Art Central 2025, now in its tenth edition, was held over five days from March 26 to 30 at the Central Harbourfront in Hong Kong. With participation from over 100 galleries and more than 500 emerging and internationally renowned artists, the fair served as a vibrant platform for collectors and art buyers to discover new talent.

We bring you the highlights of Art Central Hong Kong 2025, alongside the concurrent excitement of Art Basel Hong Kong 2025.

Art Central Hong Kong 2025 Highlight

Whitestone Gallery's Booth

Whitestone Gallery welcomed visitors with a striking presence, situated to the left of the entrance in the exhibition hall. Among the featured artists, works by Miwa Komatsu,Soonik Kwon, and Katsuyoshi Inokuma garnered significant attention from collectors and proved especially popular.

Other artists on view—Karen Shiozawa, Aruta Soup, three, and Ronald Ventura—also drew considerable interest from fairgoers.

Outdoor Installation by Philip Colbert

Among the participating artists, Philip Colbert stood out not only within the Art Central venue, but also through his installations at K11 MUSEA (a cultural-retail destination)and along the scenic Victoria Harbour waterfront. His vibrant works drew crowds, with many guests stopping to take photos.

Ay-O Featured in Whitestone Gallery’s Booth and Beyond

A newly introduced program this year, ‘Legend’, drew significant attention from fairgoers for its initiative to connect past and present through art.

Curated by Enoch Cheng, the project spotlighted six pioneering artists born before 1970, each of whom has played a vital role in the development of contemporary art in the Asia-Pacific region.

Cheng noted, “They were groundbreaking figures of their time, and their influence remains immeasurable.”

Through this exhibition, Art Central reaffirmed Hong Kong’s role not only in contemporary art, but also as a key link in the broader history of art.

Ay-O was selected as one of the featured artists in the ‘Legend’ sector.His work was presented not only at the Whitestone Gallery booth but was also prominently highlighted throughout Art Central, drawing the attention of a wide range of visitors.

Artwork by Emily Kam Kngwarray

One of the standout artists at the fair was Emily Kam Kngwarray, who drew significant attention from visitors with her powerful presence.

A member of the Anmatyerr people from the Northern Territory of Australia, Kngwarray created works inspired by her deep connection to nature, spirit, and land.

Her paintings often feature motifs of plants and yam seeds—“Kam,” part of her name, means “yam”—expressed through vibrant colors and intricate dotting techniques that convey movement and rhythm.

Her artistic practice emphasizes ties to family, ancestors, and land, and she views art as a means of protecting her cultural heritage. Her work has received widespread international acclaim.

Whitestone Gallery's Booth

Art Central also featured a variety of programs and events that contributed to the lively atmosphere throughout the fair.

One such event was Night Central, a recurring evening program with a different format each year. This year, it took place on March 26 from 5:00 to 9:00 PM, following the public opening hours. The venue transformed into a vibrant space where visitors enjoyed not only gallery exhibitions but also drinks and live music.

Another notable initiative was Neo Sector, a platform that spotlighted galleries established within the past one to two years. Aimed at supporting emerging talent and building connections with collectors and institutions, the section brought together diverse narratives into a unified art scene.
As curator Corey Andrew Barr noted, Art Central should remain a crucial launching ground for new artists.

Art Basel Hong Kong 2025 Highlight

Scene from Art Basel Hong Kong 2025

Art Basel Hong Kong is a major international fair featuring 242 galleries from 42 countries and regions.

This year, 23 galleries including those from India, Australia, and South Africa joined the fair for the first time. The event was organized around three main sectors.

In the Galleries sector, a diverse range of leading and emerging galleries from Europe, the U.S., and the Asia-Pacific region took part. Notable participants included Rossi & Rossi (Hong Kong), Ronchini Gallery (London), as well as Japanese galleries such as ANOMALY and Kaikai Kiki Gallery.

The Discoveries sector spotlighted solo presentations by emerging artists from around the world.

The Insights sector focused on artists from the Asia-Pacific region and featured exhibitions exploring Asian photographic history. Highlighted galleries included Flowers Gallery (Hong Kong / London), AKI Gallery (Taipei), and Takuro Someya Contemporary Art (Tokyo).

Spanning two floors and nearly five times the size of Art Central, Art Basel offered an expansive and truly international atmosphere, with a strong presence of galleries from across the globe, particularly from Europe and the United States.

Installation view featuring works by Rirkrit Tiravanija and Philippe Parreno

Particularly striking were Rirkrit Tiravanija’s provocative text work “ASIANS MUST EAT RICE” and Philippe Parreno’s floating fish installation, both of which captured the attention of many visitors.

This year’s Art Basel Hong Kong featured a weeklong series of public programs both inside and outside the fairgrounds.

One of the most notable projects was Night Charades, a new work by Ho Tzu Nyen, which was screened nightly for three months on the façade of M+.

The work reimagines iconic scenes from Hong Kong cinema through animation, using AI-driven image reconstruction and real-time algorithmic editing processes. By doing so, it explores the history of Hong Kong cinema from a new perspective—drawing the attention of many passersby.

During this period of artistic fervor concentrated in Hong Kong, Whitestone Gallery also played a role in showcasing the unique appeal of its artists, including Ay-O.