Elite Traveler January-February 2015

INSPIRE ART

HONGKONG International galleries such as Gagosian and White Cube have brought star names to Hong Kong, but the country’s homegrown art scene is also blossoming. “Art Basel in Hong Kong [launched in 2013] provides an important platform for the local art scene,” says dealer Pearl Lam, whose international roster includes emerging local artist Morgan Wong (whose video performance featured in a 2010 Tate Modern show, No Soul for Sale , of the best experimental art from around the world). Unlike Doha, Hong Kong’s artists are unafraid of controversy. Take veteran Kwok Mang Ho, better known as Frog King. Since the 1970s he has made a career out of shock, tying plastic bags in Tiananmen Square or using rotten eggs for sculptures and installations, which can fetch up to $40,000. Likewise, Tsang Kin-Wah, who combines foul text with beautiful floral patterns. Gritty, political and social issues are also faced in the work of photographer Stanley Wong, whose Lanwei series (under his alter-ego

Anothermountain) looked at the city’s aborted construction projects. And it’s there in the work of Kacey Wong, the multimedia artist who launched a mock international competition to design a logo for the recent democracy movement. “They dare to show their inner personality, which everyone can relate to. Because the art isn’t made just to sell or be shiny it has depth to it,” says Katie de Tilly, owner of 10 Chancery Lane Gallery, one of the region’s most respected contemporary art galleries. “Chinese artists jump on trends and make art like the West, such as Pop Art, but you don’t see that in Hong Kong,” she says. And the global art market likes it. “Auction houses are developing their knowledge and lending the local artists space to grow because the issues they are addressing are modern and dramatically different to elsewhere, such as overcrowded living conditions,” says Adriana Alvarez- Nichol, international art dealer and vice-president of the Hong Kong Gallery Association.

Below: Art Basel Gallery, Hong Kong. Opposite: the Sky Bridge leading to the Sky Lounge at Upper House, Hong Kong

WHERE TO STAY RUSSIA Book the Luxury Suite at the contemporary Barvikha Hotel & Spa in Moscow, and you get a private steam room and countryside views from the exclusive terrace. Price from $2,000, 00 7 495 225 88 80, info@ barvikhahotel.com, barvikhahotel.com ET contact: For insider info or a supercar test drive, contact Viktoria Klokova. URUGUAY Atchugarry and other Uruguayan art talent are on show across the estate of the Estancia Vik José Ignacio hotel. The Badaró Suite’s has stunning ranch views. Price: $550. 00 598 95 905 540, reservations@ vikretreats.com, estanciavikjoseignacio.com ET contact: Guadelope Cuenca can guide guests to hidden galleries and the most coveted lunch spot. DOHA New art hotel Marsa Malaz – Kempinski Doha features mosaics and artworks by Hassan, Ahmad and others. The Royal Suite’s 4th floor private terrace, has an open-air Jacuzzi and 24-hour butler service. Prices: $28,000 per night. 00 97 444 053 333, kempinski.com/en/doha/marsa-malaz-kempinski- the-pearl-doha MEXICO Mexico City’s most stylish hotel is Las Alcobas. Book the Corner Room, which overlooks swanky Masaryk Avenue, home to the Hermès and Cartier boutiques. Price from US$459, 00 52 (55) 3300 3900. reservations@lasalcobas.com. lasalcobas.com ET contact: Concierge Aarón Caballero can arrange private art shopping; if you need a butler, ask for Hugo Mora or Jose Luis Rey. HONG KONG Hong Kong’s chicest place to stay is The Upper House, an 117-room hotel filled with stunning contemporary art by the likes of Choi Tae-Hoon and Cynthia Sah. Look across Victoria Harbour to the East Mountain from the 48th Floor Penthouse (4805). Price from $2,200, 00 852 3968 1111, reservations@upperhouse.com, upperhouse.com ET contact: Speak to Kristina Snaith for the best local advice on the city’s galleries and shops.