Adeline Ooi, who led Art Basel Asia for a decade, will step down as director at the end of November. Announced internally on October 5th, Ooi’s departure coincides with Art Basel’s continuing structural reorganization, where her resignation will not result in an immediate replacement.
During her tenure, Ooi was pivotal in establishing Asia as an essential part of the global art market. Since taking on the role in 2014, Ooi solidified the Swiss art fair’s presence in the region, with Hong Kong as its focal point, while also launching collaborations with Art Week Tokyo and S.E.A. Focus in Singapore.
Ooi assumed the role of Asia director in 2014 when Art Basel’s parent company, MCH Group, took full ownership of the Hong Kong fair. Over the last decade, her work with Art Basel Hong Kong helped introduce the region’s art collectors to Western galleries and artists while drawing international attention to Asian artists and galleries.
While Ooi attributed her departure to personal reasons, her announcement adds to a series of ongoing changes for Art Basel. After James Murdoch’s 2020 acquisition of a 38% stake in MCH Group, Art Basel appointed new fair directors for its four flagship events: Angelle Siyang-Le will lead the Hong Kong fair, Bridget Finn will head Art Basel Miami Beach, Maike Cruse will direct the flagship fair in Switzerland, and Clément Delépine will take charge of Paris+ by Art Basel.
Before Hong Kong’s COVID-19 restrictions, Art Basel’s fair there had reached 242 exhibitors in 2019 under Ooi’s leadership. This year, the city lifted its restrictions after two years of scaled-back events. Art Basel Hong Kong is slated for March 26th–30th, 2024.
from Artsy News https://ift.tt/ncH8PbD
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