ChinaDaily
The new H Queen’s building, officially launched this week, is a reflection of art’s presence at the center of Hong Kong people’s lives. Its location, with the historic Pottinger Street to one side, and the Mid-levels-Central escalator on the other, could not be more central. The tall, 24-floored, coolly-stylish building with glass walls resembling a beacon is sleek and contemporary. Some of the best-known art galleries from around the world have set up shop here, with a few more on the way. Gallery owners renting here are hoping their proximity to each other will bring added momentum and create an art venue that is more than the sum of its parts.
They include anchor tenant David Zwirner, a renowned gallerist with premises in New York and London. Zwirner says the two floors occupied by him underscore his faith in Hong Kong’s growth as an art hub. Other heavyweight tenants include Pearl Lam Galleries, Tang Contemporary Art, Pace Gallery, Galerie Ora-Ora, Whitestone Gallery and Hauser & Wirth.
Henrietta Tsui-Leung, owner of Galerie Ora-Ora and co-founder of the Hong Kong Art Gallery Association, has moved her Asian contemporary fine art gallery to the 17th floor of the building. She sees H Queen’s as a welcome development toward growing an arts community in Hong Kong. “The close proximity of great galleries around us creates opportunities for all of us, and makes H Queen’s a logical destination for visitors and collectors,” she says. The high ceilings were a key reason for opening here, Tsui-Leung says.