AFTER the COVID-19 pandemic made it the first art fair canceled in 2020, Art Basel Hong Kong will return this month with an in-person edition that will be accompanied by a hybrid digital format build on its recent series of online viewing rooms.

For its ninth edition, Art Basel Hong Kong revealed the list of exhibitors that will participate in the fair, slated to run from May 21 to 23, with two VIP days beginning May 19, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center. Less than half of the normal number of galleries are lined up to participate — whereas around 250 galleries typically show at the fair, just 104 will do so this year, and many of their booths will not be manned by gallery staff.

As the art world begins to return to staging large-scale, in-person events, Art Basel Hong Kong will mark the third major international art fair to stage an in-person iteration, after Art Dubai last month and Frieze New York in the first week of May.

The 104 galleries from 23 countries participating in the fair include several blue-chip international dealers like Hauser & Wirth, David Zwirner, Gagosian, and Pace alongside numerous Asia-based galleries such as Beijing Commune, Hong Kong’s Pearl Lam Galleries, Seoul’s Kukje Gallery, Tokyo’s Ota Fine Arts, and Taipei’s Mind Set Art Center.

The physical fair will be augmented by “Art Basel Live: Hong Kong,” a new digital initiative that will showcase some of the fair’s programming. Additionally, 56 of the 104 galleries will participate as satellite booths, sending their art wares but staff not actually traveling to Hong Kong itself.

The fair is divided into three main sections: Galleries (the main area of the fair), Insights (focused on presentations around modern Asian artists), and Discoveries (in which solo shows by emerging artists will be presented).

In a statement, Adeline Ooi, Art Basel’s Asia director, said, “We are delighted that we are able to introduce new models that support our galleries, from the satellite booths to the expansion of our digital offerings as a way to amplify the international reach of our galleries with ‘Art Basel Live: Hong Kong.’” (SD-Agencies)