Master-Unscheduled-KV02-2021

SECOND EDITION PRESENTS SELECTION OF HONG KONG-BASED GALLERIES AT NEW VENUE, HIGHLIGHTING EXPLODING LEVEL OF CREATIVITY AND CULTURE IN THE CITY

As fairs and exhibitions resume in the wake of the pandemic’s unprecedented challenges, the Hong Kong Art Gallery Association (HKAGA) is excited to announce the return of UNSCHEDULED to showcase the strength of Hong Kong’s ever-burgeoning art scene and the city’s unique role as Asia’s international art center. The second edition will be held in the former flagship location of TopShop, in the heart of Central.

Neither a traditional art fair, nor a museum exhibition, UNSCHEDULED is a platform for selling and networking that was originally established as a response to the rise of COVID-19. The second edition will present solo exhibitions from 15 HKAGA gallery members, highlighting solo presentations by artists with a connection to Asia. Special attention will be paid to projects that respond to the history of the venue as a fashion retail center, blending the ideals and aesthetics of art and fashion.

Designed by BEAU Architects the fair will feature unique, minimally invasive structural elements that include clear synthetic curtains as booth partitions and free standing walls. The alternative design maintains the flow and visual connection between spaces while challenging the nature of art fairs. Further, gallery selection and placement will be decided by two local curators, crafting a cohesive experience for visitors outside of the standard art experience.

Note from the Curators

UNSCHEDULED consists mainly of solo exhibitions, each of which highlights the respective artist’s unique characteristics. Presented in an unconventional setting, it is only through the ingenuity of individual galleries that these presentations come to life. The non-traditional exhibition space retains much of the interior décor of its former tenant, Topshop, which also left behind separate but integrated spaces that now yield a unique visitor experience. Artworks with different mediums and themes are located in corresponding spaces and staggered throughout the exhibition, as if we are experiencing the city itself, sometimes familiar, sometimes unfamiliar, yet fascinating.

Imagine experiencing déjà vu of the cityscape, fragments that we have encountered specifically in the city at this time. The solitude we are given today seems to allow us to observe our city with care and attention, weaving a collective urban experience. We are no longer bystanders but interacting and creating anew by these interactions.

The former shop floor, staircase, corridor and lounge have been transformed into a distinctive cityscape. In the tinted reflections of the skyscrapers, tagged walls down alleys, textured and cramped quarters, tiny oases tucked away, and alluring shop windows we find ourselves brushed by the faceless crowds in the streets and engulfed by these distractions and stimulations. Inadvertently, within UNSCHEDULED, we are back on the streets exploring the streetscapes, transgressing and intersecting the private and public spheres when we wander in this urban sprawl.

What are we going to encounter in this labyrinth of serendipity? With an attempt to explore the creativity and possibility in art, space, and cityscape in this unconventional art fair, the visitors are encouraged to depict their imagination of the cityscape and create dialogues with the works around them in the exhibition.

Exhibition Period
Thursday, 2 September – Monday, 6 September 2021

Press Preview
Thursday, 2 September; 12pm – 2pm
Opening Day & Preview Night
Thursday, 2 September; 12pm – 9pm
Public Days
Friday, 3 September – Monday, 6 September; 12pm – 8pm

Venue
G/F & 1/F, Asia Standard Tower, 59-65 Queens Road Central (see location HERE)

Press enquiry
Tarané Ali Khan  [email protected]

Ticketing
Adult: HK$80
Concessions (Full-time students, senior citizens aged 60 or above and people with disabilities and their minders): HK$40
Under 12s: free admission

Ticket sales will be shared among all participating galleries and donated to local charity partner ‘Hands On Hong Kong’ to support ongoing relief efforts for those most affected by COVID-19.