AGE: 64
HAILS FROM: Holzminden, Germany
PRESIDES OVER: Karin Weber Gallery, 20 Aberdeen Street, Central, Hong Kong
GALLERY’S SPECIALTY: Contemporary art
ARTISTS SHOWN: Aung Myint, Tina Buchholtz, Charles Cham, Phaneendra Nath Chaturvedi, Luca Cruzat, Michal Macku, Adam Magyar, Min Wae Aung, Nimchi Yuen, Peter Panyoczki, Alberto Reguera, Tomoaki Tarutani, Wang Gang, Yang She Wei
FIRST GALLERY SHOW: “Spiritual Enlightenment,” a solo show by Min Wae Aung in May 1999
What is your background? Growing up, was there art on the walls?
I grew up in a small town in Lower Saxony, Germany. There was no money for art and no opportunities to see exhibitions or visit museums. I had the chance to hear and see opera, which to this day is still one of my great passions. My interest in visual art came later.
What is the first work of art you remember being affected by?
When I was a language student in Paris in the late 1960s, I came across works by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec during a visit to the Jeu de Paume museum. I had recently read a book about his life and was very moved by the tragic story of his frailty. A few years ago I stood in front of his works again and tears still came to my eyes.
When did you open your first gallery, and what drew you to the business?
I worked in London for almost 16 years with a private company that sourced antiques and artwork. After the company was sold, I hastily accepted a job in Hong Kong with a clothing company. It was not for me, but I stayed for five years. Finally, in 1995 I registered my own company, trading in Chinese antiques. I would organize weekend antiquing trips to southern China. I loved it, but sourcing affordable late Qing Dynasty furniture became increasingly difficult. In 1999 I had the good fortune of being introduced to Burmese art and was blown away by the talent. The artists had little contact with the outside world due to political isolation. Their work revolved around everyday themes, but their use of color and material was extremely contemporary. Later I worked with Vietnamese artists; several Singaporean artists, such as Victor Tan and December Pang; Soh Chee Hui from Malaysia; and Luo Fa Hui, Feng Bin, and Zhang Yuzhou from China.
How did you choose your specialty?
I don’t really have one. I show art I like and would love to live with. My tastes and perceptions have evolved over the years. In 1999 I was the only one showing Burmese art. Today I focus on German artists working with wood epoxy, plastic, cut paper, and mixed media. We also work across disciplines. Recently two of our Japanese artists, VIWA and Tomoaki Tarutani, collaborated with the Hong Kong–based fashion designer Meiyi Cheung to incorporate their visuals into her collection. We had a fashion show in the gallery with live models and paintings on the wall.
What is your local art market like?
Spectacular auction results have drawn attention to Chinese art. The long-talked-about West Kowloon Cultural District will come online in about five years, giving the region a world-class museum. Fairs are generating buzz. Art has come to be regarded as a potential investment. Despite all this, art is still not a part of the lifestyle for the majority of people in Hong Kong. Most collectors are still conservative in their tastes, preferring Chinese ink or works on canvas above all else. This will change with time, and experimental art will become more accepted.
How are the local galleries dealing with the changes in the market?
Ten years ago there were 15 galleries in Hong Kong. Now there are well over 80, and the city is considered the art hub of Asia. At the same time high rents are changing the traditional gallery scene around Hollywood Road. The Sheung Wan area is currently hot. But this being Hong Kong, anything outside of Central is considered too far and those galleries struggle to get traffic. In order to grapple with such issues, several of us founded the Hong Kong Art Gallery Association last fall. The idea is not new. Its aim is to become a strong lobbying body for its members’ needs. We want to increase awareness and raise the image of galleries as key contributors to the growth and richness of the local art scene, and to establish joint private and public collector development programs, including educational initiatives.
If you could own any artwork in the world, what would it be?
Any work by Gustav Klimt.
If you were not an art dealer, what would you be doing?
I would be a set designer for theater, opera, film. I am fascinated by the way so much can be conveyed, represented, and understood with so little.