Fuyuhiko Takata “Cut Suits” (video still) 2023.Courtesy of WAITINGROOM

Written by: Meighan Ashford

Art Basel’s Hong Kong fair features premiere galleries from Asia and more, providing global artistic perspectives through Modern and contemporary art.

Here are some of our favorite photography and video presentations that were on display at the 11th edition of Art Basel: Hong Kong.

kyoungtae kim | whistle

Kyoungtae Kim, “*Optical Sequence” (*installation view) 2024, archival pigment print. Courtesy of the artist and Whistle Gallery.

The presentation by Kyoungtae Kim, a masterful synthesis of form and concept, invites viewers to go on a journey of self-discovery and enlightenment and stands as a testament to the transformative power of art. Kim's work is captivating and varied, using a wide variety of media and styles. .

Many existential questions arise during a visitor's exploration of Kim's exhibition, which persists long after viewing the last piece. In a world growing more and more automated, what does it mean to be human? How do we balance our innate loneliness with our need for connection? Through his artwork, Kim does not provide simple solutions; instead, he challenges and inspires viewers to set out on a path of self-discovery and enlightenment, which will ultimately transform those who are brave enough to take it.

“The photographs all depict a single subject matter—a hex key wrench. In an attempt to highlight the intricate surface texture of this small object, Kim uses the technique known as focus stacking to reveal aspects of an object otherwise imperceptible to the human eye.”
-Whistle Gallery

Candida Höfer | ben brown fine arts

Candida Höfer. *The Presence of Absence*, 2024 Site-specific installation. ©Candida Höfer, Courtesy of Ben Brown Fine Arts.
Photography by Ringo Cheung

Candida Höfer is well known for her ability to capture the spirit of architectural spaces. Through her lens, she explores the relationship between light, form, and human absence, taking viewers on a visual odyssey.

A captivating investigation of architectural spaces can be found at Candida Höfer's presentation with Ben Brown Fine Arts. Höfer is renowned for her ability to capture the spirit of buildings, and her collection transports viewers to a place of peace and reflection. She can turn even the most ordinary places into hallowed sanctuaries, letting viewers get lost in the maze-like passageways of the human imagination. Perhaps the most remarkable feature of Höfer's art is her grasp of the innate loneliness of the built environment. Her images show silent, motionless, empty chairs that wait for their former occupants to return. Long, empty hallways stretch into the distance, their reverberating silence a sign of time passed.

Fuyuhiko Takata | WAITINGROOM

Fuyuhiko Takata, “*Cut Suits*”(right), 2023 & “The Butterfly Dream” (left), 2022. single channel video with sound, 6min.12sec.
©︎Fuyuhiko Takata courtesy of the artist and WAITINGROOM

Fuyuhiko Takata's hypnotic video works, “Cut Suits” and “The Butterfly Dream” were presented by WAITINGROOM.

Takata's multiscreen installation combines a disquieting soundtrack with shifting visuals to produce a pleasing sensory experience. Takata encourages viewers to accept the invisible forces influencing our perceptions through his artwork. Walking out of Takata's installation reminds us of the limitless potential of human imagination and leaves us feeling amazed. His work shows beauty in the unknown and acts as a beacon of hope in a chaotic world.

“The artist thus brings Western art into conversation with his identity as a Japanese contemporary artist by fetishizing the figure of the “salaryman,” the icon of corporate masculinity in Japan, so often imagined packed into rush-hour trains like sushi. Teasingly cutting away at the threads that shackle these souls to destinies of heteronormativity and capitalist machismo, he humanizes them and rescues their innocent joy enshrouded just beneath the surface.”
-WAITINGROOM

PATRICIA L. BOYD | christian anderson

Patricia L. Boyd. “*151.Knives, spoons (Contents in the Storage Problem)*”, 2023. Moving box, plywood light box,
prints, feathers, cutlery, glass. 66.5 x 92.5 x 92.5 cm. GBP 8.800
Courtesy of the artist and Christian Andersen.

The deep intimacy of Patricia L. Boyd's photogravures (“Untitled”) & floor-based sculptures strike visitors as soon as they walk through Christian Andersen’ presentation at this year’s fair. Titled "Contents in the Storage Problem," Boyd's sculptures provide a glimpse into her most private feelings and ideas, allowing visitors to experience a profoundly intimate journey through her creative investigation.

“marked by the violence of transport, of movement and memory, [...] defined by the cut—of place, time, material, relation, image, desire—and its montage of frames."
-Quinn Latimer, Curator

The soft interplay of light and shadow creates an ethereal atmosphere immediately apparent upon entering the gallery space. Boyd's evocative works can be experienced immersively thanks to the calm atmosphere.

wolfgang tilmans | david zwirner

Installation view, Wolfgang Tillmans “*Easter, b*” (left), 2012 David Zwirner, Booth 1C20, at Art Basel Hong Kong, 2024.
Courtesy David Zwirner

Wolfgang Tillmans emphasizes fleeting moments in his work, giving his pictures a sense of both impermanence and vibrant presence. He engages viewers in conversation by questioning traditional photography through abstract compositions.
Tillmans's work is nevertheless firmly grounded in universal human experiences—love, longing, and resilience—despite his experimental methodology. His pictures arouse feelings of everything from exuberance to solitude.