Three More Galleries Have Pulled Out of Art Basel Hong Kong Despite the Fair’s Many Perks for Dealers Who Stick It Out

Three more galleries have
withdrawn from this year’s edition of Art Basel Hong Kong amid
ongoing pro-democracy protests in the city.

Luxembourg & Dayan of New York and London, Tyler
Rollins Fine Art of New York, and SCAI The Bathhouse from Tokyo
have all pulled out of the fair, an Art Basel representative
confirmed. The defections come just two months before the event is
scheduled to open on March 19 and after the fair offered dealers
extra time to capitalize on a reduced withdrawal fee, allowing them
to pay 75 percent of the booth cost rather than the full
amount. (The news was
first reported by the Financial
Times; the three
galleries have not yet responded to Artnet News’s request for
comment.)

The trio joins two unnamed
galleries that were accepted to the 2020 fair before defecting last
fall. Other businesses, including Stuart Shave/Modern
Art, Galerie Karsten Greve, and Goodman Gallery, chose not to
return to the expo despite participating
previously. 

The withdrawal offer was one of
many concessions and inducements the show’s organizers have made to
participating dealers amid the tumultuous political
climate. Fifteen percent of
exhibitors took advantage of an offer to reduce the size of their
booths—and thus, the commensurate fee. Other perks include special
orders for booths, discounted hotel rooms, a battalion of art
handlers—and even discounts at a few restaurants in
town.

Also stoking fears was an
article published in The Art Newspaper last month, which
reported that dealers were having difficulty securing insurance
coverage for shipped artworks. ABHK organizers are working with a
local insurance broker to offer coverage, albeit at 20 times the
normal rate.

Considering the wave of dramatic
press and uncertainty, however, participation numbers remain
strong. The withdrawals
constitute less than two percent of ABHK’s total lineup. The fair
still boasts 241 participating galleries. 

The last major wave of Hong Kong
protests took place on January
1, when a serene New Year’s Day march ended with demonstrators
and police clashing in the streets, ending weeks of relative
calm. 

Should the fair be forced to
close due to ongoing civil tension in Hong Kong, organizers have
committed to refunding 75 percent of galleries’ fees. As of now,
there is no indication that this will be the case, an Art Basel
spokesperson said, noting that preparation for the fair has been
business as usual. 

“We have recently sent out VIP invitations and
are pleased to confirm that VIP registration numbers are currently
consistent with previous years and are especially strong from Asia,
in particular,” the representative said. Still, word has been
circulating that galleries will host fewer parties and events
during the fair to avoid the appearance of the art world sipping
champagne while activists fight for freedom. 

The post Three More Galleries Have Pulled Out of Art Basel
Hong Kong Despite the Fair’s Many Perks for Dealers Who Stick It
Out appeared first on artnet News.