Pearl Lam has been at the forefront of Hong Kong’s art world for decades – a gallerist bigger than life who is known in the art world for speaking out his ideas and knowing the best restaurants in town.
She opened her first gallery in Shanghai in 2005, instead of joining her family’s development business. When she first joined the art world (she refused to reveal her age), she called herself a “shopper” and then decided to show the world her acquisition.
Known for her signature purple hair, Lam prides itself on discovering hidden talents around the world. She founded the China Art Foundation, which dedicated to advocating Chinese contemporary art in 2008 and is a collaborator of Shanghai’s 70m2 residence program, which began last year and provides artists with living space and resources to expand their work.
Pearl Lam Galleries will write eight artists in Basel Hong Kong Art this year, and Lam joins other Asian cities such as Seoul and Singapore to discuss her ideas for her place in the Asian art world in 2025, which is being used as a destination for art fills.
When protests protested against the city in 2019, Basel Hong Kong artwork continued to find its own ground, followed by another cruel Covid Lockdown, Lin saw the city’s future and Asia – as bright as ever, but with challenges.
The following interview has been edited and condensed.
How do you think of Art Basel Hong Kong and how it changed?
Before Covid, people did focus on growth in the Asian market. Apart from the protests, the entire art world in Asia has changed a lot. It has changed economically, as has the economy of Asia as a whole. We still suffer. The art world is closely related to the economy and finance, so if the economy is not good, the art market is not good.
What continues to make Hong Kong an important city for art?
Most Hong Kong collectors are buying not to flip the market, but to collect the market. There are serious collectors here, far more than many other cities I have been to. In addition, Hong Kong is a very convenient place. It takes about eight hours to travel from Japan or South Korea to Singapore. Hong Kong is very convenient in East Asia and East Asia. And there are great entertainment activities, and the galleries here are all working together to create a wonderful week for Art Basel Hong Kong.
You have long advocated Chinese art, especially Chinese abstraction. What do you think now?
It’s been really hot for a long time and the trend is now more about diversity. This is about female artists. It’s about black artists, especially African artists. So it’s no longer very cool or hot.
How do you adapt?
We just participated in the Arts of Miami, Basel [Beach]We showcase Chinese art because I think I have a responsibility, but I don’t want to just show this. I show it to international artists with Chinese artists. When you go to the art market, you want to have a cultural conversation.
What will you show in Basel Hong Kong Art?
During the expo, at our Hong Kong Gallery, we will showcase the German Chinese artist Su Xiaobai who uses paint as a medium. His work proves that abstraction is not a market trend in the past, but a powerful and constantly evolving language. He will showcase a new series. Many Chinese or international collectors are waiting to see his works.
In Art Basel Hong Kong, we will showcase two other Chinese artists Zhu Jinshi and Zhu Peihong. Along with Nigerian artist Alimi Adewale; Slovakian artist Michal Korman will also hold a solo exhibition at our Shanghai Gallery during the expo. Antony Micallef; Mr. Doodle (also known as Sam Cox); and Damian Elwes.
Is there a feeling that Hong Kong is back?
I think when we talk about Hong Kong, we have to talk about the city keeping itself as an Asian financial center. During Covid, many expats left Hong Kong and only some returned. In addition, the United States has stopped investing heavily in China, so many of these funds have moved out. But I think geopolitics has solved some recently.
How do you view future Global Art Fairs?
During Covid, I think a lot of us question the art fair. Is it really important to attend every art fair? And I think this problem is still imminent. We want to keep our funds. Art fairs are very expensive, so we have to choose.
How does this participate in today’s art collectors?
Well, there is something about cryptocurrency, which is a new angle for me. They are a new collector. If you think about it, the contemporary art market has expanded so much since the 2000s that many newcomers have entered. They use art as an investment. If art looks like an asset to be invested, so I don’t think it will go away. And if you look at China and South Korea, you will build museums with art spaces and residents. I don’t think the market will shrink. Actually, I think the market will expand rapidly.
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