Published on April 1, 2026
Art Basel Hong Kong—the largest art fair in Asia—opened its 13th edition to VIPs at the city’s Convention and Exhibition Centre on Wednesday, March 25. Galleries reported a steady wave of early transactions from the preview day across price points, geographies, and media, led ’s sale of Pablo Picasso’s *Le peintre et son modèle* (1964) for “approximately” €3.5 million ($4.05 million).
Exhibitors noted robust attendance from collectors, curators, and institutional leaders across Asia, Europe, and the United States. , galleries highlighted activity spanning blue-chip, postwar, and contemporary sectors, showcasing a clear demand for artists from across the Asia Pacific region and continuing interest in cross-media practices, including textile, installation, and digital work.
“I’m thrilled with the opening day at the fair,” said Nick Simunovic, senior director in Asia at Gagosian. “We’ve reconnected with existing clients and started relationships with new ones. The response to our presentation in the booth and the show in the gallery has surpassed all expectations.”
In addition to Picasso’s prominent sale, galleries reported several leading initial sales at Art Basel Hong Kong. David Zwirner led with a 2006 painting for $3.8 million and a 2002 painting for $3.5 million. Hauser & Wirth’s top sales included Louise Bourgeois’s *À Baudelaire (#1)* (2008) for $2.95 million and George Condo’s *Prismatic Head* (2021) for $2.3 million.
Waddington Custot reported placements of works -Ki and Chu Teh-Chun for asking prices of $2.8 million and $1.3 million, respectively. White Cube’s sales featured Tracey Emin’s *Take me to Heaven* (2024) for £1.2 million ($1.6 million) and Antony Gormley’s *Plane* (2025) for £500,000 ($668,000).
Perrotin noted sales of an undisclosed number of works , ranging from $600,000 to $800,000. Thaddaeus Ropac placed Martha Jungwirth’s *Ohne Titel* (2021) for €460,000 ($532,438) with a Chinese institution. Sprüth Magers sold Anne Imhof’s *Poppy Runner III* (2025) for €220,000 ($254,644) to an Asian institution.
Jessica Silverman reported a sale of Judy Chicago’s *Vicky’s Center* (2023) for $165,000. Additionally, MASSIMODECARLO sold a painting -Ming for a price in the range of €250,000–€350,000 ($289,368–$405,116) and a work Vō for a price in the range of €200,000–€300,000 ($231,494–$347,242). Sullivan + Strumpf placed an undisclosed number of works for $55,000 each and Gemma Smith for $22,000 each.
As the fair continues, the interest in a diverse array of artworks from both established and emerging artists underscores the vibrant art market in Hong Kong and beyond. Check back next week for a full sales report from the fair.
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