「Look at the Picture and Talk about the Painting」Hong Kong Art Basel – One Painting is Enough, No Need to Be Greedy for More

While the crowds flocked to the Five Elements installation or the “Zero Ten” digital zone at Art Basel Hong Kong 2026, I preferred a different approach to viewing the exhibition. There was no need to follow the trends; if one could truly understand a single painting at an exhibition, the visit would be worthwhile.

Among the exhibits, the most eye-catching Modigliani portrait stands out in the hustle and bustle with an exceptional serenity. Its signature elongated neck and hollow eyes exude an eternal sense of resistance against the market’s sway, quietly observing the current restlessness.

Equally evocative of a sense of alienation is Giorgio de Chirico’s “La Torre”, a classic of the Metaphysical Art movement. Its absurd spatial construction and irrational play of light and shadow direct the viewer’s gaze to a static yet profound dreamlike scene.

In “The Woman Under the Low Eaves of New York”, Alma Feldhandler captures the subtle emotions on the fringes of the city with delicate oil paintings on canvas, and the narrative tension is hidden beneath the microscopic perspective.

In pure visual rhythm, Irma Blank dissolves the semantic meaning of words through repetitive and dense “writing”, transforming abstract lines into the breath of the body and the marks of time.

Turning to the Eastern context, Shao Fan’s works present a contemporary expression of the Eastern charm. He delineates the postures of animals with fine lines that extend like breathing, creating a Zen-like atmosphere between the ink-wash painting’s artistic conception and deconstructionism, which lies between existence and nothingness.

Ugo Rondinone, on the other hand, condenses the poetic essence of mountains and waters into minimalist, highly saturated color blocks, conveying contemplation on nature and spirit through pure visual means. It is as clean as a lucid dream, brimming with modern tension.

In this era where speed reigns supreme, the most precious value of art lies in its ability to make you pause, abandon blind following, and return to contemplation. Only those moments that can pierce through labels and trigger thought truly belong to you.

The tea for today is all gone. Next time, I’ll brew a fresh pot and enjoy art with you again.