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Art Basel Hong Kong 2025: A Rising Tide of Filipino Talent
Six years and a global pandemic later, I finally found my way back to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center for this year’s Art Basel Hong Kong — but this time, with my husband, litigation lawyer and business owner, Atty. Fred Young.
Founded by gallerists in 1970, Art Basel is the leading global platform connecting collectors, galleries, and artists. For many connoisseurs of contemporary and modern art, the annual visit to an Art Basel fair is a must, akin to a yearly pilgrimage to Mecca.
The Hong Kong version of Art Basel returned this March, bringing together some 240 galleries from 42 countries, about half of which came from the Asia-Pacific region.
It did not disappoint.
Art Basel Hong Kong 2025 felt like the rekindling of an old romance. Artists, collectors, galleries, and enthusiasts came together not merely to transact, but to reaffirm their shared passion for artistic discovery. Together they weaved a rich tapestry of art from the fabric provided by both celebrated masters and promising newcomers. The diverse international art world, often fragmented, feels whole again—and its future is more vibrant than ever.
The Sky Is the Limit
One particularly bright thread in that tapestry was the rising prominence of Filipino artists. Once a relatively understated presence within the Southeast Asian art scene, Filipino art took a confident step forward in Art Basel Hong Kong 2025. There was a notable increase in the number of works by Filipino artists this year, signaling the growing international interest in their unique perspectives and artistic styles.
Symbolic of this, two large tapestries by the late Filipino artist Pacita Abad, welcomed visitors at the entrance of the ground level hall. These bold and colorful works – about 5 and 4 meters in length – showcased Pacita’s signature “trapunto” technique (a method that layers and stitches textiles for a sculptural, dynamic effect). They also formed the nucleus of a large-scale installation – jointly presented by the Silverlens and Tina Kim galleries, and partly conceptualized by Pio Abad, Pacita’s nephew – aptly titled “The Sky Is The Limit.”
Other works by Pacita and Pio Abad were featured in the Silverlens booth, together with equally compelling works by Nicole Coson, Wawi Navarroza, Gregory Halili, Keka Enriquez, Poklong Anading, Patricia Perez Eustaquio, and Filipino-American James Clar.
Clar’s innovative approach to light and technology was on full display. His “Cloud Seed (Autumn)” features an interactive mirror that transformed viewers into participants, generating rain-soaked images in response to their presence. Meanwhile, his modern reinterpretation of the Parol—the traditional Filipino Christmas star lantern—offered a poetic reflection on the evolving search for Filipino identity, bridging heritage with contemporary vision.
All in the Family
The Abads were not the only family whose artistic legacy was on display at Art Basel Hong Kong. Father and son duo Soler and Luis Antonio Santos commanded the spotlight at The Drawing Room, a Filipino gallery, presenting a striking conversation between seasoned mastery and emerging vision.
Soler’s “Amalgam” series blends painting and collage, incorporating materials he has gathered over the past decade from both natural landscapes and urban spaces. These works serve as both an elegy and a critique of environmental decline—while paradoxically celebrating the resilience of art and the human spirit in the face of inevitable decay.
Luis, meanwhile, delves into the psychological architecture of creativity in his “Fragmentation” series. Several of his works employ reflective paint, revealing hidden imagery—concealed worlds behind barbed wire—when exposed to flash photography. This evocative approach, he explains, is inspired by his grandfather, the late master Malang Santos, and his battle with Alzheimer’s, as well as Luis’ own contemplations on memory and the fleeting nature of time.
Together, the works of father and son form a compelling intergenerational dialogue—one that bridges experience and experimentation, tradition and transformation.
Now You See It…
Ephemeral yet unforgettable—such was the fate of “Rose”, the astonishingly hyper-realistic painting by Filipino-Chinese art superstar Ayka Go. Based on the Ames Yavuz exhibition catalogue, “Rose” was purchased by a collector even before Art Basel Hong Kong officially opened to the public.
Go’s work, though not displayed during the opening night of ABHK, was eventually made available for public viewing for a limited time. Those fortunate enough to glimpse “Rose” encountered a deeply personal and courageous piece, shaped by the artist’s struggles with illness, fertility, love, and acceptance—a meditation on fragility and resilience rendered in exquisite detail. Go’s stellar work at this year’s ABHK further cemented her status as one of the most sought-after and collected Filipino contemporary artists of the 21st century.
A similar fleeting fate befell the thought-provoking “Social Network” by renowned Filipino painter Elmer Borlongan, a commentary on the evolving dynamics of human interaction in the age of mobile phones. Meanwhile, Isabel and Alfredo Aquilizan’s imposing sculpture “Monolith”, forged from raw metal, stood immovable nearby with a commanding presence—an exploration of structure, permanence, and transformation. Go, Borlongan, and the Aquilizan couple were the Filipino contemporary artists whose works were presented by Ames Yavuz.
At the Gajah Gallery, I had an illuminating conversation with manager James Page, who offered insights into the gallery’s vision and plans. Mark Justiniani’s foundry cast sculptures, “Ang Debate” and “Stride”, captured audiences with their intricate philosophical perspectives and optical play. Rounding out the exhibition was “Lovers” by Philippine National Artist Benedicto “Bencab” Cabrera—a work that, as always, evoked the poetic interplay of movement and intimacy.
A Detour to Art Central
A brief detour to Central Harbourfront led me to Art Central—the annual satellite fair running alongside Art Basel Hong Kong. There the breadth and dynamism of contemporary Philippine art were also on display, offering a compelling glimpse into the nation’s evolving creative landscape.
Ysobel Gallery presented Submergence/Emergence, a dynamic back-to-back showcase featuring young talents Sid Natividad and Chelsea Theodossis. Natividad’s works, exquisite photo-realistic abstractions of bubbles rising from the depths, were undoubtedly informed by his own encounters with the sea. “Diving is an encounter with the unknown, where fear and possibility converge,” Patrick de Veyra quotes Natividad in the exhibition’s curatorial statement. “Beneath the water, there is a constant tension between holding on and letting go—a fleeting immersion in the vast beauty of the deep blue sea, tempered by the quiet struggle to endure. The endless cycle of ascent and descent mirrors the rhythm of existence.”
Theodossis, by contrast, confronts the abyss with deliberate surrender, relinquishing words and structured meaning in a courageous act of renewal. Her paintings explore the psychological and physical spaces left behind when rational constraints dissolve, seeking the void where rebirth begins—a space beyond language, where presence supersedes interpretation. For her, what is crucial is faith.
Over at Vinyl on Vinyl Gallery, Reen Barrera commanded attention with a mesmerizing solo exhibition. His works—featuring enigmatic doll-like figures reminiscent of childhood dreams, or perhaps nightmares—blend surrealism, nostalgia, and narrative intricacy in layers of rich symbolism.
Adding further depth to the Filipino presence at Art Central, White Stone Gallery exhibited works by Ronald Ventura, one of the Philippines’ most internationally celebrated contemporary artists. Known for his hyper-detailed compositions and sophisticated layering, Ventura’s pieces once again demonstrated technical mastery and conceptual playfulness, reminding collectors and audiences alike of his enduring influence on the Asian art scene.
All You Need Is Love
The prominence of Filipino artists at Art Basel Hong Kong 2025 and Art Central was greatly amplified by the participation of leading Filipino galleries such as Silverlens and The Drawing Room. These contemporary art galleries from the Philippines brought a strong selection of artists to the fair, showcasing a dynamic spectrum of styles and artistic approaches. Their booths served as vibrant microcosms of the Philippine contemporary art scene, offering a compelling introduction to both established names and rising talents.
Among those championing Filipino art was Cesar “Jun” Villalon who worked in a multinational corporation for ten years before he finally decided to leave and start the Drawing Room gallery, together with his wife Kathleen Ng Villalon. When asked what he missed most about his former corporate life, he chuckled and admitted, “The salary.”
Why, then, did he pursue this path?
“Art is my passion. And I’m happiest when I can share this with our clients. I don’t want them to simply purchase artworks—I want them to truly appreciate them.”
Villalon also acknowledged the financial challenges of exhibiting at prestigious international art fairs like Art Basel and Art Central, where participation costs can run into the millions of pesos.
Gaby Dela Merced of Vinyl on Vinyl echoed this sentiment. “Even if we sell all our exhibited works, we only break even. But we do it for the opportunity to showcase Filipino talent on an international stage.”
Another driving force behind the success of Filipino artists at these fairs was the unwavering support of the local art community. Many of the collectors acquiring Filipino works in Hong Kong were, in fact, Filipinos who had traveled specifically to champion their favorite artists. Their presence was so overwhelming that at times, it felt as though half of Manila’s art scene had relocated to the halls of Art Basel and Art Central!
For Filipinos, Art Basel Hong Kong 2025 was more than a celebration of artistic excellence—it was a testament to passion, solidarity, and love for Filipino Art.
Perfect Time to Visit Hong Kong
As a postscript, I must emphasize that the ideal time for artists, art collectors, and enthusiasts to visit Hong Kong is during Hong Kong Arts Month. My husband and I were privileged to experience extraordinary exhibitions from some of the world’s leading galleries alongside ABHK and Art Central. Among the standout shows currently on view are Louise Bourgeois’ solo exhibition at Hauser and Wirth, Sarah Sze’s solo presentation at Gagosian, Alicja Kwade’s immersive installation at Tai Kwun Contemporary, Pablo Picasso at M+ Museum, Dominique Fung at Massimodecarlo, and Will St John at Saatchi Yates.
About the author
Janice Liuson-Young (b. 1965) is a Chinese-Filipino painter, art educator, and curator. Her body of work explores the formal, and symbolic parallels between traditional Chinese calligraphy and gestural abstraction. By bridging eastern and western traditions in the visual arts, Liuson-Young’s paintings embody movement in various contexts, whether visual, physical, cultural, or spiritual.
Having earned a degree in Visual Communication from the University of the Philippines Diliman College of Fine Arts, she graduated as class valedictorian (cum laude) in 1986. She currently serves as the associate dean at FEATI University’s School of Fine Arts, where she plays a vital role in shaping the education and artistic development of the next generation of Filipino visual artists. In 2024, BluPrint Magazine recognized her solo exhibition “Everything is Blooming Most Recklessly” at Art Camp Gallery in their year-end article “Abstract Art in 2024: Five Standout Exhibits This Year.”
A mentee of Araceli Limcaco-Dans, she has presented work at LASALLE College of the Arts in Singapore, the Jan van der Togt Museum in Amstelveen, The Netherlands, The Gallery at Chelsea Library in London, and has shown work in Brussels and Luxembourg.
Images courtesy of Janice Liuson-Young and Atty. Fred Young.
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