Hong Kong's Airport Authority is partnering with Eythos to develop a HK$300 million (US$38.28 million) art storage facility set to open next year, as part of efforts to position the city as a global art trading hub. Authority CEO Vivian Cheung Kar-fay stated at a Wednesday contract signing that Hong Kong is the world's second-largest primary art trading market and a key gateway to mainland China.
Hong Kong’s Airport Authority is partnering with home-grown company Eythos to develop a HK$300 million (US$38.28 million), 4,920 square metre, two-storey art storage facility using an existing structure, set to open next year. The project forms part of Skytopia, a HK$100 billion expansion of Airport City that integrates commercial activities, popular culture, art trading, entertainment and leisure, including a marina and other water-based projects. At the contract signing ceremony on Wednesday, authority CEO Vivian Cheung Kar-fay said Hong Kong was the world’s second-largest primary art trading market and a leading gateway connecting mainland China with the rest of the world. “By leveraging this strength, Skytopia is well-positioned to build an integrated art ecosystem that enhances Hong Kong’s role as the hub of Asia for both aviation and culture,” she said. Cheung added: “Our goal is to create a platform, one that can take Hong Kong’s art industry to the next level, reinforce our city’s role as a global art hub and enhance Hong Kong’s competitiveness,” stressing the availability of other facilities to build the ecosystem. Keywords include Skytopia, Tung Chung, AsiaWorld-Expo, Art Basel Hong Kong, Frieze Seoul, and Lewis Cheng.