HONG KONG.- Art Central with Lead Partner United Overseas Bank (UOB), today launched the Fair’s fourth edition, which has the strongest presentation of modern and contemporary art to date. Featuring 102 international galleries, of which more than 75% hail from the Asia-Pacific region, the Fair is set to showcase the best of contemporary art practices. Returning to the Central Harbourfront in a 10,000 sqm architect-designed structure, Art Central is open for public view from Tuesday, 27 March to Sunday, 1 April 2018 (VIP Preview / First Night on Monday, 26 March).

Charles Ross, Managing Director, Art Central notes, “Now in its fourth year, Art Central has firmly established itself as a mainstay of Hong Kong’s cultural calendar. This year, we are proud to present the strongest Asian and international content to date, from the engaging and provocative gallery presentations, to critical and discursive sectors, we believe that the multifaceted offerings of the Fair will continue to resonate with collectors and general audiences alike. UOB returns as a Lead Partner for the second year, and in collaboration we continue to jointly develop the educational offerings at the Fair, creating opportunities for exchange and exploration. Throughout the week, we look forward to once again being a centre for artistic discovery.”

Christine Ip, Chief Executive Officer – Greater China, UOB says, “We are proud to once again collaborate with Art Central to support contemporary art in Hong Kong. Our support of Art Central is part of our long-standing commitment to encourage social development through the appreciation of art. For this edition, we will present a week-long series of ink art workshops, creating an inclusive programme that enriches our engagement with artists and enables the wider community access to this annual art event.”

PERFORMANCE X 4A
Presented in partnership with 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art, Sydney, this features a series of interactive and live works that address contemporary concerns of excess and dispossession. In an era characterised by polarities, and expansive disparity across societies, the pervasive sense of tension informs the thematic of the programme. Showcasing leading contemporary artists from across the Asia-Pacific region, the works respond directly to global unease through a series of daily on-site performances. Participating artists include: Caroline Garcia (Australia), FJ Kunting (Indonesia), Sam Lo (Singapore) as well as artist duo Sampson Wong & Lam Chi Fai (Hong Kong).

PROJECTS
Art Central presents 6 immersive and large-scale installations as part of its PROJECTS sector, curated by Ying Kwok who was most recently the appointed curator for the Hong Kong Pavilion at the 57th Venice Biennale. The selection features progressive artists Andrea Wolf (Chile) and Karolina Ziulkoski (Brazil), Yang Jung Uk (South Korea), Jun Ong (Malaysia), Entang Wiharso (Indonesia), Zhang Xiaodong (China) and Penelope Davis (Australia).

TALKS X ASIA SOCIETY
Fostering discourse and dialogues about critical developments in Asia, Asia Society Hong Kong Center’s curated daily programme gathers the most important contemporary artists of this generation. Speakers include Asia Society’s Game Changer Award Honorees; Subodh Gupta,and Shirazeh Houshiary. In addition topics that will be addressed include; The Complexities of Text in Art; Queerness in Art; The Art of Creative Activism and others.