An overview of M+ building located in the West Kowloon District of Hong Kong. Courtesy of M+ Hong Kong.
As the second edition of the Frieze Seoul art fair took place in September, a debate has arisen regarding Seoul’s potential to become Asia’s premier art hub, possibly challenging Hong Kong’s status. Some have even speculated about Frieze Seoul replacing Art Basel Hong Kong, Asia’s largest art fair. Doryun Chong, the deputy director and chief curator of Hong Kong’s M+ museum, suggests that rather than direct competition, the two cities could function as complementary pillars in Asia’s thriving art scene. Chong highlights that Asia, given its vast size, could benefit from having at least two major art fairs, each serving as a commercial platform to bring together people from various parts of the world.
Chong emphasizes the unique strengths of both Seoul and Hong Kong in the art world. Seoul is known for its robust artist community, boasting a higher number of art schools, museums, and galleries compared to Hong Kong. However, Hong Kong has established itself as a significant hub for the commercial art sector, hosting major auction houses such as Sotheby’s, Christie’s, and Phillips for decades. Additionally, Hong Kong is home to the West Kowloon Cultural District and M+, Asia’s first global museum of visual culture. Chong, who has made significant contributions to the art world, underscores the importance of working with art objects and the social aspects of museum work in his career, which started in the U.S. prior to joining M+ in Hong Kong.
