Following the social unrest of 2019, there has been a newfound interest in Hong Kong artists, both those based in the city and the diaspora. It became even more pronounced during the pandemic as travel restrictions were enforced: with the limited or delayed transportation of international art, many galleries and institutions opened their spaces to local artists, giving them more visibility. Forcibly grounded, local collectors had more time on their hands to discover—and buy—work by the city’s artists.
While some artists have moved abroad, many still in Hong Kong are experiencing a surge of international interest in their work. The following six have solo exhibitions at prominent galleries and institutions around the world coming up this year.
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Leelee Chen
Capsule, Shanghai, autumn 2023
Sculptor Leelee Chan’s career made her a rare traveller during the worst of the pandemic. In 2020, she was awarded the BMW Art Journey, a prize presented to artists taking part in Art Basel Hong Kong. Her prize was to travel to any two destinations in the world of her choosing to expand and further develop her practice: she chose Italy and Mexico. Soon after embarking on a host of new projects, she was given a solo exhibition at Galerie Klemms in Berlin in autumn 2022. She’s now gearing up for her second solo exhibition, at Capsule gallery in Shanghai.
Known for pieces made from found objects, Chan works with different types of materials and reflects on her experience of Hong Kong’s extreme urbanisation. With a keen interest in architecture, urbanism, craft and antiquities, the artist says she wants to “continue to push the limitations of materials, matters and objects”. For her Shanghai show, Chan will be showcasing a new body of sculptures, including an outdoor piece she’s been developing for over a year.
