Over the weekend, we made our annual trip to Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong, which saw over 95 galleries represented at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC).
Each year, AAF features the best up-and-coming artists from around the world. All works from the Hong Kong fair were priced under HK$100,000, welcoming a new generation of art collectors. This year saw several special features including a “Young Talent” exhibition space, Jonathan Jay Lee’s speakeasy bar “Neon” which was disguised as a barbershop, and various workshops for children.
Head below to see what the Lifestyle Asia Hong Kong team liked the most from Affordable Art Fair 2024.
I Can Do It Together
Artist: Rori Hee | Gallery: Nowhy (Seoul) | Price: HK$11,900
I came across Gallery Nowhy as their booth reminded me of an actual studio with the artist Rori Hee diligently working away in the corner. The paints, canvases, and a collage of works behind her really pulled me in. Youjin from the gallery was really helpful in explaining Rori’s work and that’s when I learned that her works are all emotions and stories from her own life that are put into her character.
I do like a lot of different styles and was looking for something a bit more minimal, but for some reason, and it could have been from the rain, I found myself drawn in by Hee’s choice of colours and just how warm and innocent her character was. Even one of the works showed the girl crying with the text, “I’m not sad” and to me, that was a very human-level experience that was brought out through such a small image. It reminded me of a child fighting back tears and trying to stay strong.
Moutai and Friends – Mario and Carebear
Artist: Margaret Lau | Gallery: ZONE A GALLERY (Hong Kong) | Price: HK$18,000
Margaret Lau is known for her hyperreal illustrations of popular snacks she grew up eating from Hong Kong and Malaysia — from Calbee chips to Mamee noodle snacks. The paintings are bright, nostalgic, and approachable, drawing a deservingly large stream of visitors throughout the day. The display wall looked almost like a convenience store aisle, filled with hall-of-fame snacks and drinks.
As we grow older, our choices evolve and what stood out to me was the Moutai and Friends piece with an image of a bottle of Moutai alongside Mario and a pink Carebear. I found the piece to be lighthearted, refreshing, and a fun conversation starter. — Aaron Chow, Editor
The Happiness of devotion
Artist: Tzu-ching Chang | Gallery: Isart Gallery (Kaohsiung) | Price: $19,800
When I look at this painting, I think of flowers. The gallerist tells me it’s a representation of Chang’s feelings on motherhood, but I can’t shake the image of flowers from my head. The impasto is irregular and isn’t meant to form a pattern, but it evokes peonies in my mind. The gentle pink hues colour its many petals, while the dark turquoise green shapes the leaves. Throughout the painting, little spots of gold reach out to you, which are actually bits of the canvas that the artist left blank. Aptly titled The Happiness of devotion, the piece fills me with a sense of tranquillity and love. At the end of the day, isn’t the myriad possibility of interpretations the beauty of art? — Johanna Muliani, Editorial Assistant
Rose From The Stars
Artist: Jamsan | Gallery: L Gallery (Seoul)
As a big fan of the Korean drama It’s Okay to Not Be Okay, it was a pleasant surprise to see the concept artist Jamsan’s works being shown at AAF Hong Kong. Seoul’s L Gallery featured three works from Jamsan’s Rose From The Stars art series. Central to the works is an illustration of a little girl with dark cat-like eyes who portrays one of the protagonists in It’s Okay to Not Be Okay. Below is a description of the series from Jamsan who’s published several storybooks based on his characters:
“A rose is on a journey.
It is the only blossom of rose that bloomed from the star.
A curious girl in the painting faces the places we knew, or even the deepest places in our hearts.
The blossom of rose that came from a faraway star is on a journey.”
While the character’s eyes express a web of inner turmoil, Jamsan surrounds the girl in beautiful scenes and landscapes, bringing about a feeling of hope and comfort. — Aaron Chow, Editor
Summer in the Garden #2
Artist: AA Gede Putrayasa | Gallery: Gudang Gambar (Jakarta) | Price: HK$17,000
This year’s Affordable Art Fair features 97 galleries from all over the world. So when I noticed Gudang Gambar’s booth, I was proud that artists from my home country of Indonesia got to show off their works too.
AA Gede Putrayasa’s paintings caught my eye immediately out of all the presented pieces. The flowers and leaves flow together in a cacophony of vibrant colours. Looking closer, I realised every single section was painstakingly filled with tiny spirals and flowers. It reminded me of batik, from the way the flora was drawn down to the intricate details that filled up the painting. It was a piece of home away from home, and I was happy to feel that sense of comfort and belonging while walking around the Fair. — Johanna Muliani, Editorial Assistant
R2D2, Version 7
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Artist: Alben French | Gallery: Step Creation Gallery (Hong Kong) | Price: $64,000
Growing up, I was a huge Star Wars fan, so I was immediately drawn to this translucent R2D2 filled with toy cars. Mixing pieces from my childhood brought immediate curiosity from me, not only was Star Wars a huge part of my adolescence, but playing with toy cars as well. With these elements deeply ingrained into my formative years, this piece definitely spoke to me more.
Looking at it, I just think that it’s cool. When looking at art, I’m especially drawn towards 3D art pieces; something that feels a bit more tangible and in our physical realm. With the playful toy cars visible through the resin in the mold of this R2D2 sculpture, it feels almost like looking at what’s “underneath the hood” but in a surreal, and fun manner. — Ryan Putranto, Multimedia Editor
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Aaron Chow
Editor
Aaron is an editor currently based in Hong Kong focused on music, fashion, F&B, tech, art, and culture.
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