Asia Art Weekly News Bulletin – ISSUE 81 Week of 7 September 2026
(1) Yoshitomo Nara’s large-scale installation returns after 17 years at Sotheby’s Hong Kong autumn sale
Yoshitomo Nara’s major immersive installation The Crated Room in Iceland / Painting Studio, unseen by the public since 2009, will lead Sotheby’s Modern and Contemporary Evening Auction this autumn, with free public previews from 22 to 28 September 2026.
(2) Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo 2026 announced public programme lineup
The Hong Kong Arts Development Council has unveiled the public programmes for Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo 2026, featuring cross-regional and cross-media performances open to local audiences and visitors.
A free memorial exhibition dedicated to the late theatre master Dr. Chung King-fai (King Sir) opened on 5 September 2026 at the Xiqu Centre Atrium in the West Kowloon Cultural District and runs until 4 October.
(4) Korean Modern Masters set new records at Frieze and Kiaf
Frieze Seoul and Kiaf SEOUL concluded their fifth joint edition at COEX from 2 to 6 September 2026. Visitor numbers remained strong, yet overall transaction momentum slowed amid economic uncertainty, while selected Korean modern masters achieved new price records.
1. Yoshitomo Nara’s large-scale installation returns after 17 years at Sotheby’s Hong Kong autumn sale
(Photo Credit: HK01)
The work is one of Nara’s most ambitious installations. Viewers must approach and peer through openings into a room-scale structure built from shipping crates and large painting panels. It originated from the “YNG” project developed with Japanese design team graf; in 2009 Nara collaborated with graf co-founder Hideki Toyoshima at Reykjavik Art Museum’s Hafnarhús.
Rather than concealing the crates’ original function, Nara used them as the primary structure, incorporating painting, drawing and objects so that packaging, transport and storage themselves become part of the artwork. The thick wooden panels separate the interior from the outside world while leaving windows and peepholes that reveal a soft, vivid light within.
Inside are 97 paintings plus one large wooden panel measuring 170 × 220 cm. Familiar motifs, such as defiant children, anthropomorphic animals and landscapes, are arranged throughout the unconventional space. Everyday items such as a CD player, two small wooden chairs, paper cups, extension cords and hanging light bulbs create the feeling that the artist has only just stepped away, giving the installation strong presence and intimacy.
Sotheby’s Modern and Contemporary Evening Auctions will take place on 28–29 September 2026. The Crated Room in Iceland / Painting Studio will be on free public view from 22 to 28 September, offering audiences a rare chance to experience the work before it enters the market.
2. Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo 2026 announced public programme lineup
(Photo Credit: Orange News)
Three ticketed headline shows form the core public offering. City Reverie, an “Arts Tech 4.0” project combining piano, media art and emotion-tracking technology, will open on 8 October 2026 at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Theatre. Audience emotional data recorded in the prologue becomes unique material generated live during the performance.
Two international productions follow on 11 October at East Kowloon Cultural Centre: Paradisum, directed and choreographed by Bence Vági, which blends contemporary dance, circus skills and theatre after its acclaimed world premiere at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe; and An Isolated Case by Chilean playwright-director Catalina Ceresuela, an Asian premiere exploring school bullying and institutional silence that previously won Chile’s XIX National Playwriting Award.
From 6 to 9 October, free outdoor preludes will take place daily from 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza overlooking Victoria Harbour. Programmes include dance by Unlock Dancing Plaza with artists from Hong Kong, Denmark and Korea; Cantonese opera and excerpts from the dance drama Qiū Cí presented by China Performing Arts Agency; choral performances by local school choirs and the Hong Kong Children’s Choir; and cross-genre music curated by Ng King-pan featuring local musicians and international guests.
Partner programmes running 7–13 and 16–18 October involve major institutions including China Performing Arts Agency, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Hong Kong Ballet, Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, Hong Kong Dance Company, Hong Kong Sinfonietta, Opera Hong Kong, Tai Kwun, Hong Kong Philharmonic and West Kowloon Cultural District, offering additional dance, music, opera and experimental works that showcase the breadth of Hong Kong’s performing-arts ecosystem.
3. Memorial exhibition for theatre master Dr. Chung King-fai opened, revealing rare stage costumes for the first time
(Photo Credit: Yahoo News)
Dr. Chung King-fai, widely known as King Sir, passed away in June 2026 at the age of 89. The opening ceremony featured tributes from actors who worked closely with him. Tse Kwan-ho recalled Chung’s advice that actors are fragile and that guidance should always be given privately and gently; he said Chung’s approach made collaborators feel at ease and reflected the wisdom of a true master.
Liza Wang expressed deep gratitude, describing Chung as her stage mentor and director, the superior who guided her into television, and her best creative partner throughout her career. She called him a guiding light on her artistic path. Other industry figures, including Charmaine Sheh, attended to show support.
The exhibition presents for the first time archival stage performance footage, documentation of Chung’s funeral service, and historically significant stage costumes from his career. Limited-edition “golden-quote bookmarks” featuring memorable lines associated with Chung are distributed daily on a first-come, first-served basis while stocks last.
The exhibition offers the public an intimate opportunity to revisit the life and legacy of one of Hong Kong’s most influential figures in theatre education, direction and performance.
4. Korean Modern Masters set new records at Frieze and Kiaf
(Photo Credit: Art Emperor)
Frieze Seoul featured more than 130 galleries from 30 countries and attracted over 70,000 visitors from 54 countries, including 178 institutional representatives from 25 countries. Kiaf SEOUL, in its 25th edition, presented 175 galleries from 18 countries and drew more than 80,000 visitors. Notable guests included Mayor of Seoul Oh Se-hoon, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Chae Hwi-young, Chairman of Shinsegae Group Chung Yong-jin and Chairman of Lotte Group Shin Dong-bin.
Frieze introduced structural changes: the former “Focus Asia” section expanded into “Focus,” a new “Spotlight” section replaced “Frieze Masters,” and “Material Practice” was added. Kiaf appointed designer Jung Ku-ho as its first external creative director. The two fairs confirmed their partnership will continue until 2031, with Frieze Seoul moving to Dongdaemun Design Plaza in 2027 and Kiaf remaining at the Convention and Exhibition Center (COEX).
Market activity was cautious. On the primary market, Kukje Gallery sold a 1971 work by Yoo Youngkuk for approximately US$1.6–1.85 million, setting a Frieze Seoul record for a Korean artist. Other notable sales included Adrian Ghenie’s Figure with Funerary Stele (about US$1.28 million at Thaddaeus Ropac) and institutional purchases of works by Rashid Johnson, Kim Yun Shin and Damien Hirst. At Kiaf, Gallery Hyundai reported sales exceeding US$890,000, while additional strong results were recorded for Park Seo-bo, Nam June Paik and others.
Despite the cooler overall pace, the fair reinforced Seoul’s position as a year-round Asian art hub. International galleries continue to open spaces in the city, and the confirmed long-term collaboration between Frieze and Kiaf signals sustained institutional commitment to the Korean market.
News Source: https://artemperor.tw/focus/7351
