Basel Bling

CEBU, Philippines - Art Basel HK, as usual, was a veritable visual feast.
It might have been chilly and grey outside, but inside the Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Center, the atmosphere was decidedly hot.  Hot artists and blistering art set the fair on fire, as galleries all over the world vied for the attention of Asia's most finicky collectors.
That was such an irresistible combination that on its last day, the lines to get into Asia's biggest art fair literally hosted thousands: it snaked one level down the escalators, out the hall's driveway, wound several times over the entirety of the sidewalk, and ended up curbside.  Thank goodness for the VIP pass that had been bestowed by Cristina Uy, a Filipina lawyer based in Hong Kong.  That pass allowed the holder to go in and out of the fair at will, and believe me, given the humongous size of the fair, one day isn't enough to absorb all that this prestigious event had to offer.
Where to start. The Philippine galleries might be a good place, as The Drawing Room, Silverlens, and a couple of other Manila galleries proudly displayed the best in Philippine talent. Gallerists Jun and Kathleen Villalon of The Drawing Room featured the eye-popping Japanese dolls and neon strips of Miguel Aquilizan, an assemblage that attracted numerous selfie takers. (Children, in particular, seemed drawn to the intricate Easter egg and lollipop attachments that accompanied the dolls, and the Villalon couple had their hands full trying to warn curious children from getting their eyes poked by the sharp spiky sticks).
That, plus seeing regular gallery customer and former matinee idol Aga Muhlach, was all the excitement I was able to catch by this corner, as I had the misfortune of missing David Beckham, with four bodyguards in tow, who, from the breathless anecdote told to me, had spent nearly half an hour admiring the booth. (Should I mention that Charlize Theron was chairing the amFAR ball in honor of Pansy Ho that very night?)
Over by Silverlens, Patricia Perez Eustaquio meticulously sketched irises and orbs on Philippine mother-of-pearl shells, while macabre hospital stretchers in grim black forced the viewers’ imagination the work overdrive in an installation by Pio Abad.  But that wasn't all for Philippine pride. Pio Abad, in particular, had been given a capsule exhibit that featured hundreds of black handbags arranged in grim, repetitive rows, their gold zippers identically arranged just so.
A minor controversy began circulating among the Pinoys when it was noted that two foreign galleries carried works by two different artists that were conceptually similar to the infinity mirrors of Filipino contemporary artist Mark Justiniani. "Mark was first!" went the battlecry. (In fact, the Drawing Room had featured Justiniani in its Art Basel booth two years prior). Whatever the truth to the alleged copying, there remains no doubt that Justiniani is an acknowledged giant in the art world.
Takashi Murakami's design studio, Kaikai Kiki, was back at Art Basel, and apprentice Tatsuya narrated that until 9 in the morning of the vernissage, the guru had still been installing bits and pieces of the booth.  Schoolgirl pop anime seemed like the theme for the booth, with deftly shaped pottery dominating the receiving area. Tatsuya warmly issued an invite for the Tokyo design studio, letting it slip that new exhibits were unveiled every month, with events in between. (That might be my cue to head over to the Tokyo art fair pretty soon.)
In what seemed like an unusual coincidence (or was this the beginning of a movement?) a trio of galleries featured Chinese artists and their video installations. Most unusual were the video panels installed by Jiang Zhi in his piece entitled "Tremble," which featured fully naked men and women atop vibrating platforms, their jiggly parts displayed to the world in a variety of angles.
I haven't had the pleasure of encountering Jean Michel Basquiat's works, even though I've read so many reviews on his prodigious talent and various references to his place in American contemporary art.  Such a thrill, therefore, to see a sprinkling of his powerfully rendered images at Basel.  There was even a funky piece that was on display, entitled “Eggs,” where he had collaborated with Andy Warhol! What a treat!
The highlight for me, however, was encountering the work of American artist Kehinde Wiley, whose rendering of The Virgin Martyr St. Cecilia was stunning. "What was it"? you might ask. Well, nothing religious or Catholic. It was just a black man laying face down, surrounded by a field of flowers. But the strokes were sublime, and the light on the skin was incandescent.  What I would have given to be able to acquire the piece? (My soul?)
Mergers and acquisitions lawyer Patricia Tan-Openshaw zeroed in on the same Australian artist I had already earmarked the day before, Rob McHaffee, and we lobbed fruitless dares to each other to work up enough nerve to cough up the thousands of dollars necessary to bring home a piece.
With Investment banker Thiam Kit in the meantime, we had the pleasure of meeting Vietnamese artist Dinh Q Le, a former refugee.  Le's stretched photographs of Syrian refugee corpses run for hundreds of feet, succeeding in blurring the disturbing scene from the viewer.  In explanation, Le explains that this echoes the barrage of images that we have learned to ignore, all to prove that we have to pay attention to what matters in this world.
And still, there were yet more artists and artworks to absorb, and I had to call it quits after three full days of shuttling back and forth among the booths hosting Picassos, Boteros, and Warhols. My poor feet!  (Also seen stretching their legs at various resting spots were designer Rhett Eala, actor Eric Quizon and Wild Flour restaurateur Anna Lorenzana-de Ocampo.)
Cebu-based Joanna Arong, a known art enthusiast, was giddy about all she had discovered, and we spent a bit of time showing each other photos of art faves before we suddenly realized that all the originals were still around us. We determinedly broke away to hunt for yet more wonders.
What a never-ending sensory overload!  Yet, this experience is definitely one I do not regret, and for sure, I'm signing up for next year's edition.  Now, how to get my hands on another VIP pass? (FREEMAN)