Young artists come together for global expo

Up to 100 artists from around the globe will gather at the 2015 New Art Wave Expo this summer to showcase their latest works, while vying for the exhibition’s 2015 New Art Wave International Artist Award.
Organized by two Hong Kong public relations and exhibition firms – Mention PR Consultants and I-Expo – the first-ever staging of the art event, which will be held from August 28 to 30 at the Venetian Macao, attracted a total of 328 entrants from 80 art academies or universities in around 20 countries or regions.
Only 100 art pieces, appearing in various forms ranging from paintings to sculptures, made it through the first screening to the exposition. There, the final judging panel will consist of six cross-strait experts in the artistic sector who will select the best three candidates for the title.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday in Macau, Tang Hoi Chiu, adjunct professor in visual arts at the Hong Kong Baptist University and a member of the jury that selected the artworks, described the organizers’ preparatory efforts over the past two months as “painstaking.” He praised the event for bringing together such a vast breadth of talent in a place where arts curators and collectors worldwide are expected to come and appreciate their efforts, thus creating opportunities for them to flourish in the global industry.
Each entrant is expected to attend, and will be allocated a booth with a maximum area of nine square meters in which to present their work. “Tertiary education institutes are a cradle to nurture future artists with their own distinctive artistic features. Those schools have their unique objectives, educational directions, philosophies and goals,” Tang said.
Chan Kam Shing, one of the four jury members, also revealed his dilemma in culling the entries to find the best art pieces from the wide range of works created after 2010, which the authorities guaranteed were “the latest.”
“I could appraise the artworks only through an electronic medium, like a screen or print-out, which might affect my assessment,” said the judge, adding that he had to refer to entry statements to ensure an accurate evaluation.
Highlights of the three-day exposition will also include five talks exploring the prospects of the artistic industry and the market, where seasoned artists and scholars will discuss how schools could further contribute to the art scene.
Mianco Wong, one of the exhibition organizers, told media in her address: “The event has been well received since its call for entrants, reflecting a certain degree of desire for such a platform. We expect to create genuine art exchanges with international horizons.” Staff reporter