“Sacrilege (2012),” a blowup version of Stonehenge by the English artist Jeremy Deller, is part of the “Inflation!” exhibition at Mobile M+ in Hong Kong. Jessica Hromas/Getty Images

HONG KONG — There were no art fairs to speak of in this metropolis before 2008. But this year, Hong Kong, once derided as a cultural desert, nabbed a prize coveted by cities across the region — serving as Art Basel’s only Asian outpost.

Cocytus,” a work made out of insects by Damien Hirst at White Cube Hong Kong. Alex Hofford/European Pressphoto Agency

The inaugural Art Basel Hong Kong, which opens to the public today, has drawn planeloads of collectors and gallery bigwigs from the West, lured here in part by the growing, glittery market. It’s billed as a mutually beneficial arrangement: Art Basel capitalizes on the moneyed collectors heading to Hong Kong, while giving international credibility and exposure to local artists, galleries and the city itself.

The inaugural Art Basel Hong Kong art fair, which officially opens Thursday, balances works by Asian and Western artists. Above, images from “Eating Noodles,” a video by Hung Keung at Schoeni Art Gallery.

But as Hong Kong welcomes its new guest for four days of openings, parties and lunches, there are also some backstage jitters about finally being on the world stage, as well as trepidation that an event that started as ART HK will lose its distinctively Asian flavor. Art Basel has taken over ART HK, which began as a local fair in 2008 with about 100 galleries and quickly doubled in size, reflecting the city’s growing art market. (Hong Kong is planning to pour billions of dollars into developing a cultural district in West Kowloon.)

Entang Wiharso Crush Me (Detail) (2012 - 2013) Graphite, resin, pigment, thread, lightbulbs, electrical cable, steel

We know the tide is changing when this quintessential western art fair puts down roots in the east. I don’t think the change is a bad sign, but rather a natural ebb and flow of the world we live in. I can’t help but wonder how this new development will effect our global art market. I assume art trends will be affected too. Only time will tell!

Read more about Art Basel Hong Kong.

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Reports below via Art News:

Adjacent to Art Basel, a new fair called “Moving the Still,” a collaboration between Tumblr and Paddle8, spotlighted the suggestive, hypnotic computer animations that are created with the Graphics Interchange Format and known as GIFs. (The format is 25 years old, but people are still arguing over how to pronounce it.)

A post-Degas mural by Anthony Lister on NW 23rd Street. PHOTO ©ROBIN CEMBALEST

The works, assembled after an open call and selected with the help of a committee including Roselee Goldberg and Michael Stipe, feature quick movements–a smiley face melting, a banana being peeled–repeated in endless loops.

Keep your eye on this Cindy Sherman film still.

A GIF by Joe Kay featuring a Cindy Sherman film still, 2012. GIF BY JOE KAY FOR MOVING THE STILL.

The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction? A handmade iPod by Cuban artist Abel Barroso, who is also showing his carved pinball machines in a solo turn at PanAmericanArtProjects.

Abel Barroso, Ipod Touch, 2012, xylograph on wood. In Art Miami. IMAGE COURTESY FERNANDA TORCIDA.

On Hyperallergic, Hrag Vartanian reports being surprised during his own perambulations about the absence of contemporary renderings of the human figure. But animals were everywhere–dead ones especially. Judging by the offerings in Miami, taxidermic creatures have become the new trophy heads. Marcus Kenney’s creatures at Jonathan Ferrara’s stand at Pulse, brought a Mardi Gras bling to the conventional hunter’s trophy by using real animal parts mixed with buttons, fabric, feathers, sequins, leather, shells, beads, glass eyes, silk, and more.

Marcus Kenney, Stellah Terrah, 2012, reclaimed taxidermy, fabric, feathers, plastic, acrylic, beach glass, beads, paper, cotton, twine, thread, bronze, silk, polish, buttons, fur, synthetic hair, metal, pins, etc. At Pulse. COURTESY THE ARTIST AND JONATHAN FERRARA GALLERY, NEW ORLEANS.

Two Art Cops roamed the fairs giving tickets for infractions like “self indulgent,” “too reliant on personal history,” “theory bound,” “too much emphasis on process,” and more. They made sure to give their write-ups to the dealers rather than the artists. Most seemed to take it with good humor. The Cops turned out to be a performance piece, of course. The perpetrators were by Generic Art Solutions, an official project of the Pulse fair via Jonathan Ferrara gallery.

You’re under arrest! The Art Cops. PHOTO © 2012 ROBIN CEMBALEST

Hans-Peter Feldmann’s installation in a witty show of six artists’ take on the Renaissance at the Bassincluded a painting that summed up how everyone felt after a long day of looking at art.

Detail of Hans-Peter Feldmann’s installation in “The Endless Renaissance” at the Bass Museum of Art.

If you were at the fair, share your first hand report here on WallSpin!

Related articles

• Art Basel Miami Beach Kicks Off (nbcmiami.com)
• Galleries spite Sandy to show at Art Basel Miami (miamiherald.com)
• Art Basel: a sensory circus, with a few clowns included (miamiherald.com)
• What a Short, Strange Miami Trip It’s Been (artnews.com)

Art installation by Chrisotpher Janney at Miami airport photo: Design Boom

Running through the weekend, Art Basel “features contemporary works by more than 2,000 artists offered from some 265 major galleries representing five continents, as well as an array of events, satellite fairs extending from Miami Beach to vibrant new Miami art districts like Wynwood, and of course the jet-set parties roaring up and down the Art Deco corridors of Ocean Drive and Collins Avenue,” says Time’s Global Spin blog.

Works by artist Jeff Koons at Rubell Family Collection photo: Jeff Koons

Miami billionaire and art collector extraordinaire Norman Braman (who helped bring Art Basel to Florida) tells Global Spin, “There’s no question that this is now the foremost art fair in the U.S.”

Installation by artist Paulo Nazareth at Mendes Wood photo: GalleristNY

The fair’s tenth anniversary will inaugurate a new collaboration with the Bass Museum of Art on the Art Public sector, which will transform Collins Park with unique artworks and performances by renowned artists and emerging talents. For the first time, Art Video will be presented free to the public in SoundScape Park on the large-scale outdoor projection wall of the New World Center, designed by Frank Gehry.

Installation by artist Mike Kelley at Tony Shafrazi Gallery photo: GalleristNY

If the main event is not your cup of tea, follow Huffington Post’s Miami blog for daily reports on the best under-the-radar happenings. There are, quite literally, hundreds of different events going on daily in Miami this weekend. There’s something for everyone during the Miami fair season.

Lanvin's Disco Tableau at The Rubell Family Collection photo: Huffington Post

And when your appetite for art is fully satisfied, head over to the Electric Pickle to check out the beachy club scene and kick back or find your groove via the sounds of Culpirt. If it turns out that music or a 24 hour party is a better fit for you, return to Miami in March for Winter Music Conference.

Jennifer Rubell in front of her installation "Incubation" at Rubel Family Collection photo: Huffington Post

Finally, here’s StyleCaster‘s list of eight artists not to be missed at the Miami fairs. By all means, enjoy! And don’t forget to report your findings back to us here on WallSpin.

Related articles

• Art Basel Miami: How the Seaside City Became a Cultural Hotspot (globalspin.blogs.time.com)
• Scene City: At Art Basel Miami Beach, Insiders Meet Newcomers – Scene City (nytimes.com)
• Live Blogging From Art Basel Miami Beach (LIVE BLOG) (huffingtonpost.com)
• Your Guide to Miami’s Art Basel (marieclaire.com)

Photo: David LaChapelle, Gaga Book

I find art fairs appealing for a few reasons, including:

• Safety in Numbers: art fairs draw crowds, which is a good thing. You won’t be a solo shopper which often happens in a gallery setting

Photo: Lynn Saville, Night Shift

• Lots to Look at Under One Roof: depending upon the show you choose, you’ll see a comprehensive survey of work in a variety of media

Photo: Chantal Rens

• Maximum Exposure to Fine Art: the more experience you have viewing fine art in person, the more comfortable you will feel buying art on-line.

Photo: Michael Light, Bingham Canyon Mine

Intrigued yet? I’d like to hit a contemporary photography fair this year so I’m sharing some of that imagery with you here.

Photo: Curtis Mann "Thought, Collective (somewhere, Israel)"

• Fotofest 2010 Biennial in Houston focusing on contemporary US photography runs thru April 25
• Art Chicago focusing on contemporary and modern art the weekend of April 30
• The Whitney Biennial in New York thru May 30. The 75th edition of the museum’s signature exhibition of contemporary art
• SCOPE Hamptons featuring emerging contemporary art is practically around the corner if you’re at the beach this July
• If you can handle 10+ fairs at once try going to Miami, December 1-5.
• Click here for a list of events this year.

Photo: Carla Cioffi

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Photo: Karen Leach

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Photo: David A. Parker

Art fairs whet my appetite for new inspirations and remind me of work I’ve loved for a long time. Try it out. Surrounding yourself with all that creativity may be just the motivation you need to invest in your own collection of original fine art.