Hong Kong-based artist Adrian Wong was announced last Friday, May 9, as the winner of this year’s Sovereign Asian Art Prize. Previous recipients of the decade-old award  have mostly engaged with more conventional mediums, therefore making Wong’s selection somewhat surprising. Wong himself, who creates conceptually rigorous sculptural works, often in reference to Hong Kong’s history, both real and imagined,  remarked, “I had long thought that the prize was one that was reserved for painters—so I was honored even to be nominated. Winning the prize was not something that I had mentally prepared for.” 

Prominent Chinese art collector, Guan Yi has donated 37 works to M+, Hong Kong’s much-anticipated museum for visual culture. Dating from 1980 onwards, the collection, which comprises of mainly New Wave, conceptual and large scale installations, traces key moments in the history of contemporary Chinese art. 

This week 49 galleries throughout Hong Kong joined forces to launch the inaugural Hong Kong Art Gallery Week. Founded by the collective of like-minded commercial gallery heads who make up the Hong Kong Art Gallery Association (HKAGA), the event seeks to entice audiences to explore the city’s numerous artistic offerings. 

On November 1, the newly established Hugo Boss Asia Art Award went to Hong Kong artist Kwan Sheung Chi. In a ceremony which took place at Shanghai’s Rockbund Art Museum (RAM), the 33-year-old artist was recognized for works containing “against-the-grain criticism of the system” and which open up the possibility for “personal utopias,” earning a USD 48,000 prize.

Last night, the newly established Hugo Boss Asia Art Award went to Hong Kong artist Kwan Sheung Chi. In a ceremony which took place at Shanghai’s Rockbund Art Museum (RAM), the 33-year-old Kwan was recognized for his outstanding contribution to the field of contemporary art in Asia.  Works that contain “against-the-grain criticism of the system” and open up the possibility for “personal utopias,” have earned the artist a USD 48,000 prize.

Last week, West Kowloon’s new museum for visual culture M+ welcomed Lesley Ma as its new ink art curator. Ma, who took up the new position on October 8, will serve part-time in developing exhibitions and building the museum’s ink art collection and public programming.

Last month, two of Hong Kong’s nonprofit organizations were given notice that they would no longer be receiving government funding from the Hong Kong Arts Development Council (HKADC), the statutory body supporting arts development in the city. For Para Site, a 17-year-old art space in Sheung Wan, and Woofer Ten, which operates out of Shanghai Street Artspace in Yau Ma Tei—both of whom have enjoyed productive years, respectively—this announcement came as a surprise, indicating both questionable motives and lack of foresight on government’s behalf.

Last month, 100 days from its official opening, the curatorial team of West Bund 2013: A Biennial of Architecture and Contemporary Art—an ambitious program that seeks to combine experimental architecture and art—held a press conference in Hong Kong revealing its latest plans.