with Hollywood, car culture and even aerospace as so many of the chemicals found in my work are manufactured here. There's a tradition of the Light and Space artists using these materials, that thinking is part of the landscape here. There is also the performative history here of Mike Kelley, Paul McCarthy and Guy de Cointet. The humor and irony of the Los Angeles masters like Ruscha. There are also hidden masters in the hills like John Knight and Richard Hawkins. I've been here 7 years, but I still feel like a visitor. Like everywhere, the pandemic has been hard on Los Angeles. Many of the great old bars and restaurants are closing, they are some of the better attributes of the city.

What artistic movement of the past inspires you or inspired you the most?

When I started out it was Fluxus, the intelligence and comedy and light heartedness. We could use a dose of that right now. For the show in Hong Kong, I was looking at Picabia and Duchamp's machine drawings. Inspiration changes a lot, we kind of pull in what we need from history when we need it.

The exhibition will run until March 13, 2021 at Simon Lee Gallery

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Neon signs may be fast disappearing, but that hasn’t stopped others from taking inspiration from them. Wu Chi Kai, one of the last neon sign-makers in Hong Kong, tells us how his craft has inspired Roger Dubuis to release a neon-inspired luxury watch.

Walking down the main streets of Mongkok or Tsim Sha Tsui in the 1980s and ’90s, it was hard to miss the heady burst of colour from the neon signs that hung above one’s head. The densely packed signs, in all shapes and sizes – some so large they were several storeys high – illuminated the streets, washing the pavements and stalls below in their glow. It was almost as if one were walking through Hong Kong’s busiest streets while wearing coloured glasses.

I don’t need to tell you that these signs are fast disappearing, as present-day health and safety rules deem them too precarious, and modern technology and LED lighting take their place. Nonetheless, the art form endures, guarded by the few masters who continue to hand-make the signs in their workshops.

Both an art and a science, neon making requires not only an artist’s touch but also an engineer’s mind and a scientist’s knowledge. And even during the lighting’s heyday, there were never many neon makers to begin with.

The last of the neon masters

Wu Chi Kai, one of the last neon masters left in Hong Kong, recalls that there were about 20 to 30 craftsmen when his trade was at its peak – indeed, there were so few of them then that it was possible to identify which maker was behind each sign. Today, there’s but a handful left. Wu himself has two students, but they’re mere hobbyists, not true crafters.

Wu tells me he’s been making neon signs for more than 30 years. “I joined the business when I was 18. My dad also worked in the neon industry, but as an installer, erecting the neon signs at great heights. He thought that was too dangerous for an 18-year-old, so he pushed me to make the signs instead. It started as a summer job, but it was nice to get out of school – and the boss at the time really took his time to teach me. So, I stuck with it and here I am now.”

Now in his fifties, Wu seems stoical and rather modest about his work. He’s been touted as one of the last neon makers, but feels no pressure to safeguard his craft. Instead, he maintains that once the desire for neon is gone, he’ll just move on.

“As long as there’s a need for neon signs, I’ll happily continue to make them,” he says. “But one day, if no one wants it anymore, then that’s that. There’s no need to feel sentimental, because it’s not needed any more. Why persist in doing something when there’s no need for it?”

But as neon signage has been such an intrinsic part of Hong Kong, surely there’s surely a need to conserve the craft – and not merely out of sentimentality. It’s earned its place in our collective history and though Wu may not see the appeal in it, there are others who certainly do.

Catching the eye of Roger Dubuis

One of those is Gregory Bruttin, the product strategy director at Swiss watch manufacture Roger Dubuis. Established in 1995, the brand today stands behind its own unique philosophy of hyper horology, embodying its watchmaking with an air of impertinence and an almost flagrant disregard for convention. If you wanted bold, unthinkable watches, if you wanted to be thoroughly astounded, you’d want to reach for Roger Dubuis.

Fast cars have been Roger Dubuis’ main inspiration of late: the brand has held steadfast partnerships with both Lamborghini and Pirelli for several years. But on a trip to Hong Kong two years ago, Bruttin was struck by another inspiration: the nightly splendour of neon lights that lit the city’s busy streets in extravagant and irreverent ways.

“Gregory flew over to meet me and we spoke for quite a bit,” Wu recalls. “I told him about what the streets in Hong Kong used to look like with the neon lights. I told him what colours we primarily used – the reds, blues, greens and yellow. Things like that.”

Bruttin also witnessed first-hand the complexities that went into making neon signs when he visited Wu’s workshop. Building a neon sign begins and ends with a line drawing and a long, thin tube of glass. Wu uses fire to soften the glass, then deftly puffs air into the tubes, while coaxing the glass into intricate twists and turns to form the desired shape. And then, once the shape is complete, the tubes are filled with neon gases that glow with an electric charge. Done in the right manner, these neon signs can last 10 to 20 years, the illuminated colours just as bright as the day when they left the workshop.

The Roger Dubuis Excalibur Blacklight

Armed with this knowledge, Roger Dubuis launched its latest piece of watchmaking artistry, the Excalibur Blacklight, inspired by the kaleidoscope of colours from the neon signs. By day, the watch is black and white. The white-gold case is set with diamonds on the bezel, with an open-worked dial and a black rubber strap. But at night, the piece glows in the dark in luminous rainbow colours.

Unlike neon signs filled with neon gases that react with electricity, the luminous glow on the watch is achieved by a web of crystalline UV-reactive sapphire micro-structures that are woven into the skeletonised calibre of the watch. There are only eight pieces in the world.

The watch was revealed for the first time during our meeting, which was also the first time that Wu laid eyes on it. As we turned off the lights, the watch came alive under the UV torch. Wu’s eyes lit up too.

“It gives me a sense of pride when I see the watch,” he admits. “Because I know the inspiration for the timepiece was neon signs. To know that Gregory was inspired enough by the neon signs to create this timepiece is quite touching.”

I prod him one final time. Does this make him feel like his craft is worth safeguarding after all? He pauses, mulling over the question. “In recent years, there are more friends who seem to care about process of making neon signs and to learn its history – and that does make me feel proud,” he says. “It’s nice to know that something considered outdated, of a past era, is now making a comeback, and getting media exposure. It does make me quite happy.”

The post Roger Dubuis Focuses on Neon in Latest Watch appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Whilst celebrities from Victoria Beckham to Leonardo DiCaprio have been buying Japanese contemporary art for years; the pandemic saw a more recent uptick in collectors who have wised up to the value in investing in modern legends such as Takashi Murakami. For those keen on elevating their collections and/or interiors, here are five pieces of […]

The post Japanese Contemporary Art Pieces To Add To Your Collection appeared first on Upscale Living Magazine.

An incredible display of centuries-old, intricately crafted gold ornaments selected from a vast Mengdiexuan Collection owned by two of Hong Kong's most prolific collectors gives us a glimpse into the splendours and mystique of Ancient China.  

Betty Lo and Kenneth Chu began what would become a decades-long love affair with Chinese art and antiquities with a fortuitous visit to an antique shop at Hollywood Road, a few blocks from Lo’s former office.  There they were drawn to a rather unassuming blue and white porcelain piece that turned out to be a 19th century Daoguang bowl from the Qing Dynasty. It was, reflects Lo with a grin, “a curious and irrational choice. I didn’t give much thought, if any, to its origins or value then; I was just attracted to its shape and colour.”

Growing up, Lo was surrounded by precious antique Chinese jade and jadeite artefacts owned by her father and grandfather, both prolific collectors, and the expectation was that she’d hold similar predilections. “The passion for collecting is in my blood,” she says, “but – call it fate, I suppose – my entry into this world of Chinese antiquities would be a white and blue bowl with a motif of eight immortals. It was beautifully crafted and painted, but far from the precious jade and jadeite pieces my family collected. At the time, Kenneth and I bought objects mainly because we were attracted to the aesthetic, which is quite typical among first-time collectors.”

As the couple got deeper into Chinese arts and antiquities, their method for collecting became more sophisticated, rationalised, and disciplined. “We educated ourselves, and the more we discovered the more we wanted to learn about the objects and their history and origins, and this more disciplined approach also made us more focussed,” says Chu. “It’s important to note, though, that even with all the knowledge we’ve acquired through the years, the basic criteria of aesthetic and beauty remains – it’s still what propels us to purchase an object for our collection.”

In the 1980s, they acquired a six-inch bronze mirror from the Han Dynasty that featured geometric and animal designs, and finely cast ornamentations. From then on, their fascination and passion for ancient Chinese bronze and metalwork grew, which again was a significant departure from what Lo’s family collected, because there were no metalworks in their collections. But this is where the couple’s curiosity and passion led them, making them realise that this was was the kind of collection they wanted to build.

Over the span of 30 years, Lo and Chu’s collection of ancient Chinese metalwork expanded. From ritual vessels they extended their acquisitions to personal ornaments, and from bronzes to other metalwork, such as gold and silver. Today, the couple’s collection of antique Chinese metalwork is among the largest in the world, encompassing relics from Central and Northwest China, the Eurasian Steppes, the Himalayan and Mongolian regions, as well as Central Asia.

Pieces from their vast collection have been loaned to prestigious museums, universities and academic and cultural institutions for exhibitions, as well for further studies and research. Most of their pieces were acquired from
dealers. “We learned through the years that you need only to rely on a few reputable dealers to work with,” says Chu. “The last thing you want is to find yourself being bombarded with things you’re not exactly interested in, by numerous dealers. Establish a good relationship with a few trusted ones so that they’ll know your taste and requirements and they’ll look out for items they know you’ll be interested in.”

Among Chu and Lo’s vast collections, the most celebrated is their Mengdiexuan Collection, which comprises hundreds of gold necklaces, earrings, hairpins, bracelets, brooches and belt plaques from the nomadic Qidan people, who ruled China as the Liao Dynasty, occupying an area of the northern steppes of China that included Manchuria, a portion of Mongolia, and parts of the present-day provinces of Hebei and Shanxi. The collection of Qidan art would represent the Mengdiexuan’s later foray into the Himalayas and more of Mongolia, featuring bronze, gold and silver metalwork with repoussé, casting, granulation, filigree, inlay and stone setting techniques.

Hailed as one of the most outstanding and impressive in Hong Kong, Lo and Chu’s private art collection would come to represent 3,000 years of Chinese goldsmithing craftsmanship. It’s been featured in several solo exhibitions, including one at the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2013 in which 300 objects from the Mengdiexuan collection were on display for six months. In 1994, a part of the collection was featured in a travelling exhibition that made stops at American museums before heading for London. In the same year, it found its way back to Hong Kong, this time at the University of Hong Kong, where 250 pieces where exhibited, and again in 2004 in an exhibition called Noble Riders from Pines and Deserts: The Artistic Legacy of the Qidan.

This time, some 50 of the most impressive pieces of the collection will be presented by L’École Asia Pacific in an exhibition called The Art of Gold: 3,000 years of Chinese Art at its K11 Musea space. Élise Gonnet-Pon, managing director of L’École Asia Pacific School of Jewelry Arts, says that “an alignment of stars” enabled this exhibition to happen. “When I first relocated to Hong Kong to look after L’École,” says Gonnet-Pon, “I had the opportunity to see the Jewels of Transcendence exhibition at the Chinese University, which showcased amazing ornamental sculptures and jewels from the Himalayas to Mongolia.

Betty [Lo] was the most gracious host and guide – that was the first time we met – and I got to know about their collection. When L’École opened in Hong Kong, Betty and Kenneth attended and that was when they discovered our space, so the wheels started turning. From there we had ongoing discussions about holding an exhibition and here we are now.” Two years in the making, it’s an exhibition that both the school and the owners of the collection are immensely proud of.

"Beauty aside, these pieces are also testimonies of the past. It gives us an idea of the way the Chinese lived centuries ago – how they interacted, the exchanges between their cultures and groups, and how traditions are shared and transmitted."

Élise Gonnet-Pon, managing director of L’École Asia Pacific School of Jewelry Arts

Growing up in Paris and having worked for a French high-jewellery house Van Cleef & Arpels for many years, Gonnet-Pon is deeply knowledgeable in the history of 20th-century French and European jewellery, but was blown away by what she’d seen at that Hong Kong exhibition. “I was so impressed by the level of intricacy and craftsmanship in the Chinese ornamental pieces, but was sure very few people knew about this incredible heritage and legacy, so I was very keen to present their collection at L’École. Also, collectors like Betty and Kenneth promote the same values as that of L’École, which is the quest for and transmission of knowledge – these values are at the very heart of L’École. Our hope is that visitors who see these extraordinary pieces will want to learn more about them.”

The objects are as breathtaking as they’re fascinating. Among the most spectacular objects is an intricately made gold hair ornament used to cover a topknot, which, as the dragons featured in it suggest, was likely worn by a member of the imperial family. The filigree details of the piece, which are curiously concentrated at the back of the ornament, again suggest it was owned by a nobleman, as the decorations are meant to be seen and appreciated by the people who would typically walk behind him.

“Of course, the incredible craftsmanship found in these pieces couldn’t be overstated, and the fact that they were all made by hand makes it even more incredible,” Gonnet-Pon says. “Beauty aside, these pieces are also testimonies of the past. It gives us an idea of the way the Chinese lived centuries ago – how they interacted, the exchanges between their cultures and groups, and how traditions are shared and transmitted. And
we believe that for the local audience, seeing it will make them incredibly proud of their extremely rich culture and heritage.”

For more details on the exhibition and to book a tour, visit L’École Asia Pacific

The post This Exhibition Offers a Rare Glimpse Into Ancient China’s Awe-inspiring Goldsmithing Crafts appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Audemars Piguet has always had very visible support for the arts and fashion. The brand has always been a proud partner for Art Basel. In 2014, it set up the Audemars Piguet Art Commission, extending its support to artists around the globe in their creation of works of exceptional complexity and precision.

This year, for its Asia debut, Audemars Piguet has selected Hong Kong-based multidisciplinary artist Phoebe Hui to realise its 5th Art Commission. The collaboration is done with independent curator Ying Kwok, who most notably curated the Hong Kong Pavilion at the 57th Venice Biennale in 2017.

Says Kwok of the support Audemars Piguet gives to artists: "Audemars Piguet Contemporary’s support has enabled Phoebe’s work to progress in meaningful ways. The programme encourages the artist to take risks and be ambitious, knowing that she would be supported with the much needed resources and expertise to push the artist’s work to a whole new level.”

Hui's work, titled The Moon is Leaving Us, is inspired by both historical and contemporary observations of the Moon. Hui is both a researcher and a maker and is known to deconstruct and visualise scientific inventions to reveal their inner complexities and concealed beauty.

The moon, in particular, has always been the artist's inspiration. Her interest in the moon was re-ignited in 2019 when she visited the Audemars Piguet headquarters in the remote Vallée de Joux, where she found herself on a dark moonlit road one evening.

To realise her work, Hui even met with an astronaut to gain a different perspective. "This commission is an artist’s dream and has taken my practice to a new level," she says. "The support provided by
Audemars Piguet Contemporary has encouraged me to reflect on the fundamentals of my practice and given me the opportunity to interact beyond my network. Meeting astronauts, engineers, and scientists brought fresh new perspectives to the project. Without this insight, I could never have made this work."

Where to see

Hui has been working on the piece since last year, but the showing was postponed due to Covid and the cancellation of Art Basel Hong Kong in 2020. It'll be unveiled in April instead, marking its debut at Tai Kwun, Centre for Heritage and Arts, on April 23, 2021. The display will be there for four weeks and will remain on view through Art Basel Hong Kong from May 19 to 23, 2021.

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Because the Palais Garnier is still currently closed to the public, the annual inaugural 2021 opening season fundraiser of the Paris Opera Ballet could only be held digitally this year. But this is all good news for us, as this means we can now all view the ballet from the comforts of our own homes.

This year's gala is a particularly meaningful one as it is the first time the ballet dancers have been able to gather on the stage to perform after a prolonged period of absence.

This year's programme opens with the spectacular "Défilé du Ballet", which sees the entire company's dance troupe and students at the Paris Opera's ballet school take to the stage. The entire Corps de Ballet strides down the stage of Palais Garnier all the way into the depths of the mythical "Foyer de la Danse", paying homage to the grand architectural vision of Charles Garnier.

A series of short pieces follow, including the "Grand pas classique" by Victor Gsovsky, which is a brilliant pas de deux featuring costumes by Chanel; "The vertiginous thrill of exactitude" by William Forsythe, and "In the night" by Jerome Robbins.

The evening, which premiered on the 27th and is now available to watch online, is made possible thanks to the exceptional support of Chanel, patron of the Paris Opera Ballet season, and Rolex, Timepiece of the Paris Opera, and the generous donors of the Honorary Committee.

Watch the Paris Opera Ballet Opening Season Gala here.

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Renowned auctioneer, curator, collector and art advisor Simon De Pury has recently lent his talent to curate the art for the towers of the Waldorf Astoria in New York, now undergoing a massive renovation. We ask him how he chose artworks for the landmark property and his views on the art industry during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Simon de Pury is dynamic, even over Skype from his home in Monaco. It’s obvious how passionate and animated he is about his career, with an energetic and entertaining style at the podium that’s earned him the moniker “the Mick Jagger of auctions”. Having re-founded Phillips, one of the world’s leading art auction houses, de Pury is a leading fugure in the global art industry. Since selling his stake in the firm, he’s worn many hats, including leading a large number of charity auctions.

“I feel very, very privileged being active in the art world, because this has been one of my main passions and interests since I was a teenager,” he says. “I feel it’s a privilege to be doing professionally what you enjoy most.”

Despite his achievements and fame, de Pury is humble and very friendly. Like everyone else, Covid-19 has drastically impacted his career. “In 2019, I conducted 36 charity auctions around the world. In 2020, since the pandemic started I’ve only conducted four. I do most of my work over the phone with artists, collectors and clients. I’ve found you can even curate exhibitions without having to travel all the time.”

Because de Pury previously travelled so much – “I spent a third of my time in London, another third in New York and the rest travelling around the globe” – his client base is international. It certainly helps that he’s fluent in English, French, German and Italian.

Given how badly art fairs have been impacted by Covid-19, I ask whether or
not he sees online showrooms as the future of art fairs. “It’s extraordinary to see how rapidly the market has switched to being mostly online. In the auction world, you see the main auctions now being conducted entirely online, with people seeing the auctioneer live on screen. And they’ve been very, very successful. It’s been more problematic with art fairs, with literally all of them being cancelled since the start of the pandemic. And so yes, you spend a lot of time attending shows online.

“People always feel intimidated about the art world”

Simon de Pury

"There’s a danger that it can induce a kind of digital fatigue, because you’re constantly bombarded from galleries, asking you to attend this showroom and or that showroom. And even if you’re a very active collector – or, in my case, a professional – you’re not going to devote all of your time just visiting showrooms. That is the main challenge for galleries, to try and get the attention of their top clients in this digital world.”

As for collecting strategies, de Pury places emphasis on the collector rather than purely following market trends. “People always feel intimidated about the art world,” he says, “and they don’t dare to admit what they really like and what they don’t like. They feel that they’ll be shown up as being non- connoisseurs by admitting what they don’t like. So, the most important thing when I work with somebody is to try and find out what they really like.

“Everyone has personal preferences and affinities, and there are things that, for whatever reason, don’t appeal to us – and there’s no point trying to impose on people something that won’t appeal to them,” he says. “I first like to go with potential clients to an art fair or to go just to look at art books, to get a feel of what makes them tick. When I understand better what excites them personally, then I try within what excites them to define works or find works of particular quality that would be of particular interest – and, of course, that have potential growth in market terms. Because once you start spending money and buying art, you want to make sure that this money is wisely spent. Even the most passionate and purist collectors want to make sure that they don’t just throw the money out the window.”

The owners of the Waldorf Astoria approached de Pury to help curate the art for the property’s renovation, which is due to be completed by 2022. Having spent a lot of time in hotels during his career, de Pury understands how important their interior environments are to guests and residents.

“Often in hotels or in residential projects, they just put up bland corporate art, but I wanted to have artistic choices that are as valid as those that you would choose for your own homes,” he says. “I was very happy to help with this project, especially since I stayed at the Waldorf Astoria on my first trip to New York. And when I was curator of the Misa collection many years ago, the Baron Thyssen-Bornemisza – whose massive collection is housed in its own museum in Madrid – favoured the Waldorf Astoria as his go-to home in New York, and so that’s why I started staying there. I love New York. It’s an extraordinary city, because it’s where everything comes together. You have all countries, all nationalities, all cultures–it’s a great big melting pot.”

The art de Pury has chosen for the hotel reflects this sentiment through an eclectic collection of paintings and sculptures – a magnificent fountain sculpture has been chosen for lobby – to ceramics and glass works, with many more to be added along the way. “We have works by artists from Korea, Cuba, Switzerland, Canada, Britain and Africa,” he says.

“And then, of course, with a project of this magnitude, you have budgetary constraints, so you can’t just put together your ideal collection. There were some artists whom we felt would be hard to work with from a budgetary point of view, but the artists themselves viewed the Waldorf Astoria as a culturally important project, so they made some sacrifices and concessions regarding the acquisitions, and it was very gratifying to see that they’re all onboard with the concept of doing something exciting for the hotel and the city alike.”

Some of the artists de Pury has chosen – particularly Minjung Kim, whose career has taken off – have been vindicated by the marketplace, showing that de Pury’s eye is still as sharp as ever. De Pury, who made a cameo appearance in Netflix’s hit show Emily in Paris, shows no signs of slowing down. Aside from being a DJ – who’d have guessed? – and photographer, he identifies himself as a juggler, throwing a couple of ideas in the air to see which one he can catch and execute. When asked about future plans, he simply says, “I’m quite superstitious, I don’t like to talk about my future plans, but I can say for sure that I have a couple of ideas brewing.”

Given the drastic changes going on in the world, we can’t wait to see what the mercurial Simon de Pury has up his sleeve.

The post Renowned Auctioneer Simon de Pury on the Future of the Art World and His Emily in Paris Cameo appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

What do the two most famous women of Japanese modern art and vintage French champagne have in common? A good deal, according to Veuve Clicquot, the grand French champagne maison that this year teamed with the nonagenerian artist Yayoi Kusama for its limited-edition La Grande Dame 2012.

Despite living 150 years apart, both Madame Clicquot and Kusama share many traits, including a rebelious streak. Clicquot was a 27-year-old widow when she took over the business after her husband died in 1805. Kusama left from Japan to conquer New York’s 1960s art scene at age 28, and was a pioneer in immersive artistic experiences, such as her famed "Infinity
Rooms" that allow viewers' bodies and minds to become integral parts of the work.

This isn’t the first time the two women meet. Back in 2006, for a charity auction in Tokyo, Yayoi Kusama reinterpreted an original portrait of Madame Clicquot with her now-iconic polka dots pattern. Today, the dialogue continues between the House and the artist with the new collaboration titled “My Heart That Blooms in The Darkness of The Night”, in which the artist and Veuve Clicquot’s creative universes mix together in a daring and optimistic collaboration.

To celebrate the partnership, Kusama has penned down a poem also titled "My Heart That Blooms in the Darkness of the Night”.

My Heart That Blooms
in the Darkness of the Night

From all my heart,

the life of flowers flew away.

My everlasting affection for the flowers,

flew off beyond the universe

to show its vitality,

to gaze at the extremes of life.

– Yayoi Kusama

© Yayoi Kusama

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Takesada Matsutani is one of the most relevant voices of Japan's post-war unique atheistic and artistic expression. A member of the Gutai Group, one of the first radical artistic groups that emerged in the country in the early 1950s as a response to the reactionary social and cultural context of the period, Matsutani remains one of the most important Japanese artists still working today.

Thanks to a combination of different techniques, media and artistic forms, his works continue to demonstrate the spirit and essence of Gutai. To celebrate Matsutani’s first solo exhibition in Hong Kong, we spoke to Hauser & Wirth's Senior Director Fiona Römer about the artists' legacy and ground-breaking works.

Can you tell our readers more about Takesada Matsutani and his legacy?

From the early 1960s until the 1970s, Osaka-born, Paris-based artist Takesada Matsutani was a key member of the influential post war Japanese art collective, the Gutai Art Association. For six decades Matsutani has developed a unique visual language of form and materials. As part of the Gutai group, Matsutani experimented with vinyl glue, using fans and his own breath to manipulate the substance, creating bulbous and sensuous forms. By working closely with the material, this approach embodied an important aspect of Gutai: letting material and spirit work in conjunction with one another to create something new.

How does Gutai art fit into the post-war aesthetic of Japan?

Japan in the decades following World War II underwent a period of unprecedented expansion, and artists responded to the dramatic social changes in kind, unleashing an irrepressible creative spirit that was both provocative and innovative, opening to experimental movements, new trends in abstract artistic exploration and materialist aesthetics.

Arising out of a long century of war and conflict, the Gutai Art Association was a seminal group founded in 1954, which sought to challenge the entrenched framework of representative artistic traditions in Japan. The name “gutai” combines “gu” (technique, instrument) and “tai” (body), which translates as “concreteness”, it articulates one of the Gutai group's most distinctive traits - their desire to physically engage with an extraordinary range of materials. The name also anticipated their investigations into the reciprocal connection between matter (paint, chemicals, tar, mud, water) and physical action (breaking, exploding, tearing, dripping). They wanted to create a new kind of art that explored the relationship between the human spirit and material.

"We have decided to pursue enthusiastically the possibilities of pure creativity."

The Gutai Manifesto

What are the most relevant works included in the artist's first solo exhibition in Hong Kong?

First inspired by blood samples he had viewed under a microscope in the 1960s, Matsutani began to develop his signature style of circular, bubble-like forms from blobs of vinyl glue that he deposited on the surfaces of his canvases. Matsutani went on to refine his unique method of pouring vinyl glue, inflating it with his own breath and slicing it or letting it collapse on itself as he dried it with a fan. The strange, sensual forms of works that resulted can be seen in many works in the show, some evoke deflated balloons, such as ‘Puffed up-1’ (2020) and ‘Puffed up-2’ (2020); or flesh and wounds, in ‘Slow Slow 20-6-8’ (2020). Arising from an elegant painterly surface, the shapes were simultaneously attractive and repulsive, sculptural and dynamic. The long hours that it takes to pour, dry, inflate and cut the vinyl glue, infuse the work with a sense of lived time.

What can people expect from the exhibition?

This is Matsutani’s first solo exhibition in Hong Kong, we are excited to have included new mixed-media paintings, works on paper, assemblages and an important site-specific installation from the artist’s archive. The exhibition spreads both floors of our gallery space (15F & 16F of H Queen’s). The exhibition starts with the most recent production, some of which produced during lockdown in 2020, while on the lower floor, we had a chance to re-install his incredibly energetic “The Magic Box”, which had not been seen since the late 80’s. The work expresses best his sense of energy and movement and a pinnacle in realising the 3-dimensionality present in all his work.

Over his 6-decade-long career, how has his style evolved?

As one of the most important Japanese artists still working today, Matsutani has kept his voice until now and being able to continue his very unique vocabulary. He carries on demonstrating the spirit of Gutai throughout his practice, conveying the reciprocity between pure gesture and raw material.

Does Paris influence his art? What about Japan and its culture?

Matsutani moved to Paris in 1966. Living in Paris in the 1970s with limited resources, Matsutani was compelled to reconsider the essential tools of art-making. The inexpensive materials of graphite and paper allowed the artist to discover the elementary and immediate technique of black and white drawing. He was exploring what surface could emerge out of an accumulation of repeated pencil strokes – a practice he has continued over the last 40 years. As the deep blackness began to materialise, the process became almost diary-like, with each stroke upon stroke and the deepening tone representing the passing of time. The drawings, taken as a whole, provide an impressive summary of Matsutani’s practice. In one, there is the pencil’s insistence; in another, an oscillating in stream is evaporating. His zen-like approach to these simple materials and the meditative repetition of the strokes allowed Matsutani to consider their connection to his Japanese heritage.

Is the Gutai Manifesto still relevant today for Matsutani and his works?

Yes, very much so. As the founder of Gutai Jiro Yoshihara said in The Gutai Art Manifesto – "We have decided to pursue enthusiastically the possibilities of pure creativity. Gutai art does not change the material but brings it to life." We can still see these in Matsutani’s practice. The use of the Vinyl glue as central to a majority of his production has remained unsurpassed and innovative.

"Takesada Matsutani" will run until February 11 2021 at Hauser & Wirth Hong Kong

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2020 has been an extraordinary time for all of us, no doubt providing boundless inspiration for artists in particular, as they (and we) are forced to confront the new realities the world has presented to us. This couldn't be truer for Chinese artist Liu Wei, whose current solo exhibition 散场/OVER at Shanghai's Long Museum (West Bund) represents Liu's personal reflections on 2020, a year we know will go down in history as one of the most pivotal years in humankind.

Open since November 11, 2020, and ongoing until January 17, 2021, the exhibition represents one of China's most anticipated exhibitions this year, even as the country and the world at large suffer the impacts of the pandemic. Liu's large-scale installations that combine elements of sculpture, video, and painting are both serious and playful, a constant collision of polarising ideas that make up our world today. Duality has always featured prominently in Liu's works; his most famous paintings feature China's towering skyscraper structures in an abstract manner, rendered in neon colours that some critics say evoke a sunset, while others interpret it as the blanket pollution that has jarred the colours of the Chinese cities.

Trained as a painter at the China Academy of Art, Liu Wei is considered one of China's first generation of "new wave" artists and a member of the "Post-sense Sensibility" artists. Liu has always explored the relationship between matter and the body in his early works, and yet for this exhibition, he's bidding farewell to the old world and old systems, heralding in a new era: "Farewell, era of matter and the body. The complex and broken civilisation will send humankind as a whole into the ranks of gods" is written in the exhibition notes.

But this time, as we sit down with Liu via an Internet call, it isn't to ruminate over worldly matters. Rather, in a more light-hearted turn, we're here to talk about his latest collaboration with the whisky brand Hennessy, on a topic most decidedly festive: Chinese New Year.

Liu appears relaxed in his studio, dressed in a crisp white shirt, nonchalantly puffing away at a cigar, as he opens up the packaging to the Hennessy VSOP and Hennessy XO Chinese New Year edition bottles that he designed. The artwork for the two bottles are bright and vivid - the VSOP in warming red and purple hues, and the XO comes in a luxurious red, gold, and black palette.

Could you share some insight into what your artwork will entail in terms of theme?

I am currently holding my solo exhibition "Over/Over" at Shanghai’s Long Museum (West Bund), which demonstrated my thinking and reflection towards long-term topics such as body, things, ideology and world order at this special time of 2020. However, this collaboration work for Hennessy this time is slightly different from my artistic practice. The structure of this art piece is more about celebration, spring and the richness and complexity of Hennessy cognac. I hope to demonstrate more festive celebration and happy moments from this piece.

How did you choose what materials to work with for your art?

My creations are not limited by material selections. In my solo exhibition “Over/Over” at Shanghai’s Long Museum (West Bund), I did not use materials that I have constantly been using in my past creations, as those materials may have altered based on the ever-changing environment and may have lost its meaning already. I believe the selection of materials is my way of expressing, but not the ultimate objective.

Who do you create your art for?

In this artwork I created for Hennessy, I have specially chosen to use canvas oil painting, integrating inkjet and painting in the creation. In particular, I have selected more energetic and vital colour combinations, which I hope will bring happiness and hope to the audience.

To me, all of my artwork is created for my audience and they are especially important in the process of presenting the art piece. Both my personal artistic creation or this limited-edition packaging collaboration with Hennessy exist in my complete structure of creation. I believe the reflection from Over/Over towards audiences’ own existence or the happiness and hope from the collaboration work with Hennessy will be meaningful to audiences.

What response would you like your artwork to evoke in people?

I believe that art should not exist only for decoration, but it should have its social functions. The mass audience and functionality art faces have always been an important issue that I rethink throughout my creative process.

What do you see as the role of art in society?

I don't think art has a specific ‘role’ to play, yet this is where the beauty of art lies. For me, I believe human beings should always have the care and reflection towards humanism, and not limit themselves in the consideration of survival only, even under adverse environments.

The post Hennessy Taps Artist Liu Wei for Chinese New Year Releases appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

A pandemic, ongoing recession, natural calamities and so on – it’s no wonder that we are all eager to bid adieu to 2020.

This year was all about schools and workplaces shutting down to promote a safer life at home, and it was a blessing in disguise for web series enthusiasts and streaming platforms alike, where the latter thrived because billions were binge-watching their favourite shows. And Netflix took the lead with countless new originals on its library that kept us busy in quarantine.

From psychological thrillers to rom-coms, from murder mysteries to reality series – this year Netflix’s library was renewed with brilliant shows that boast remarkable acting, cinematography and execution.

As we gear up to say farewell to this year, here’s a throwback to the best Netflix shows of 2020

(Hero and featured image credit - The Crown / IMDB ; Sex Education / IMDB)

1. The Queen’s Gambit

Chess is one of the most challenging sports there are, and also the soul of this exceptional miniseries. For those who are not too familiar with the terms of the game, a Gambit means temporarily sacrificing a few pawns to gain control of the board.

[caption id="attachment_213316" align="alignnone" width="753"] Based on a 1983 novel of the same name, this Netflix original follows Beth Harmon (Anya Taylor-Joy), who masters chess during her years growing up at an orphanage. (Image credit - The Queen's Gambit / IMDB)[/caption]

Based on a 1983 novel of the same name, this Netflix original follows Beth Harmon (Anya Taylor-Joy), who masters chess during her years growing up at an orphanage. While tranquillisers help her nail the game at first, she soon begins to struggle between her growing popularity as a prodigy and increasing reliance on drugs and alcohol.

The show was critically acclaimed by the audience, critics, and chess community alike. Furthermore, it became Netflix’s most-watched scripted series within four weeks of its release and quickly one the best Netflix shows of 2020. The original novel penned 37 years ago, is now on The New York Times’s bestseller list, queries regarding the sport have doubled on Google, and scores of new players have registered on Chess.com.

Its makers have not hinted at the possibility of a second season yet, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed.

Watch it here.

2. Sex Education

This 2019 British comedy series explores the awkward yet essential topic of sex education for teens. While it debuted in 2019, Sex Education becomes a part of the highly recommended list of 2020 owing to its excellent second season which released this year.

[caption id="attachment_213317" align="alignnone" width="653"] In the first instalment, we are introduced to Otis, an insecure teenage boy who becomes a reluctant expert on the subject owing to his sex therapist mother’s bold at-home clinic. (Image credit - Sex Education / IMDB)[/caption]

In the first instalment, we are introduced to Otis, an insecure teenage boy who becomes a reluctant expert on the subject owing to his sex therapist mother’s bold at-home clinic. He then starts an underground sex advice business at school with his classmate Maeve.

While the first season is more light-hearted and explores the know-hows of budding teen sexuality, the second season follows a more serious approach by casting light on the importance of understanding and preventing sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

For now, fans may keep calm and wait for the third season which is slated for a 2021 release.

Watch it here.

3. The Umbrella Academy

Given the current situation, our world needs an Umbrella Academy more than ever.

Based on a comic book series of the same name by musician Gerard Way, it follows a group of seven adopted sibling superheroes (since the dead one comes back as a ghost) who reunite to solve the mystery of their father’s death. Soon, their focus shifts to saving the world from an upcoming apocalypse which has been predicted by one of them.

[caption id="attachment_213318" align="alignnone" width="687"] The Umbrella Academy bagged two Emmy nominations in 2019 and has also been renewed for a third season. (The Umbrella Academy / IMDB)[/caption]

Merging the and superhero genres with splashes of dark humour, this 2019 series launched its second season this year to positive reviews from fans.

The Umbrella Academy bagged two Emmy nominations in 2019 and has also been renewed for a third season. It stars Tom Hopper, Robert Sheehan, and Elliot Page — who plays Vanya and recently made headlines when he came out as transgender.

Watch it here.

4. Indian Matchmaking

Matches are made in heaven, and a matchmaker’s job is to help people find their soulmate. This docu-series rests on the same premise and delves into the controversial concept of arranged marriages. Sima Taparia – India’s bigshot matchmaker – talks about her journey of helping cosmopolitan clients across the world find their better half.

[caption id="attachment_213319" align="alignnone" width="703"] Indian Matchmaking delves into the controversial concept of arranged marriages. Sima Taparia – India’s bigshot matchmaker – talks about her journey of helping cosmopolitan clients across the world find their better half. (Image credit - Indian Matchmaking / IMDB)[/caption]

From horoscopes to client criterion – Mrs Taparia’s spoke about the challenges she faced with a few picky and complicated people who wanted to settle down but at the same time refused to lower their expectations.

Humorous yet brainy, this one stirred a meme fest on social media upon its debut. While some did not add this one to their favourites owing to its ‘classist’ approach to weddings, others enjoyed it for being a refreshing and entertaining watch.

Watch it here.

5. Dark

Time travel, wormholes, and countless mysteries – Netflix’s first-ever German language series has the perfect recipe that keeps the audience hooked to a screen.

[caption id="attachment_213320" align="alignnone" width="780"] Time travel, wormholes, and countless mysteries – Netflix’s first-ever German language series has the perfect recipe that keeps the audience hooked to a screen. (Image credit - Dark / IMDB)[/caption]

In a fictional city of Winden, the unpleasant past of four families unravel when a child goes missing under mysterious circumstances. Over three seasons, their darkest secrets surface and clues about how they are related to each other. Furthermore, a time travel conspiracy unfolds – one that even hints at the existence of an alternate universe.

The show made its Netflix debut in 2017 and ended in 2020 leaving viewers awestruck with its visuals, acting and a complicated narrative.

Watch it here.

6. Locke & key

For the fans of mystery and horror drama, Locke & Key is nothing short of a visual treat.

[caption id="attachment_213321" align="alignnone" width="751"] Locke & Key is based on a comic book series of the same name and has already been renewed for a second season. (Image credit - Locke & Key)[/caption]

When their father is murdered under unnatural circumstances, the three Locke siblings and their mother move to an ancestral home named Keyhouse. During their stay, the kids discover a peculiar array of keys that may reveal the secrets linked to their father’s death.

The Netflix original, which premiered in February 2020, is based on a comic book series of the same name and has already been renewed for a second season.

Watch it here.

7. Itaewon Class

Revenge is a dish best served cold, and Itaewon Class uses it to lay the foundation of its protagonist’s ambitions.

[caption id="attachment_213322" align="alignnone" width="512"] Itaewon Class has already achieved a benchmark of popularity by becoming the seventh highest-rated drama in the history of Korean cable entertainment. (Image credit - Itaewon Class / IMDB)[/caption]

This South Korean drama follows the life of Park Saeroyi, an awkward high school transfer student, who seeks vengeance for his father’s death and wrongful conviction when he locks horns with a business tycoon’s villainous son.

Spanning 15 years, this 16-episode series showcases an underdog’s quest to achieve too much with only a handful of resources. His determination and loyalty towards principles makes the show a must-watch for all.

While there’s no word on a second season yet, Itaewon Class has already achieved a benchmark of popularity by becoming the seventh highest-rated drama in the history of Korean cable entertainment.

Watch it here.

8. Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez

A three-episode docu-series, this one places under a lens the life, conviction, and death of NFL star Aaron Hernandez.

[caption id="attachment_213323" align="alignnone" width="729"] A three-episode docu-series, this one places under a lens the life, conviction, and death of NFL star Aaron Hernandez. (Image credit - Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez / IMDB)[/caption]

Hernandez, who died by suicide at 27 while serving a life sentence, was convicted of first-degree murder of Odin Llyod. However, that was not the only crime on his résumé. Investigations hinted at his possible involvement in an array of other murders and activities. He was also believed to be closeted about his sexuality.

In a nutshell, the series turned every page of his life – from an abusive childhood to becoming a football star and his eventual descent into violence. It relies on recordings of Hernandez’s phone calls from prison to his mother and fiancée to prove his lack of remorse towards his wrongdoings.

Watch it here.

9. Love is Blind

Meghan Markle found her prince charming when she agreed to go on a blind date, and Netflix reality series Love Is Blind gave millennials the same opportunity, but with a twist.

[caption id="attachment_213324" align="alignnone" width="570"] Thirty men and women take up the challenge of going on dates in separate ‘pods’ where they can only talk and do not get to look at each other. (Image credit Love Is Blind / IMDB)[/caption]

Thirty men and women take up the challenge of going on dates in separate ‘pods’ where they can only talk and do not get to look at each other. Over time, the gentlemen can decide if they want to get engaged to the woman they are talking to and only then can they see the face of their partner. It then escalates to meeting families and getting married. The question that remains is, ‘Is love blind?’.

The series took social media all over the world by storm and it’s already been renewed for a second and third season.

Watch it here.

10. The Crown

If you are intrigued by the British royal family, the reign of Queen Elizabeth II and the events that shaped their history, this Netflix original can be addictive.

[caption id="attachment_213325" align="alignnone" width="719"] If you are intrigued by the British royal family, the reign of Queen Elizabeth II and the events that shaped their history, this Netflix original can be addictive. (Image credit - The Crown / IMDB)[/caption]

The four-season series is based on a play titled ‘The Audience’ and chronicles the later half of the 20th century in Britain under the Queen. From her marriage to Prince Philip to her relationship with the first female prime minister Margaret Thatcher and the most recent one being Princess Diana and Prince Charles’s wedding – it’s four seasons of royalty revealed.

This year, we include The Crown on our highly-recommended list owing to its classic yet controversial approach to the late Princess Diana’s struggles. The episodes that depicted her turbulent relationship with the Prince of Wales were deemed problematic and forced the British government to request a disclaimer stating that it is a work of fiction. Netflix, however, turned down the request.

Slated for a 2022 release, the fifth season is all set to explore the Queen’s reign in the 21st century, and the final one is expected to showcase snippets from former Duke and Duchess of Sussex Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal exit.

One of the most expensive TV series in history, The Crown has earned multiple awards and accolades in its name for the acting, storyline, direction and cinematography. Screen Actors Guild, Emmys and Golden Globes – this series already has its name carved on a number of awards and is expected to continue the streak in its upcoming seasons.

Watch it here.

The post 10 Best Netflix TV Shows That Kept us Company in 2020 appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

With museums still closed due to Covid-19, art fans in need of a culture fix can always turn to virtual visits on the internet. But these online tours can seem a little lonely when experienced solo in front of a computer screen. Now, the Curatours app is on hand to help, allowing users to virtually visit cultural institutions with the people of their choice.

"Ooooh, that's nice, no? What do you think?" All those little phrases that you might murmur to a friend while visiting a museum, gallery or historical site have vanished along with real-life visitors. While the pandemic has momentarily put paid to these hushed discussions, the makers of the Curatours app are hoping to bring them back … digitally.

The application - part-funded by the UK Government's innovation fund, Innovate UK -- lets the culturally curious discover the artworks and artefacts usually on show in a host of museums and cultural institutions. Users will be able to take part in virtual visits in the company of their friends, family and other Curatours users, recreating as best as possible the real-life museum experiences that they enjoyed before the pandemic. Art fans can take part in Live Tours and ask questions to the guide while looking in detail at 3D captures of artefacts and environments. They can also interact with their friends, family, classmates and other visitors.

"Going to a museum or gallery has always been a shared and sociable experience. As a result of Covid-19, we have seen the rapid adoption of technology to help us stay connected. Digital experiences have become crucial for cultural institutions to stay open, engage their audiences and attract new visitors. To date, virtual tours can feel like a solitary one-way experience. Curatours is our solution to this, making the experience a social one that can be shared with anyone, anywhere in the world," explains Emma Cooper, project lead at Cooperative Innovations, in a statement.

The immersive technology studio announced that the Curatours app will launch early in 2021, and is currently in the development stage with partners including the Anne Frank House and National Trust Scotland.

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