Five exhibitions to see in Hong Kong during Art Basel 2026
Seen all there is to see at Art Basel Hong Kong? Then flag down a red taxi and head to these five art shows that are not to miss on your visit.
1.
‘Threading Inwards’
CHAT, The Mills
Hong Kong was once home to a thriving rag trade and the Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile (CHAT) explores this history from a repurposed cotton mill in Tsuen Wan. In this flagship show, 14 artists and four curators from across Asia examine spirituality and the role that rugs, carpets and other textiles play in rituals and ceremonies. Don’t miss Marcos Kueh’s monumental new work, The Spirit of Labour: Zhinü, the latest in his ongoing textile series that draws on Industrial Revolution-era union banners.
‘Threading Inwards’ is on at CHAT until 28 June.
2.
‘Certainly’
Gold by Serakai Studio
The industrial-turned-artsy neighbourhood of Wong Chuk Hang has a new resident: a salon and exhibition space called Gold. Its inaugural show, Certainly, is inspired by artist-composer La Monte Young’s 1960 event score “Draw a straight line and follow it” and invites artists to meditate on the condition of uncertainty. For Serakai Studio co-founder and curatorial director Tobias Berger, the theme is particularly pertinent to those working in the contemporary art field. “You have to be flexible and you have to like uncertainty,” he says. Berger whisked our culture editor around Wong Chuk Hang for our newspaper, The Hong Kong Correspondent – see it here.
‘Certainly’ is on at Serakai Studio’s Gold until 3 May.
3.
‘Site-seeing’
Para Site
Alternative art institution Para Site has turned 30 and it’s marking the milestone with a year of exhibitions. Launching the line-up is Site-seeing – a showcase referencing a group show from 1996, giving artists from the region another opportunity to examine city life. Expect barbed-wire curtains, unmanned surveillance stations and lots of screens. Thai artist Nawin Nuthong’s digital triptych is a highlight.
‘Site-seeing’ is on at Para Site until 14 June.
4.
‘HKG-TYO 1974-2023’
WKM Gallery
Wong Chuk Hang’s WKM Gallery is on a mission to elevate photography in the Asian art scene and this solo exhibition by Canadian artist Greg Girard (read our interview with the photographer here) could be just the ticket. The show features shots of Tokyo and Hong Kong taken in the 1970s to the present day, contrasting with scenes from the cities’ various neighbourhoods. “We started talking about doing an exhibition around a year ago,” says WKM director William Kayne Mukai. “We wanted to create something special and unique, and through our conversations we realised that we both have strong links with Hong Kong and Tokyo.”
‘HKG-TYO 1974-2023’ is on at WKM Gallery until 23 May.
5.
‘Ted Gahl: Roam’
Villepin
Villepin recently celebrated its five-year anniversary. During those years, the two-storey gallery on Hollywood Road has held ambitious and imaginative exhibitions for the likes of Zao Wou-Ki and Myonghi Kang. Gallerist and founder Arthur de Villepin has a personal connection with the work of Ted Gahl, having first started to collect the American painter’s abstract pieces in 2021. Now, Villepin has dedicated an entire exhibition to the artist’s work. Once you’ve revelled in the calming, colourful pieces, take a peek at the gallery’s newly renovated library.
‘Ted Gahl: Roam’ is on at Villepin until 7 May.
