Art Basel Hong Kong’s second edition opened in dramatic fashion as Berlin-based artist Carsten Nicolai’s latest audio-visual installation ‘α (alpha) pulse’ lit up the Hong Kong skyline, setting the stage for a spectacular weekend of art for everyone.

Pulsating light patterns were projected in synchronised frequency across the entire facade of Hong Kong’s iconic 490-meter high International Commerce Centre (ICC) which also happens to be the world’s 7th highest building. Like a lighthouse the tower radiated prismatic pulses into the city, much to the awe of the island’s residents and visitors.

Visible from numerous locations across Hong Kong, the installation, which appeared each night of the fair, was also available on an accompanying mobile phone application, adding another layer of accessibility for art enthusiasts as well as the public.

The high-profile annual event which took place from May 15 – 17 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) featured 245 premier galleries from 39 countries and territories. Among the renowned galleries that took part were Anna Schwartz Gallery, Pearl Lam Galleries, Lehmann Maupin and ShanghART.  With over 50 percent of the participating galleries having exhibition spaces in Asia and the Asia-Pacific region, Art Basel cemented its deep commitment to and success with the art community in the East.

Attracting over 65,000 visitors, the quality of the artworks brought in and the high level of presentation drew many new and returning collectors from around the world as well as curators, patrons and trustees from leading museums and institutions such as Paris’s Louvre,  Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, and  Washington’s Smithsonian American Art Museum.

‘We are extremely happy with how the show has gone. We have met and made sales to new clients including great connections to visitors in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines. The show is as active and the same level of quality as any European or American fair,’ enthused Nicholas Nahab, Sales Director of Marian Goodman Gallery (Paris, New York).

Not exclusive to connoisseurs, Art Basel Hong Kong was also supported by a strong public programme including the Asian debut of Art Basel’s popular film sector. This 3-day programme saw the screening of 49 films by 41 artists, represented by participating galleries. Highlights of the program included works by international artists such as Takashi Ishida, Dinh Q. Le and Hong Kong artists Kwan Sheung Chi and Christopher Doyle.