ArtHK 2010, main course.

Note: This entry contains NUDITY and other such things that require an open mind, therefore reader discretion is advised. Also, please allow time for loading.

You're going to want to read this post because it will have stuff we're not publishing in the magazine as we are obedient and good law-abiding citizens. Yes.

Matteo Pugliese, Closed (2010), Bronze sculpture, 120 x 150 x 25cm

The crossed arms of the law. We love Pugliese's sculptures, they look like they just appeared out of another dimension. This fellow above, though, seems not amused. At all.

Matteo Pugliese, To Astra (2009), Bronze sculpture, 36.5 x 30.5 x 14cm

We thought this one aptly represents the action of Headwall. But more than that, just look at the exquisite form. Suspended animation. And no one knows better about that than these eclectic girls:

A Keitai Girl performance of Noriko Yamaguchi's Hong Kong Wonderland on the vernissage night.

Ma Jun, Porcelain Car, Fiberglass, oil paint, Michael Schultz Gallery

Sexy curator-types say this is their vehicle of choice. Well, here's another vehicle in an exceedingly odd situation. Asides from being in an art fair, which is an arguably odd experience.

Li Wei, Live at the High Place 5 (2008), 176 x 468cm, Edition 8

Everytime i see something in this arc of momentum, i just can't help but be reminded of Cai Guo-Qiang's 99 wolves. By the way, you really should have a look at Li Wei's surreal conceptual photography here. S0 very charmingly amusing.

Wen Fang, Rain (2009), Images of garbage printed on steel knives

Not a drizzle we'd want to be under. These naked blades formed impressive silhouettes, and a sharp message at that.

Jeon Joonho, Sweet Valentine (2008-9), Gingko wood, gold plated fiberglass and resin, 230 x 125 x 63cm

Jaume Plensa, Soul of Words (2009), Stainless steel and marble pebbles, 220 x 195 x 195cm

This is very much like how we felt at ArtHK.

Choi So Young, London Street at Night (2010), Denim, 130 x 130cm

We've been keeping an eye out for So Young's works since we first saw them at CAIS Gallery's booth at ArtSingapore last year. Urbanity in denim.

Agus Suwage, Man of the Year (2009), Watercolor on Paper, 227.5 x 229cm

Agus Suwage is always a favourite.

We're really not sure who is the artist behind this but it was at the Art Issue Projects corner, attracting a good deal of crowd for obvious reasons. Symbolism galore, much?

Chen Long-Bin, Manhattan Guanyin (2008), Mixed Media, 50 x 28 x 30cm

Carved out of telephone directories. We really would've never guessed if we hadn't taken a good look, as the texture of it was so convincingly solid.

This is the starred lineup for the Intelligence 2 Asia Live Debate, with the motion You Don't Need Great Skill to be a Great Artist. Against the motion: Hans Ulrich Obrist & Sarah Thornton (left side), for the motion: Tim Marlow & Antony Gormley (right side), moderator: Deborah Kan (middle) of newsanchoring fame. So how did this thoroughly exciting debate go? Read issue8 to find out why it involved kangaroo bollocks and Jackson Pollock.

In the next post, we will serve desserts of our own picks from ArtHK.

ArtHK 2010, appetizer course.

Note: This entry contains sensitive material and other such things that require an open mind, therefore reader discretion is advised. Also, please allow time for loading.

You're going to want to read this post because it will have stuff we're not publishing in the magazine as we are obedient and good law-abiding citizens. Yes.

With 155 galleries from 29 countries exhibiting, it was quite a herculean feat to explore every inch of the ArtHK2010's exhibition hall. Even after two days of walking and photographing, we still feel there might have been a corner or an artwork that we missed... or that could merely be our OCD speaking.

We're going to skip the formalities and go straight to the artworks. I don't think i need to reiterate how awesome ArtHK is here, do I? That it's the leading art fair in Asia? That it has White Cube, Lisson Gallery, Gagosian Gallery, SCAI THE BATHHOUSE, amongst other top international galleries, exhibiting? That if you look left you'll spot Hans Ulrich Obrist and Dr Gene Sherman, to your right there's Takashi Murakami and Zhang Xiaogang and- oh, is that Antony Gormley in the flesh? If you'll pardon the pun.

If last year's wow first impression was the fat naked dude (Mu Boyan's Nude No 2), then this year's is:

NOT VITAL, Tongue (2008), Stainless Steel, 780 x 170 x 150cm, courtesy of Ben Brown Fine Arts, Galerie Urs Meile and Sperone Westwater.

And this is just outside the hall. Once you go past the registration counter, you'll be greeted by the sound of birds chirping. Now what multimedia installation could this -

Rirkrit Tiravanija, Ne Travaillez Jamais, courtesy of Tang Contemporary Art

- they're real birds! Rirkrit's towering bamboo cages and the tall steel tongue, big ben and (pregnant) statue of liberty replica outside... there seems to be a very vertical theme this year.

Okay, so we're going to start with the big boys first.

Damien Hirst, The Inescapable Truth (2005)

This surreal work in quintessential Hirst formaldehyde-style was sold by White Cube for £1.75 million. There were plenty of Hirst works, and i can never stare long enough at his butterfly-wing rose window motif 'paintings'. There's something so sadistically beautiful about them, like a carefully orchestrated murder.

But not as masochistic as wearing knee-high heeled boots on opening night.

Zhang Huan, Cowskin Buddha Face No6 (2010), Cowskin, 285 x 195 x 42cm

Since we're on the subject of dead animals as/for the sake of art, this absolutely fascinating piece is by Chinese artist Zhang Huan, more popularly known for his... provocative... performance art.

Chuck Close, Zhang Huan III (2008-9), 257.8 x 213.4cm

This is him, as painted in Chuck Close's inimitable mosaic-ish style. Always interesting when artists paint each other. Below is a personal favourite artist of mine:

Kohei Nawa, Pixcell-Bambi#6 (2010), Mixed Media

Glass balls like dewdrops infecting a stuffed deer. So utterly mesmerising. Nawa-sensei says this is conceptually related to Google. If you don't get it, it's a good excuse to watch this.

Yoshitomo Nara, Rock'n Roll the Roll (2009)

This sold for USD350,000 by Marianne Boesky Gallery. No matter what you think of Nara's work, one has to admit its got attitude.

Yayoi Kusama, Pumpkin (2010), Fiberglass reinforced plastic, paint, dia.250 x h220cm

Here's another famous personality from the land of the rising sun. This pumpkin just tickles my OCD heart with its renowned 'infinity-nets' that mark Kusama's works. It's just such an anomaly, yet it can look like it just plain grew there in that corner. No problem.

Anish Kapoor, Untitled (blue blood solid), 2006, Lacquer paint on aluminum form, 30.5 x 90.2cm

Another of Mr Kapoor's sculptures sold for £550,000 by Lisson Gallery. May as well, since Cloud Gate can't fit into your living room. More shiny, fascinating things:

Subodh Gupta, Only One Tiffin (2008), Stainless Steel

The major Chinese art stars were also present. Here's a Cai Guo-Qiang piece:

Zhang Xiaogang, Green wall - Husband and Wife (2010), Oil on Canvas, 200 x 250cm

Pace Beijing sold this Zhang Xiaogang for USD1 million. The man is going to set new trends for obituary portraits. Absolutely haunting.

Hungry for more yet? For the main course we have servings of Agus Suwage, Matteo Pugliese, Noriko Yamaguchi, the Intelligence2 Debate, Li Wei, etc... look forward to the next post! It's 4am, have mercy.