BASEL.- Annette Schönholzer and Marc Spiegler, the directors of Art Basel, announced today details of Art Basel’s future show in Hong Kong. The first edition will take place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) from Thursday, May 23, to Sunday, May 26, 2013.

Magnus Renfrew, whose leadership made ART HK the premier art show in Asia, has been appointed as Art Basel's Director Asia. Annette Schönholzer and Marc Spiegler, the directors of Art Basel, will continue to develop Art Basel's global activities through three annual shows and further projects. As a member of Art Basel's Executive Board, which will be co-chaired by Schönholzer and Spiegler, Renfrew will lead Art Basel’s edition in Hong Kong and spearhead Art Basel’s activities in Asia.

The Art Basel show in Asia, lead sponsor Deutsche Bank, will thus replace ART HK in 2013. The new show will present more than 250 of the leading galleries from Asia, Europe, the Americas and the rest of the world, selected by a newly formed Selection Committee. More than 2,000 artists, ranging from young emerging artists to the Modern masters from both Asia and the West, will be represented in the show’s multiple sectors. The exhibition will include the highest quality paintings, sculptures, drawings, installations, photographs, video and editioned works from the 20th and 21st centuries, from Asia and the rest of the world. Gallery applications will open on Monday, June 11, 2012. Full details about the sectors and the Selection Committee will be released then.

Founded in 1970, Art Basel stages the world's premier art shows for Modern and contemporary works in Basel, Switzerland, and Miami Beach, Florida, in the United States. With the addition of the Hong Kong show, Art Basel will be active in three major regions: Asia, Europe and the Americas. While all three shows will feature leading international galleries from around the world, each show will be unique, defined by its host city and region.

Annette Schönholzer, Co-Director, Art Basel, commented: “We are delighted to be launching a new Art Basel show in Asia. Art Basel has been observing the phenomenal growth in the art scene in Asia for years. This new show aspires to play a central role in creating new bridges between the Western art scene and the rapidly emerging contemporary art scene throughout Asia. We are also delighted that Magnus Renfrew will be Director Asia for Art Basel and to be working with the entire team in Hong Kong. Magnus launched and built ART HK into Asia’s premier art event. He has an invaluable network of contacts, great experience, and a strong reputation across Asia."

Marc Spiegler, Co-Director, Art Basel, added: “Art Basel’s new Hong Kong show will excellently compliment our established shows in Basel and Miami Beach. Moving forward, each show will offer visitors a unique experience. As is the case in Basel and Miami Beach, the Hong Kong show will draw more than 50 percent of its galleries from its home region – Asia and the entire Eastern hemisphere. Providing Art Basel with strong local partners, Hong Kong’s cultural scene has evolved considerably in recent years: alongside the cultural institutions M+, Asia Society, Asia Art Archive and Para/Site, the gallery scene has expanded rapidly. We look forward to being part of the development of the art scene in Hong Kong and Asia, providing a global platform for its galleries and artists.”

Magnus Renfrew, Director Asia, Art Basel said: “It has been a privilege to be part of the extraordinary growth of the art scene in Hong Kong and in Asia in the last five years. The launch of Art Basel in Hong Kong heralds a new chapter in this development. I am excited to be working with Marc, Annette and the Art Basel team to create an art show of global stature grounded in Asia.”