ESPACE Louis Vuitton Hong Kong Exhibits Jules De Balincourt This Summer

Bang Big, 2011, Oil on panel, 86x96x2.5in

My office is on Canton Road, and I didn’t even know that there was such a thing as an Espace Louis Vuitton. And to think that this whole gallery was just right under my nose located within the Louis Vuitton Hong Kong Canton Road Maison, which besides a shop full of LV goodies, also hosts a vibrant book store, and an art gallery which has exhibited the works of world class artists like; Hugo Tillman, Simon Birch, Zhou Jun, Campana Brothers and Hiroyuki Masuyama, to name a few.

This season, in the spirit of LV’s with contemporary art scene, works with global and Hong Kong artists (dont forget they staged that Hong Kong Museum show which featured works by Nadim Abbas and Adrian Wong…), curator William Zhao has picked French born, American-based artist, Jules De Balincourt for the Maison’s summer exhibition which opened last week and will run until the 9th of September, 2012.

Manscape, 2011, Oil on panel, 48x36x2.5in

Jules De Balincourt uses his own distinctive visual language in creating new meanings for the painting medium. As a “new generation” contemporary artist, Balincourt utilizes abstract visual language and implicit societal subject matter in creating diversified visuals of content and space in his works. At the same time, embedded with a contemporary view, the themes presented evoke a special connection with viewers, allowing them to appreciate his works even more. Through the combination of the real and abstract, Balincourt’s works expand the viewer’s imaginary realm into unlimited possibilities, because he himself tackles contemporary subject matter in infinite ways.

Jules De Balincourt An Honest Statement / Espace Louis Vuitton Hong Kong, Louis Vuitton Maison, 5 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui / HOURS M to Thur 10.30am – 9.30pm, Fri - Sun 10.00am – 10.00pm / For more information please visit the Louis Vuitton @ www.louisvuitton.com and www.julesdebalincourt.com

JJ.

When Old World Is Considered a Fresh Idea, a Chat With Claud Cecil Gurney of de Gournay

(Above, Claud Cecil Gurney)

When I was a young architecture student learning how to design my first houses… or “Dwellings” as they were then called, we were instructed to focus entirely on constructs and abstract compositions. To laymen, it basically meant the houses we learned to design in school didn’t look much like a house in the traditional sense. It was basically a series of planes with cuts and slits and openings with hardly any color (we werent allowed to use color except the color of balsa wood, white gesso, or styrofoam.) Basically we never designed anything in school that would be suitable for your mom to live in.

It really didn’t help that by the time we graduated architecture school, none of us knew how to even make the houses/spaces we lived in any closer to an ideal “home” than when we first got to school. That said, everything about the incorporation of color, texture, materials, fabric, in order to “make a space” was something to be learned beyond school. We were playing catch up with Interior Designers basically.

As an example, we never learned how to make bathrooms look like they were right in the middle of nature using simple motifs and the right paint colors…

Or a living room that feels so light…

The images above were taken in the London home of the fabulous Claud Cecil Gurney, the owner and founder of the acclaimed bespoke home finishings brand, de Gournay.

While some would call his home “classical”, the way colors, prints, fabrics, and natural daylight are composed and layered to create and frame the room’s seemingly expansive spaces is anything but traditional. In fact the use of antique prints and bespoke motifs on planar elements are quite sophisticated and indeed modern in application. The spaces are uncluttered and the “gilded” objects are few and framed by surfaces.

I wish we had the opportunity to play a bit more in Architecture School.

Grand, yet soft dining area. Home of Claud Cecil Gurney (via de Gournay)

Claud began his business of making hand crafted / hand painted bespoke wallpapers, fabrics, and porcelain after working on a room for his home in London. That was in 1984 when he set up the business using skilled labourers from the then very different Mainland China. Today Claud has 4 studios in operation with over 180 artists focused on hand painting. His studio produces work based on actual archives and research of 18th and 19th Century designs from Europe and “the Orient”… of course some with a twist to fit the home owner’s needs.

Recently we took the chance to have a chat with Claud Cecil Gurney briefly about his London home that I love so much and his brand, de Gournay’s focus on adding a touch of “history” to the modern home.

—————

CCG: We are based in London & Paris but also a bit all around the world.  Our inspiration is mainly from 18th century France and England although it is adapted and changed to fit more contemporary settings.  We bring happiness into people’s lives by creating for them light, bright, vibrant and happy interiors where they can find refuge from the busy world of markets and events. Each of our interiors is a work of art hand-painted to meet the needs of discerning clients.

CCG: The London home is a pied-a-terre in Knightsbridge in a calm quiet and peaceful Mews just a stone’s throw from Harrods and Hyde Park but so quiet and peaceful that one could be in the country.  It has 4 bedrooms and bathrooms and 2 reception rooms over 4 floors with a drawing room with an East/West aspect on the 2nd floor.  It was entirely designed by me with some help from a friend, Nicolas Rakic, to bring the most light possible into the entire house and was also built by myself with an Irish foreman doing most of the work.

Its a jungle inside. Home of Claud Cecile Gurney (via de Gournay)

CCG: One is never happy with one’s own house as one always sees the things that still remain to be done but one is happy that others say nice things and mostly fail to notice how many improvements remain to be completed. The challenge was to keep all the spaces light and open and uncluttered and happy whilst using colour and design and avoiding black and white and minimalism.  It has to be elegant yet comfortable, happy yet functional, tranquil yet warm - in fact it has to provide a backdrop against which one can rest and read and think and entertain… I am fairly happy but I am sure the next house will be better…

Very light prints, yet lush. Home of Claud Cecil Gurney (via de Gournay)

CCG: My house in London is unique in being contemporary with an eclectic decoration. My apartment in Moscow is very traditional. My country house in England is also very traditional and Tudor and my farm on the beach in Croatia is designed to use only the materials and flora native to the region and to blend in perfectly with nature.  Each project requires a different solution and I hope that it is only the quality, the use of vibrant colours and the happiness that are common themes throughout. 

Bold colors in the office. Home of Claud Cecil Gurney (via de Gournay)

CCG: It is hard to find Asians who do not fall in love with our projects but many have been led to believe that all luxury is Italian or French based and has to be imported.  Once we establish relationships with Asian clients they remain faithful to our products wherever they have projects all over the world and they introduce us to their friends - so many of the richest families in Asia do now use us but it would be indiscrete to mention their names. Once you fall in love with de Gournay it is forever.  

CCG: Yes over half our projects are custom and we have a design team working full time on Asian projects with immense archives of both historic documents and completed projects which we can share with clients who are wanting to decorate a ballroom or a bathroom as required.  

Asian themes. Home of Claud Cecil Gurney (via de Gournay)

CCG: My inspiration comes mainly from the 18th century European fascination for all things Oriental - Chinese & Japanese porcelain, Chinese silk, Chinese tea and painting, Korean & Japanese Kimonos and hand-painted screens and Indian Moghul painting - the lost if inspiration in the East is never-ending as all good taste and design originated there whilst the Europeans were still living in caves.  There is still so much to learn and every trip to the Far East opens up new doors and perceptions to me.

Pastoral Scenes. Home of Claud Cecil Gurney (via de Gournay)

FENSTERBANK Found at FEAST, Opens This Week

FEAST Projects is delighted to announce SWEET & SOUR by FENSTERBANK, a collection of his important photomontages passionately critiquing political, social and economic issues within China.

Born in 1953, FENSTERBANK, attended the National Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations in Paris where he became completely fluent in Chinese.

Blood, collage, 11x8 in. / 27.9x20.3 cm

As a “sinologist”, FENSTERBANK, created an extraordinary body of work about the Mainland, usually alone and in secret. His trademark images are the result of a well-integrated combination of ideological and aesthetic choices, which unmask the structures that make power function, not through its ideology, but due to specific historical circumstances.

I’ve been a fan of his collages and work for a while now. I definitely will check out this show when I have time. Thank you FEAST for keeping us updated!

Ultimate Chineseness, 1997, collage, 6.9x5.0 in. / 17.4x12.8 cm

FEAST Projects exhibits FENSTERBANK for the first time. This exhibition is part of Le French May 2012 program, and supported by the Consulate General of France in Hong Kong and Macau.

SWEET & SOUR by FENSTERBANK / FEAST, Unit 307, 3F, Harbour Industrial Centre, 10 Lee Hing Street, Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong / OPENING RECEPTION Thursday, 31 May, 2012. 6-9PM / EXHIBITION DATES 31 May - 30 June, 2012 / HOURS Tuesday to Saturday, 12 - 7pm.

FEAST PROJECTS ONLINE 

JJ.

ART HK12 (Part 8): Lee Kit, ‘Art Futures’ Top Prize

Art on theWanderlister+ by Xue Tan

ART HK12’s Art Futures section offers an exciting glance to young artists and galleries, and makes the fair viewing a rather innovative exploration that contrasts with the expected appreciation of blue-chip art. In the second year of Art Futures, Hong Kong artist Lee Kit wins top prize with a site-specific project titled, Something in My Hands, via the Shanghai-based Aike-Dellarco Gallery.

Lee’s art evokes an ambiguous feeling derived from mimics of daily life environments, and a familiarity with a language build up by an alphabet that appropriates the aesthetics of common hygiene products. His practice arises from early paintings that were often involved with happenings, to the current format of atmospheres and spaces created by sets of works, ranging from paintings, objects, videos and light.

This year, the prize’s judging panel included Lars Nittve, Executive Director of M+, the contemporary art museum in Hong Kong’s soon-to-be launched US$2.1 billion West Kowloon Cultural District; Elaine Ng, Editor and Publisher of ArtAsiaPacific Magazine; Okwui Enwezor, Nigerian-born American curator, art critic, writer, poet, and educator specializing in art history. 35 Galleries/Artists competed for the Art Futures prize this year.

Artist, Lee Kit, below. Photo taken by theWanderlister+ at ART HK12 at the Lombard Freid Projects Booth.

+ On showing at ART HK12 for four galleries

[The work] depends on the communication with the galleries. My working relationship with Aike-Dellarco Gallery is more loose, they trust me fully, I had more freedom, and we spent less time on talking. Of course, these four galleries have different perspectives. The installation in Vitamin Creative Space is not a space based project, I wanted to create an inexplicably emotion, I used the term “aura field” to describe it during our planning. I am grateful that four galleries gave me the best spaces in their booths.

Lee Kit / Something in My Hands (2012) at ART HK12’s Aike-Dellarco Booth.

+ On his recent projects and spatial conceptualization

I am traveling a lot in recent years, I used to go to the exhibition space before I plan the works, the final results were as expected. Now it works like a “reaction”, I go into the spaces, and the plans come out naturally. I start to visualize my projects when I receive the pictures of the space, I also take the on-site conditions in consideration - the lighting, and other elements in sum, to direct what kind of works and feelings are most fitful.

Lee Kit / Something in My Hands (2012) at ART HK12’s Aike-Dellarco Booth.

+ On his work process

For now, I can’t describe the feelings that I want to express in my works, but the process goes very smoothly when I arrive at the space. My reaction to it is almost immediate. Before the team understands what I want, I already ran out for purchasing materials, and once it is done, they understand.

Usually, there will be a lot of changes on the original plan when I arrive to the site. Sometimes I change more than half of the whole project. I am not interested in the intervention on the architectural space, I always look for the same elements like sunlight, a corner, or the largest wall.

Lee Kit / Something in My Hands (2012) at ART HK12’s Aike-Dellarco Booth.

+ On the use of hygiene and household products as key elements in his work

I did not realize that in the beginning, it was a peculiar obsession, I like these products. And it also works like this - when I think of someone, his/her name would appear in my head, and eventually transform into one of the product’s name like Nivea, I associate a person with a product somehow, it wasn’t conceptual or critical.

I grew up in Hong Kong, a British colony. When I was young, I went to the supermarket with my mom everyday. I looked at these products everyday, and a wild imagination grew in me, they become part of me. When I look at myself in the mirror during shower, I see these brands. They become portraits, and they are related to emotions.

+ On his exhibition Henry (Have you ever been so low?) at Vancouver’s the Western Front

The “Henry” refers to the Hong Kong politician Henry Tang, I made an association here. The exhibition was held in Vancouver, a city with a large “Hongkongese” community. My concept was to promote Henry Tang, then I found the idea pointless, so I turned this Henry to a common individual, like a lot of bourgeois Hong Kong immigrants in Vancouver. I imagined Henry Tang moving to Vancouver when he gets old, living in a big house but full of guiltiness and regrets. This guilty feeling is similar with what we feel when we wake up in the middle of the night, and can’t go back to sleep, the emptiness kills you, like you did something wrong. I hate the so-called “Political Art”, it always turns to be a selling piece in museums and galleries. Political acts should be conducted out there.

Lee Kit / Something in My Hands (2012) at ART HK12’s Aike-Dellarco Booth.

We thank guest contributor Xue Tan of the The Creators Project and Artinfo.com for her interview with the artist, Lee Kit, seen here first on theWanderlister+ Asia as part of our series on this year’s ART HK12. The full transcript of this interview will be available on Artinfo Online. We also thank gallerist/founder of Aike-Dellarco, Roberto Ceresia, for access to the works and letting us photograph on site.

ART HK12 ONLINE http://www.hongkongartfair.com / AIKE-DELLARCO ONLINE http://www.dearco.it / LEE KIT ONLINE http://www.lee-kit.net

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Xue Tan, art writer, producer and curator is based in Hong Kong. xue7749@gmail.com

ART HK12 (Part 7): Establishing A Private Museum; A Casual Chat With Li Bing, Wang Wei, Kian Chow Kwok, and Lars Nittve

Art on theWanderlister+ by Andrew Luk

As part of the prestige of contributing for ART HK12’s official blog supporter, theWanderlister+, I was given a unique chance to attend the fair’s invite-only PRIVATE MUSEUM PANEL. The event, sponsored by VERTU, was a learning experience about the development of museums in Asia.

(Above L-R: KC Kwok, Li Bing, Wang Wei, Philip Dodd (Chairman of Panel), Wang Huangsheng, Dr Oei Hong Djien, Lars Nittve)

To give you a little background, Asia is experiencing an adrenaline rush in art acquisition and cultural preservation like never before. Reputable galleries and auction houses from the West are courting Asian markets; especially the Chinese market, and often doing so through Hong Kong. Many Asian collectors who may have started collecting as an investment opportunity are now seeing the opening of a private museum as a win-win situation. It’s a phenomenon that’s quickly becoming popular. For them, their collection has a permanent venue where it stays on display; the value of the work increases, and allows opportunities for public engagement. One point worth noting is that every collector on the panel cited public education as part of their drive in becoming museum owners.
 
The panel included the following members:

 Wang Huangsheng, Director of CAFA Gallery, Beijing, and former Director of Guangdong Museum of Art
 / Li Bing, owner of Beijing He Jing Yuan Art Museum
 / Dr Oei Hong Djin, owner of OHD Museum, Magelang, Indonesia
 / Kian Chow Kwok, Senior Advisor to the National Art Gallery, Singapore
 / Wang Wei, collector and owner of the Dragon Art Museum, Shanghai / and Lars Nittve, former Director of Tate Modern, London, and Executive Director of M+, a museum of Contemporary Art in Hong Kong.

Past model sketches for HK’s Museum Complex. (via Bloomberg)

+ The Private Museum; Formulas and Strategies

As is the case with a majority of interesting innovative trends, nobody has the formula quite figured out. Thus creating an opportune moment for an open-ended discussion in which the panel members could share the similarities and differences in their current situations, compare notes on the roles they envision their museums playing, as well as answer questions from the audience.
 
Main concerns were related to their museums staying private versus eventually going public, a matter related to the extent to which panel members saw their museums engaging the public as institutions of education and diversification. While Wang Wei expressed interests in creating classes at the Dragon Art Museum for housewives to become familiar in art as she had, KC Kwok mentioned he wanted to see more academic education in art. Li Bing on the other hand, founded an exclusive art collectors club, the first of its kind, to be with and support peers with a similar interest. Dr Djin cites the lack of a national museum in Indonesia as impetus for opening multiple publicly accessible private museums. Despite their differences in intended audience, it was unanimously agreed that aside from issues of funding, the real challenge is in finding knowledgeable, professional talent for their museums (you might want to think about a future in museum studies if you’re going back to school).
 
All through the talk panel members mentioned using their 20th century American counterparts as a model in both initiation and strategy, but plan to do so while retaining unique cultural characteristics and utilizing 21st century technology. When asked about how they see their respective museums thirty years from now, all panel members spoke with confidence. For these philanthropist pioneers venturing into a new terrain, the future looks very promising.

http://www.hongkongartfair.com/

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Andrew Luk is a prodigal son of a fine artist recently returning to Hong Kong after many years of exile overseas.  His work is multidisciplinary, but usually rooted in collage and painting. For more information on Andrew and his work email him at luk.andrew88@gmail.com or log on to his blog http://andrewluk.wordpress.com.

ART HK12 (Part 6): SCAD Celebrates Sham Shui Po Via Monograph

Art on theWanderlister+ by Andrew Luk

The term “Tilting the Lens” refers to a photographic technique through which a photographer obtains a much wider depth of field for an equally sharp foreground and background. In this case it’s also a respectful nod towards a subject of research and documentation.

In 2009, SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) opened its Hong Kong branch in the newly renovated and conserved North Kowloon Magistracy Building, located in Sham Shui Po which to some may seem a bit out of the way. Despite its remote location and most low-income status, SCAD’s aims to formulate a positive impact in the new abode by bringing to “focus” its neighborhood with a new book. On Thursday, May 17^th, ART HK12 marked the book launch of Tilting the Lens: Telling the Story of Sham Shui Po  by the whole SCAD community in Douglas Young’s G.O.D. water gun lounge.

The monograph is the well-finished outcome of a year long combined effort between graphic design, historic conservation, and photography students and professors. As a project it makes for an in-depth documentation of one of Hong Kong’s most distinctive heritage-rich neighborhoods, which has escaped the sometimes over-developing modernization the rest of the city has succumb to.

Sham Shui Po has a vibrant community of Tong Laus (low-rise residences), Dai Pai Dongs (outdoor restaurants), bonesetters, hawkers, pawnshops, and other remnants of Hong Kong that burst with nostalgic antiquity. Tilting the Lens makes testament to all of these through 200 powerful images, design and writing. It’s pretty hard to believe this is the work of students. The book is available at the shopSCAD and a sample of what the book has to offer can be seen here via Lauren Mae Oswald’s BLOG.

(via LAUREN MAE OSWALD)

Some Instagram shots of JJ’s advance copy of the book below.

To top it off, the launch included a traditional Dragon Beard candy maker. When was the last time you saw handmade candy?

http://www.shopscad.com/

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Andrew Luk is a prodigal son of a fine artist recently returning to Hong Kong after many years of exile overseas.  His work is multidisciplinary, but usually rooted in collage and painting. For more information on Andrew and his work email him at luk.andrew88@gmail.com or log on to his blog http://andrewluk.wordpress.com.

ART HK12 (Part 5): A Fair Amount of Style

In the next few weeks my team and I will be releasing a series of posts as a wrap up to reflect on our incredible ART HK12 experience this year. Of course it’s the first year that Art Basel has partnered with Hong Kong Art Fairs, which caused a few considerable differences between previous fairs and this year… namely with 260+ galleries, everything is much tighter (spatially) and the incorporation of well established works by well established international artists at intersection points within Hall 1 and Hall 3 for its 10-Work ART HK Projects.

But before we go through all that in the next series of posts… lets focus on the FUN… with “Fair Fashion”. No matter rain or shine (literally), the sheer everyday excitement and anticipation for the fair was steady throughout the week with everyone attending from buyers, to gallerists, and especially artists themselves… putting their best style forward for the great grand show. Armed with our trusty S95 Camera, we powered through a few days of events and exhibitions with one eye at works but always another peeled at the art of seemingly effortless “self-styling”.

So without further ado… here are select few style shots Ive taken of friends and fair goers with whom I’ve bumped into at this year’s ART HK12 and associated events this whole week.

+ WHITE CUBE HK for Anselm Kiefer / 12.MAY.15

Jenny in polka dots and nice custom hat (she left in the taxi after.)

Lady in white and black and shocking orange Cambridge Satchel.

+ GALERIE PERROTIN for Brian Donnelly-KAWS / 12.MAY.15

Buddies: Carrera’s Fed and LC / Brew&Post’s Jason of TOUGHLOVE.HK

Brew&Post’s Denise of SUPERWOWOMG and designer/musician, Brian Siswojo of 8FIVE2 and Know1edge/24 Herbs.

BFF’s Lindsay and May of Yardbird who just released their newest Yardbird branded nigori sake in collaboration with Cody Hudson.

Sena in front of her favorite work.

Photographer Paulsta Wong and Hypebeast Editor, Alex.

Creative duo, Ryo and Toshiki from TOSHIKI.

+ ART HK12 Vernissage Opening and MODERN MEDIA Party / 12.MAY.16

Tangram’s Ignacio who was more than ready for their GIFT SHOP initiative for the weekend (which I heard was very successful… it extended to another day!) Despite the computer accident he was able to manage the 2 day pop up selling goods of Hong Kong’s best designers and creatives extremely well.

Elaine with a friend wearing her own creation from LAB-yrinth. (Check out the shoes as well.)

Jocelyn wearing print and fuchsia backpack.

Brew&Post’s ChristingC of Fashion Hedonism and Instagram King, Dan. Follow him on instagram at @DanielHungryHongKong :)

Susanne of StageBack Shanghai, standing by 150% of what her shirt says.

Sharon in white and sparkly heels.

Jason (right) of Marc and Chantal and friend in blues jeans, checks, and round specs. Both gentlemen dressed exactly right for 2012.

Para/Site’s Cosmin Costinas (right) and me. Yes to colored pants. Yes to colored shoes.

Gentleman sporting a mustache.

Designer, Frances and Lingzi both bling bling.

+ OSAGE GALLERY Dinner / 12.MAY.18

Luigina of LuiginaKorea in polka dots.

Mononcle Magazine and the Black Rennaissance’s Daniel.

Anchor Shirley Yu of CCTV. Beautiful Hat.

Eugene wearing the Armoury.

OSAGE Gallery’s Sybil of the Style Voyager looking light in lace and turquoise.

+ ART HK12 / 12.MAY.17 - 12.MAY.20

A pinch of business, a touch of casual.

Designer duo, Kiki and Billy.

Relaxed and loose in grey.

Spotted Diana who was rushing off for an interview in regards to her ART FLAT project at the Fair for Para/Site Gallery. (And yes, she gave me three different looks for three separate shots while talking business on the phone.)

Blue chinos, slip-ons, and patterned eco-shopper. (Gentleman to the left is Hans-Ulrich Obrist, FYI. Thanks for spotting Mr. Birch.)

DJ Angus Wong of W Hotels Worldwide direct from Taipei to Art Fair.

Eco-Designer, Rowena, proudly wearing shorts from “Divisoria”.

Gentleman in just the right amounts of everything combined.

Hotel Icon’s Mandy in Denim over a black sheer dress.

Shu Uemura Asia’s Thomas carrying a limited edition ART HK12 Jenny Holzer “Money Creates Taste” Bag.

Minimal lightweight looks that are anything but mundane. Only the gentleman at the left can pull off a Wellingtons and shorts combination. I’m quite jealous.

Interior designer, Shin, visiting shortly from London.

Saamlung’s Natasha at the end of Sunday. Love the subtle details of her pin skirt (which the camera didn’t quite capture too well.)

Jade and Roger looking very complimentary.

Art Future’s artist for Saamlung Nadim.

As a side note, yesterday my friend, DJ Angus Wong, who was impressed with fashions at the fair asked if seemingly messy artist-hipster-types at the fair dressed chic-ly yet ill-prepared or were they deliberately styled that “haphazard” way… my answer, it’s the International Art Fair, all Fair Fashion is deliberate. No one walks out their house naturally disheveled.

The only trend I saw this year is that there were plenty of blues and yellows to go around and more men are willing to wear more color… either via blazers, shirts, trousers, or shoes.

Speaking of yellow, check out this photo of me with Queen Bee, Victoria Lu.

Meanwhile, I’m wearing my new seersucker pin stripe blazer from my current menswear idol, Anthony Hill, of HILL Menswear which I pretty much wore all week during the fair. I couldn’t imagine running around in anything else but that blazer. It was business and comfort in one… very breathable material as well.

Stay tuned for more about this year’s fair over the next few weeks.

http://www.hongkongartfairs.com

JJ.

Design Notes: Jungle Fever at AMMO

Two weeks ago, a group of us were invited to go to the newly opened Asia Society Hong Kong Center by Tod Williams and Billie Tsien Architects in Admiralty to check out its just-launched signature restaurant and bar, aptly named AMMO.

I’ve posted about the new Asia Society museum on this blog before, and what makes this building uniquely different from other new museums of its class is that the building is set deep within an actual urban jungle, a lush green heritage site of a former explosives magazine compound from the mid-19th century (hence the name.)

AMMO, a slang term of ammunition, is a supposed acronym for “Asia, Modern, Museum, and Original”, all the concept notes utilized by chef and restauranteur Tony Cheng and interior designer Joyce Wang of WANG, a boutique design practice fresh off its renovation of the historic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in LA.

Of course it’s all about the marriage of East and West thematically from the food (ie. Cuttlefish Cappuccino, my favorite), to the cocktails (Kiwi Basil Martini), and of course the interiors, a lush sci-fi inspired stage made of Hong Kong style copper plumbing pipes.

We had a quick chat with Joyce Wang at the AMMO launch and she explained to us the concept of her design, and pointed out how most of the elements that made the wall and ceiling fixtures were indeed made of these copper plumbing pipes and fixed together with general attachments for pipes found in Hardware Stores. She was laughing about how it took a while to convince the contractor that while the ideas may be unconventional and new, it’s quite easy to put together in the end.

Each of the feature light fixtures represent a component of a spiral staircase, and there are three of them; the risers, the steps, and the handrail. I can only imagine what the contractor must have felt after receiving the drawings for the first time. :)

The bespoke furniture is luxurious. Plush sofa seats surround the glass box restaurant, with every seat having a great view of the lush tropical environment around it. Two large counter tables are situated in the middle of the room with plenty of bar stools, making it hospitable for large groups of friends, or to share with someone new.

Much of our preview snacks “Tapa Bite” versions of menu dishes paired with signature cocktails. I thought the drinks were quite good, but I wouldn’t say I’ve had enough of the Tapas to really make a judgement of the food… however I enjoyed the Braised Angus Oxtail and Oxtail Meatballs which I found juicy and tasty.

A few of of my Instagram Images from that night… one of the custom light sculptures from below.

Friends checking out AMMO with me; designer RonWan, and Lifestyle Asia’s Andy aka. Misteryeo. Check out what i’m wearing around my neck…

An “AMMO” USB Stick!

Fashyon.

AMMO at Asia Society Hong Kong Center / 9 Justice Drive, Admiralty, HK /
TEL: +852 2537 9888 / HOURS: 11:30a.m-12:00a.m (Sunday to Thursday) 11:30a.m-01:00a.m (Friday, Saturday and day before public holiday)

http://www.joycewang.com/

JJ.

ART HK12 (Part 4): Beyond The Fair, More To Do! Our Top 5 Picks.

If you’ve downloaded my ART HK12 Fair Map, “Wanderlisting” my Top 10 Must See Galleries this year, perhaps it means that you’ve planned to allocate your schedule at the fair wisely. In that case, I think its now time for me to tell you what is our choice TOP 5 Art and Design Destinations to see right now ‘Beyond The Fair’… if you have time to go around town that is.

These are all art related events that are independent of ART HK12, but are connected to the Fair because they are all launching/exhibiting within the same week. However while these are my personal choices for extracurricular activity, there are way more satellite events than the five I have listed. The full schedule can be found within the Fair’s VIP Program, and if you don’t have a VIP Program… at least you have this blog. :) All events are free and open to the Public.

+ TheWanderlister+ Asia Top 5 Attractions… Beyond ART HK12

1) Mobile M+ @ Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon / POP UP MUSEUM

The West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA) will unveil Mobile M+: Yau Ma Tei on Tuesday May 15th, the first in a series of major pop-up “nomadic” exhibitions curated by M+, the museum for 20^th and 21^st century visual culture.  It marks the beginning of the museum’s venture into programming, to engage the public, before the completion of the building in late 2017.

Stemming from the strong connection between Hong Kong’s contemporary art and the reconstruction of its history, seven Hong Kong based artists – Kwan Sheung-chi + Wong Wai-yin, Leung Mee-ping, Erkka Nissinen, Pak Sheung-chuen, Tsang Kin-wah and Yu Lik-wai – have been invited to re-imagine the city’s history and stories that resonate with the neighbourhood. Re-inhabiting neglected spaces in the heart of Yau Ma Tei – shops, offices, a park and an empty lot under a flyover – each artist recounts their own perspective of contemporary Hong Kong, ranging from the abstract to the literal, from the political to the everyday. Exhibition comes with iPhone App (TEXT by MOBILE M+)

2) Art East Island and Chai Wan Mei Open Studios + Gift Shop / COOL ART DISTRICT

Hong Kong galleries, artists and non-profits have joined forces once again to show specially curated exhibitions and open artist’s studios during Art HK 12 in Hong Kong’s newest arts district in industrial warehouse spaces.  Shuttle buses will be organized daily from the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center to Chai Wan and back. Art East Island will expand to include Chai Wan Mei on Saturday May 19th, with more creative spaces open to the public and all day free public shuttle bus service. For details programs at Art East Island you may follow them on Facebook “10 Chancery Lane Gallery / Katie de Tilly Contemporary Artists” or visit website: www.arteastisland.com. (TEXT by ART EAST ISLAND)

Tangram a design studio run by fashion designer Paola Sinisterra and architect and graphic designer Ignacio Garcia will be transforming their studios in Chai Wan into a concept pop up shop for one day, showcasing a selection of products by Hong Kong-based designers and creatives curated by Tangram. Products include Tangram, Hill, Square Street, Kung Fu Kicks, HK Honey, Latitude, Creative City, Whitespace, and Emilie Sarnel. To Learn More about the Gift Shop, check it out HERE. (TEXT by TANGRAM)

3) Laurent Grasso on Pier 4 / ARCHITECTURAL INSTALLATION

This week the galleries will aim to increase their exposure and global catchment by staging massive openings and exhibitions of note around the city that are a bit extraordinary in relation to the rest of the year. For example Edouard Malingue Gallery will be constructing the new Anechonic Pavilion, an architectural work by artist Laurent Grasso on Top of Central Pier 4. More Information HERE about the Show.

Anechonic Pavilion by Larent Grasso / Pier 4 Opening Hours During ART HK12 10am-9pm / May 21-June 16 (Fri-Sun): 5-9pm and by Appointment

4) Art Flat / CURATED POP UP SHOP

Visitors to the Hong Kong International Art Fair (ART HK 12) will experience art in an unconventional and practical way with an exciting pop-up retail concept, the “Art Flat,” with all proceeds supporting Para/Site Art Space, Hong Kong’s premier non-profit contemporary art organization. Art Flat fuses culture and consumerism, high-brow and pop-culture to create an art space with universal appeal. In an art system that arguably caters to the 1% who can afford to collect, disregarding the 99% of people, Art Flat will present an inspired collection of playful art objects that brings contemporary art into the everyday life. (TEXT by ART FLAT)

Art Flat @ ART HK12 / Level 3, Booth Z11 / HKCEC

5) Daydreaming With… The Hong Kong Edition / MULTIMEDIA EXHIBITION

Simon Birch, James Lavelle, and Future Industries are pleased to present Daydreaming with… The Hong Kong Edition a multi-media exhibition showcasing new work by contemporary artists from Asia, Britain and the US. Curation by Birch and Lavelle culminates into a visceral, super-sensory show exploring the interrelationship between music and visuals through film, photography, painting & sculpture. Artists participating in the show include Prodip, Wing Shya, Huang Rui, Daniel Wu, Clark & Reilly, Azzi Glasser and FUTURA. Big closing party this Saturday, May 19th. (TEXT by FUTURE INDUSTRIES)

Daydreaming With… / ArtisTree, 1F Cornwall House, TaiKoo Place (Quarry Bay MTR Exit A) /  Exhibition Ends 7 June 2012 / HOURS: 10:30am – 7pm daily / www.daydreamingwith.com

JJ.

ART HK12 (Part 3): theWanderlister+ Fair Map and Our 2012 Top 10 Galleries You Can’t Miss

In just a few days the fifth edition of the Hong Kong Art Fair, ART HK12, will be landing upon us at the Hong Kong Convention Center located in Wanchai’s picturesque and glorious Victoria Harbour. This year, as i’ve learned from my interview with Fair Director, Magnus Renfrew, there will be over 260 Galleries around the world to exhibit their best collection of new and historic works to collectors based within the Asia-Pacific.

That said, the shear number of works within the Convention Center alone will most likely take up all your four days starting Thursday, but on top of that, there are the talks, the satellite exhibitions, events, and if you’re not from around these parts, I’m sure you will also attempt to fit in the city’s sights, tastes, and of course the shops… and when I say shops… I mean The Gift Shop at Chai Wan Mei Hosted by Tangram.

This year as a Proud Media Supporter to ART HK12, we have put together the first official theWanderlister+ x ART HK12 Fair Map to break down for you our own choice Top 10 Galleries/Artists exhibiting… ie. a list of the galleries that you definitely cannot miss; a handy guide of what I would do and see if I only had about an hour to go check out the whole Fair (which of course I don’t have only an hour… I will be there for all 4 Days + the Vernissage!) Link to the Downloadable .PDF A3-Size Art Map is at the bottom of this post. I’d like to thank friends Natasha Kaye Whiffin and Xue Tan for helping me select a few of the galleries.

Please Note: This our own personal “rule-of-thumb” guide, and by no means reflect the view of Hong Kong Art Fairs / ART HK12. Please DO however see all the works and galleries on exhibit if you have the time to do so. It’s only once a year, so MAKE TIME! This article MAY NOT represent the actual final artists and works represented by each gallery at ART HK12.

+ TheWanderlister+ Asia x ART HK12 Fair Map’s Top 10 Galleries Guide

1_ ART FUTURES: SAAMLUNG (HK) Nadim Abbas + Jon Rafman . Booth AF24

Saamlung announces its inaugural participation in the Hong Kong International Art Fair. Exhibiting in Art Futures, the section of the fair focusing on young galleries and emerging art, the gallery will present a selection of related projects from artists Nadim Abbas and Jon Rafman. Both artists are concerned with the notion of machine vision and the interplay between the image and the physical object, and will exhibit a series of interrelated installations, sculptures, and prints created specifically for the frenetic and consumerist context of a global art fair in the Asian metropolis. (Text by SAAMLUNG)

2_ OSAGE (HK) Roberto Chabet + Louie Cordero . Booth 3A10

Osage Sigma Asia 1 in ART HK12 will showcase the work of 14 artists from Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore, China, Myanmar, Thailand, and Indonesia, that show a particular curiosity towards the dark hidden facets in everyday contemporary life. An extension of the show, Osage Sigma Asia 2, will be exhibition concurrently at thier Kwun Tong Gallery in Kowloon. (Text by OSAGE)

3_ David Zwirner (NYC) Yan Pei Ming . Booth 3A07

Yan Pei Ming’s current paintings on exhibit at David Zwirner until June, relate to events in the recent and distant past which extend beyond the depiction of a singular subject to reference broad historical issues and, in the process, the gap that exists between the events and their visualization. Often taking a combination of mass media imagery and his own recollections of a motif as his starting point, Ming thus broadens a traditional understanding of the medium of painting: he refers to his large-scale canvases as “collages” of photographs and memories, while medium-specificity is further cast into question by the fluidity of the artist’s painterly technique, which at times resembles watercolor. While the historical significance of Ming’s chosen subjects is readily apparent, his works resist the traditional heroic connotations of history paintings. The artist’s aforementioned reliance on often blurry mass media source material and personal memory combine to present a sense of elusiveness that is underscored by exaggerated brushwork. Rather than documenting separate events, the paintings suggest an ongoing history in flux. (Text by David Zwirner)

4_ Lisson Gallery (London) Jason Martin + Ai WeiWei . Booth 1AS04

UK Based Jason Martin makes paintings about paint - its materiality, sculptural presence and transformative, alchemical nature. The energy of Martin’s process is palpable in a new series of rich, dark, monochromatic oil on aluminium works. Pushing the boundaries of painting is at the core of Martin’s creative process. These continuing investigations are evinced in a series of vividly intense, jewel-like pure pigment paintings. Taking a basic sculptor’s medium as his starting point, Martin has molded, scraped, and gouged the material to create a dense, turbulent, worked surface.

The exhibition will most likely also include ceramic work made by Chinese artist, Ai Weiwei. Ai Weiwei’s ceramics were produced in 2006 during an intensive working residency in Jingdezhen, the heartland of Chinese ceramic production. The traditional techniques passed on to Ai Weiwei by local craftsmen sparked a radical new direction for the artist and were the genesis of his Sunflowers Seeds installation at Tate Modern. The historical and cultural significance of the materials and techniques Ai Weiwei uses are an essential element of almost all his sculptures. Much of his work with ceramics has involved ready- mades: adapting, painting and destroying valuable ancient urns and vases. In contrast the exhibition at Lisson focuses on sculptures he has created by hand from scratch.

Both Artists are currently exhibiting at Lisson Gallery London and Milan respectively. (Text by LISSON GALLERY)

5_ ShangART (China) Yu Youhan . Booth 3A09

YU Youhan is one of the main artists of Political Pop who emerged in the avant-garde movement in the 1990’s, fusing Chinese iconography and Western artistic expression. His work has had a major impact on the cultural scene, and influenced and inspired a generation of younger artists. YU Youhan’s earlier work is directly influenced by his experiences during the Cultural Revolution, with prominent imagery of political propaganda and socialist realism. He earned fame with his highly acclaimed Mao portrait series. He decorates the iconic images with flowers that blend into the foreground and background. It is not only a decorative gesture, but also an attempt to humanize the late leader. (Text by ShangART)

6_ Greene Naftali Gallery (NYC) Paul Chan . Booth 3A14

Latest Works by Hong Kong born, NYC-based artist; Paul Chan. Expect some works from his 2009 show at Greene Naftali, titled Sade for SADE’s Sake. (More information at Greene Naftali Gallery.)

7_ Silverlens Gallery (Manila) Patricia Perez Eustaquio . Booth 1A01

Patricia Eustaquio works with the idea of memory and nostalgia through painting and sculpture. Eustaquio uses diverse materials such as leather, crochet, ceramic and resin, to convey broken narratives within her varied installations. She has lately been toying with crossovers in design, craft and art, appropriating Dutch classical paintings onto elaborately shaped canvasses, and using crocheted lace for large sculpture. (Text by Pulse Art / Silverlens Gallery ONLINE)

8_ ART HK Projects; 10 New Site Specific Installation Works + Cedric Maridet’s Sound Art

Watch out for 10 new site specific installations made just for the Fair by 10 artists for ART HK12 Projects, curated by ART HK themselves. List of Artists, currently not released so it will be a surprise. Each work will get 100sq.m of Exhibition Space with 10 spaces total throughout Hall 1 and Hall 3 of Fair Grounds. That’s a total of 1000 sq.m. of leasable space donated by ART HK to emergent artists/works. In return each patron gallery will donate transportation and installation of each art work themselves. This is an added bonus to fair goers who are looking for an extra element of surprise/educational component to their visit. Last year the ART HK Projects works by Liu Wei and Nadim Abbas were the most memorable elements in the whole fair.

In addition an Audio Sound Installation by sound artist, Cedric Maridet, will be provided to Fair-goers.

Cedric Maridet’s le son de l’art (or the sound of art) is the result of wanderings in places for art. It demands first an act of refusal by visitors putting on headphones that block out the sounds of the Fair in situ. But this first act is but a preparation for the next entry: into places for art, sounding out within and without the confines of art. The sound of art series reveals the interest in the process of transformation of the work of art by the usually resonant architectural context; steps, soundtracks, voices, are collected during the drifts among the artworks. The interest also lies in the particular situation of the gallery and museum as a conditioning element for the behavior of the audience, through particular ways to move, to walk, to talk. (Text by Soundpocket)

9_ Asia One: Blindspot Gallery (HK) Pengyi Jiang . Booth 1X11

Currently Blindspot Gallery is exhibiting Jiang Pengy’s Luminant Series. Luminant are images of glowing luminance of modern skyscrapers by night in major mainland cities. Against the darkened cityscape, the skyscrapers stand glowing in intense brightness created by overexposure. Such overexposure instills a feeling of departure from reality into the picture, which seems to urge the viewers to contemplate the city’s over-development and the society of spectacle dominated by consumption and mass media. This and photographs from his Unregistered Cities Series will be shown at the fair. (Text by Blindspot Gallery)

10_ Asia One: Yavuz Fine Art (Singapore) Navin Rwanchaikul . Booth 3X09

Born in 1971 in Chiang Mai, Navin Rawanchaikul is an internationally recognised Thai artist of Indian descent who has developed a unique and vast body of works that rely heavily on team spirit and collaboration. Questioning modern systems of artistic production and presentation, Rawanchaikul seeks for ways to put art in touch with the lives of everyday people. Rawanchaikul started to engage in a process of exploring the negotiation between local circumstances and trends of globalisation. The artist is best known for dynamic art practices that involve direct public interventions, social commentary, and an innovative style of integrating community or individual experiences into eccentric fictional tales featuring recurring characters. His oeuvre has grown to encompass a broad array of media including performances, billboards, films, comics, games, merchandises and cocktails, and he has even formed his own party, the Navin Party that aims to bring together fellow Navins from different parts of the world. (Text by Navin Production / Yavuz Fine Art ONLINE)

+ Download theWanderlister+ Asia x ART HK’12 Fair Map for FREE.

theWanderlister+ x ArtHK12_Fair Map Download Link

See you at the Fair!

http://www.hongkongartfair.com

JJ.