Art galleries are a dime a dozen in artistic cities like London and New York. Unfortunately, Hong Kong is usually not thought of in the same way. There are numerous galleries here, all showcasing some beautiful artwork for you to have a look at. And, the great thing is, all of these are free!
1. White Cube Gallery
The White Cube Gallery began humbly in Bermondsey, London, a quirky artistic district with tonnes of galleries. White Cube Hong Kong was opened in March 2012 in Central, the first outside of the UK. The gallery is 6000 sq ft, offering ample space to display the varied exhibitions of interesting artwork to the public. Tuesday – Saturday, 11am – 7pm 50 Connaught Road, Central, Hong Kong
2. Pearl Lam Galleries
Pearl Lam Gallery was one I stumbled upon when I invariably just looked at the Pedder Building directory and decided to take a look. The most recent exhibition is called Acts of Transgression, showcasing contemporary modern artwork. There are nine artists that have contributed to this exhibition, all of which are exceptional. The gallery offers an information sheet and an artwork map, where you can read all about the art you are seeing. The large empty space and clean white walls are extremely effective in adding to the minimalist artistic aesthetic that they are going for, bringing more emphatic focus onto the individual pieces. The exhibition is open until 31st August so you should definitely get going! It will be replaced by another, equally interesting exhibition, I’m sure, so keep Pearl Lam in mind when you’re looking for a great gallery to visit on your next trip to Central. Monday – Saturday, 10am – 7pm 6/F, Pedder Building, 12 Pedder Street, Central, Hong Kong
3. Massimo De Carlo
Massimo De Carlo’s Carnival was another exhibition I simply ‘stumbled upon’. As I was heading down to the ground floor of Pedder Building in the elevator, someone got on from the 3/F, where Massimo De Carlo’s gallery is located. I immediately rushed out, keen to take a look at some more beautiful artwork. De Carlo did not disappoint. His gallery curated artwork from artists Matthew Monahan, Luigi Ontani and Zhao Ghang, all of different ethnicities and showcasing extremely different artistic perspectives. Carnival is open until 9th September. Tuesday – Saturday, 10:30am – 7pm 3/F, Pedder Building, 12 Pedder Street, Central, Hong Kong
4. Gagosian Gallery
The Gagosian galleries are worldwide, with locations all over the USA and in cities like London, Paris, Rome, Athens and now Hong Kong. Their exhibitions mostly feature contemporary and modern artwork but have, on occasion, showcased more famous and established artists like Calude Monet, Alberto Giacometti and Andy Warhol. Their gallery is currently closed for an installation of a new exhibition and is due to open again in early September with a brand new showcase of artwork. Tuesday – Saturday, 11am – 7pm 7/F Pedder Building, 12 Pedder Street, Central, Hong Kong As you may be able to discern, three of these four galleries are located in Pedder Building and all of them are in Central. My advice, other than visiting these particular galleries is to explore Central and Pedder Building specifically to find even more galleries that I have not had the pleasure of visiting yet. In addition, it’s not only Central that plays host to beautiful art galleries so venture further out to places like Tsim Sha Tsui and Sheung Wan as well. Go forth now and soak up the artistry – it’s worth it, I promise.
