Body of Work: Model and Artist Afa Lee “Afa Annfa” on Her Art, Solitude and Yayoi Kusama

Gorgeous Afa Laa, artist based in Hong Kong. 

Have featured her a few times in print and online. Profile of her published in Prestige 40 under 40 here and her interview here. 

 

Death and Desire: Sotheyb's maison's Eros/Thanatos Exhibition

A remarkable showcase offering an immersive exploration of the dualities of human experience, ‘Eros/Thanatos’ delves into the intricate dance between desire (Eros) and death (Thanatos) through diverse artistic mediums. A sequel to the recent success of ‘Corpus - Three Millennia of the Human Body’, which captivated audiences, this exhibition positions Sotheby’s Maison (@sothebys) as the talk of the town, an epicentre of cultural engagement in the region. 

Read the full article on robbreport.hk.

Kerala artist Geetha Balakrishnan

 

A vibrant and beautifully preserved example of a traditional South Asian art form, a Kerala-style mural painting in Madhubani style by underrated Malayali artist Geetha Balakrishnan. The complex composition of the deities, the rich symbolism of the dancing figures and lotus flowers, and the intense, saturated palette indicate a professional hand that's well-versed in the traditional craft of the Indian subcontinent. The custom white framing and the pristine condition of the contemporary work currently hangs in Dubai. 

Radha Krishna Nritya 

Large scale oil on canvas
60 cm by 75 cm (24 in x 30 in) 

From Theatre Icon to Canvas: Lindsey McAlister’s Electrifying Art Central 2026 was Staged Beautifully. Pun Intended.

The founder of Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation channels decades of stage energy into bold, spiritually charged paintings — and collectors are taking notice.

Words: P.Ramakrishnan
Images: Courtesy of the Artist. 

As the dust settles after the whirlwind of Hong Kong’s art fairs last week — Art Central, Art Basel, and Edible Art — where scale, spectacle, celebrity on occasion eclipses substance, it was a pleasure to run into Lindsey McAlister as she stood by her canvas, a quiet force of convergence. A prominent figure in the city’s theatre scene for more than three decades — founder of the Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation, OBE recipient, and tireless champion of youth creativity — the young at art McAlister has, in recent years, unfurled a parallel life as a visual artist.

At 65, she playfully describes herself as an “older emerging artist,” a label she wears with defiant relish. Her paintings, alive with rhythmic colour, layered texture, and an almost performative pulse, translate the electricity of the stage into canvas.

Last week, at Art Central 2026, exhibiting with The Spectacle Group, McAlister found the fair’s energy particularly resonant. “It’s been an incredibly energising week… the best Art Central experience I’ve had,” she says. “This is my second year and I felt more relaxed! The fair had a real buzz, and being there with The Spectacle Group gave my work a beautiful platform to be seen, talked about and properly engaged with.” Collectors, curators, and visitors responded with striking enthusiasm.

Many lingered before her canvases, sensing the theatre in the paint. “People were very interested in the way my performing arts background feeds into the paintings,” McAlister notes, “how stage energy, movement and emotion are translated into colour, rhythm and texture on canvas.” Visitors often remarked that they could “feel” that live energy emanating from the work. Several collectors spoke of a deeper pull: “a sense of connection and ‘divine’ energy in the pieces, that idea of something larger linking all living things.”

For McAlister, the most profound validation came from those who left feeling transformed. “The most meaningful feedback came from visitors who said they felt uplifted after spending time with the work – that’s exactly the kind of impact I hope my practice can have.”

McAlister never abandoned theatre; she simply reopened a long-dormant channel. Trained at art school more than 40 years ago, she set painting aside as life filled with directing, youth work, and the beautiful chaos of productions. Then came a quiet pivot. “Two years ago, when I got Covid and was stuck at home, bored and restless, I picked up a paintbrush almost on a whim… and the moment I started, I remembered how much it made my heart sing!”

She describes the shift not as reinvention but reconnection. “Theatre will always be something I create; it’s like breathing for me. It was more like discovering a second creative channel that runs alongside it.” Now the practices nourish each other: stage movement and emotional storytelling surge onto the canvas in bold acrylic layers. Her technique favours speed and intuition. “My works are primarily acrylic on canvas rather than oil,” she explains. “Acrylic really suits my spontaneous way of working (and I am really impatient… so I need something that dries fast!). It lets me move quickly, layer intuitively!”

She works in a former classroom at “The Kungers,” a refurbished school-turned-community space in Sai Kung, where large-scale pieces can breathe and wait their turn for exhibition.

McAlister’s visual language draws from a rich lineage. Gustav Klimt remains a lodestar for his opulent patterning and emotional depth. “I’m drawn to his rich use of pattern, ornament and repeated motifs, and the way he balances decorative beauty with deep emotional intensity.” The Pop Art movement supplies bold colour and graphic immediacy, while Wassily Kandinsky and Abstract Expressionism shape her belief in colour and form as carriers of spiritual vibration — echoing her fascination with an unseen “divine energy” that binds all living things.

A more immediate inspiration is contemporary Australian artist Naomi Hobson, whose work she encountered in person at Art Central with Rebecca Hossack Gallery. “I’m deeply inspired by how clearly her culture, land and community flow through her work.”

In personal taste, McAlister gravitates toward art that registers viscerally. “I’m drawn to art that feels alive in my body first — bold, bright colour, graphic impact and a sense of movement or performance.” She respects but struggles to connect with “very cold, ultra-minimal or purely cerebral contemporary work where I need to read a long text to feel anything. My taste leans toward art you feel in your gut and heart first and only analyse afterwards.”

The strong current balancing her worlds requires no rigid timetable. Theatre — especially the forthcoming YAF musical Falling Awake, about a teenage girl who escapes online bullying by slipping into a surreal “Innerverse” — runs on structure: call times, deadlines, the machinery of production. When she has precious time off, painting occupies the cracks, instinctive and free. “It doesn’t feel like juggling, they definitely feed each other, but in practice it’s more like two tides coming in and out than a neatly planned timetable.”

Her representation with The Spectacle Group and gallerist Jaime Lau feels like an artistic homecoming. After returning to painting, McAlister methodically emailed Hong Kong galleries for months. “I basically wore a few of them down until they replied and Jaime was the person I met who truly saw me, not just as an artist but as a human. We connected deeply. Resilience and persistence really paid off.”

She contrasts Art Central’s approachable buzz with the more austere atmosphere of Art Basel. Edible Art, which she attended, delighted her with its playful blurring of visual art, food, and experience. As 2026 unfolds, McAlister embraces expansion with characteristic verve. Falling Awake demands focus, yet fuels the storytelling impulse at her core. In visual art, she eyes new markets with fearless momentum: a group show in Manila this June, conversations with galleries in Paris and New York, and ambitions for London representation.

“At 65, as an ‘older’ emerging artist, I honestly feel like that’s my USP, I have lived experience, stamina and zero interest in playing small, and I’m quite committed to exploiting that, in the best possible way, in the years ahead! I’m planning on living to at least 100 so I have still loads of time. Ha!”

McAlister’s practice refuses diminishment, as her canvases do not merely depict energy — they channel it, offering viewers a visceral reminder that art, like theatre, can awaken something larger than the self. In Hong Kong’s crowded cultural arena, that transmission feels both rare and urgently needed. As a multi-hyphenate behind the scenes, McAlister hasn't left the stage, her new work's just taken centre stage.

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A post shared by Lindsey McAlister OBE JP (@lindseyhongkong)

Death and Desire Converge at Sotheby’s Maison’s ‘Eros/Thanatos’ Exhibition

Discover the profound interplay of desire, transgression, and mortality through an extraordinary collection of art and artefacts by Francis Bacon, Salvador Dalí, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Jeff Koons.

Our exclusive contacts at Sotheby’s Maison hinted weeks ago at an undeniably surprising and curious exhibition at their elegant Hong Kong address. When the curtains parted, the collective gasp was audible. Sotheby’s has unveiled its latest exhibit, Eros/Thanatos—Gesamtkunstwerk II, running from 13 to 26 September.

A remarkable showcase offering an immersive exploration of the dualities of human experience, Eros/Thanatos delves into the intricate dance between desire (Eros) and death (Thanatos) through diverse artistic mediums. A sequel to the recent success of Corpus—Three Millennia of the Human Body, which captivated audiences, this exhibition positions Sotheby’s Maison as the talk of the town, an epicentre of cultural engagement in the region.

Read the entire feature with the full list here at Robb Report Hong Kong.

Robb Report Hong Kong Best of the Best 2025: Auctions: Sotheby's

RECORD-BREAKING
SOTHEBY’S

When it came to glamour, luxury, and sales figures that looked like telephone numbers, nothing beat the headline making sales at Sotheby’s Hong Kong this past year, particularly at the new retail outpost, the auction house’s maison in the heart of Central. The range on offer at the 24,000-square-foot space, designed by Dutch architecture firm MVRDV, split the house into sub-sectioned salons, where you saw diversity and choice at their shimmering best.

In a remarkable year for Sotheby’s, the standout sale was the auction debut of Mark Rothko’s Untitled (Yellow and Blue) from 1954, which fetched an impressive HK$252.5 million. This landmark transaction positions Rothko as the third most valuable Western artist to be auctioned in the region, surpassing initial estimates of HK$225 million to HK$275 million.

Among other notable sales, Zhang Daqian’s Red Robe Avalokiteshvara emerged as the leading lot in Chinese art, commanding a respectable HK$77.5 million from the Leshantang collection, with estimates ranging from HK$22 million to HK$30 million.

Looking ahead, Sotheby’s will host a Modern and Contemporary Evening auction in spring 2025 in Hong Kong, followed by an expected roster of auctions, events, and previews for watches, jewellery, and Chinese art and antiquities, but it’s the surprises in-store that you can most anticipate, as the new heads and team members promise events worth waiting for. Consider our breaths bated.

Read more here at Robb Report Hong Kong. 

The annual collector's edition Best of the Best is out now! 

 

Robb Report Hong Kong: The Best in Art, Design & Gear 2025, From Sonus Faber and Baccarat to Christofle, Christie’s, and Aman Interiors

Going For Baroque

Numbers don’t compute easily when you look at the staggering figures that have emerged from auction houses this past year as top-tier brokers expanded their presence in the city, sending out unmistakable global smoke signals: they are here to stay. Hammers were slamming down in quick succession as the four leading auction houses in Hong Kong displayed remarkable prowess, each carving a unique niche in the dynamic art market—and in their new homes.

Bonhams Hong Kong celebrated a record-breaking 2024, achieving an impressive 18 per cent increase in total sales amounting to HK$670 million, the highest since its inception in 2007. In fact, its new Asia-Pacific headquarters at Six Pacific Place facilitated a 68 per cent surge in private sales, while Christie’s opened its current regional headquarters at the Zaha Hadid Architects-designed Henderson, which heralded a remarkable inaugural auction that amassed HK$1.3 billion.

Similarly, Sotheby’s achieved stellar sales at its 24,000-square-foot maison in Central, unveiled last summer, fetching HK$252.5 million for Mark Rothko’s Untitled (Yellow and Blue). Despite a difficult year, the auction house is optimistic in its outlook: An official statement released at the start of 2025 revealed the company’s 2024 earnings, with Sotheby’s CEO Charles Stewart reporting US$6 billion (HK$46.62 billion) of consolidated sales against what he referred to as “a clearly challenging market backdrop.” While the auction house made better numbers in 2023 with US$7.8 billion (HK$60.61 billion) in sales, all things considered, the results are not too shabby as Sotheby’s figure was “the highest in the industry for last year,” according to ArtNews.

While the art world was going for broke, the design world went hard on minimalism. Embodying the living contradiction of “less is more,” interiors were all about clean lines in kitchens, offices, and shared spaces—think islands of plush sofas, coffee tables with nominal fuss, and furnishings in all the right angles eschewing adornment for function. Even Italians, the noted originators of Baroque in the 17th and 18th centuries, have turned the tables, expressing Nordic minimalism in the shape of sleek lamps, monochrome carpets, prismatic tables, and monotone chairs—has the highly ornate and elaborate been spirited away for good?

Some semblances of curlicues and curvaceous design were evident in tech as vinyl made a comeback and designer chess sets and speakers brought back hints of ostentation with a touch of gold here and a flash of silver there. (Instead of looking forward while engineering gadgets, many are choosing to hark back to simpler times and the age of innocence.) Altogether, these noble houses, producers, and brands not only reflect the thriving ecosystem in art, design, and gear, but also set the stage for a promising future in the world of curated collectibles.

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong. 

Art Central and Art Basel Hong Kong 2025

 

One of the great joys of Art Central, Art Basel (both occurring simultaneously and next door to each other--my poor, weary, tired, so very tired feet), is of course seeing some great art and meeting the artists, gallerists, art critics, editors, models, muses. Eg someone like Diane who is... I guess a bit of everything. 

Art Basel or Art Central? This year, I've got to say Art Central has the edge. 2025 Art Basel in Hong Kong was oversubscribed and chaotic--despite the innumerable, defo-interns and somewhat uniformed staff trying to appease the crowds of mostly self-proclaimed VIPs on opening day. The VIP preview was a classic case of, well, everyone's important. Ipso facto, no one is. And were treated as such. God bless the team as they kept their cool, while some notable names... um... didn't. 

Art Central's curated and diverse exhibits were more... what's the word.... fun? The art world takes itself so seriously... Everytime I see something pretentious and when a piece has to be over explained, my mind immediately goes to Ab Fab; 

Eddie: "It all looks like crap, it must be worth something..."

And when in doubt; 

Christie’s Asia-Pacific’s Francis Belin on a New Home at The Henderson, a Diary Full of Pending Auctions, and Emotional Connection

We sit down for an exclusive chat with the president of Christie’s Asia-Pacific on the future of art auctions and more in Hong Kong.

In the epicentre of Hong Kong, a city synonymous with luxury and commerce, legendary auctioneer Christie’s has established its new Asia-Pacific headquarters at The Henderson. This monumental move not only signifies the auction house’s commitment to the region but also reflects a broader trend in the art market, one that is increasingly influenced by Asian collectors and their growing appetite for fine art. Francis Belin, president of Christie’s Asia-Pacific, recently shared insights into this strategic transition in an exclusive interview with Robb Report Hong Kong and what it means for the future of art auctions in Asia.

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong

Preach: Buy art

Monet’s “Nymphéas” Just Sold For a Staggering HK$233 Million at Auction

Now that’s a lot of Monet at Christie’s Hong Kong’s inaugural sales at its new HQ.

In a stunning display of artistic prowess, auctioneering excellence, and exquisite curation at its mint new home at The Henderson, Christie’s Hong Kong’s inaugural sales proved to be a resounding success, amassing a total of HK$1.25 billion (around US$162 million).

For art lovers and connoisseurs, buyers and collectors, purveyors and voyeurs, critics and editors, the place to be in the last days of September was on the 7th floor of the recently opened commercial development The Henderson, the Zaha Hadid Architects-designed tower from where Christie’s Hong Kong’s new Asia-Pacific headquarters loom large over the city.

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong.

First Look: Chinese Haute Couture Designer Duo Pei Brings a Career-Spanning Collection to M+

Rihanna’s jaw-dropping 2015 Met Gala dress is on show in Hong Kong and the event is the hottest ticket in town.

At what point does fashion morph into art? Find out for yourself at Guo Pei: Fashioning Imagination, the first high-fashion exhibition at M+ in the West Kowloon Cultural District, where the dazzling body of work of iconic Chinese couturier Guo Pei is on full exhibit.

Displayed in five chapters, pieces of extraordinary size, shape, colour, conception, and gravity-defying execution have been brought in from all parts of the world. A gold-painted bamboo structure festooned with flowers, a Ming-dynasty vase-patterned and -shaped dress, headgear studded with jewels, an overlong red wedding gown and veil sparkling with sequins—there’s a cinematic and surreal look and feel to each piece, one that’s beyond wearable art.

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong.

The gallery of images by Chris Yau. 

Sotheby’s New Maison at Landmark Chater Features Artwork Ranging From HK$5,000 to HK$50 Million, Encompassing a Timeline of 80 Million Years

It’s the reveal of a whole new world as Sotheby’s unveils grand canvases and antiquities at a new space redefining art and luxury in the heart of Central.

Sotheby’s has unveiled its new maison at Landmark Chater in the heart of Central, Hong Kong. A dazzling testament to the auction house’s finest curation of grand art, the opening puts divine Asian sculptures, rare books and first editions, vintage artefacts, large-scale ink drawings, paintings, diptychs, triptychs, rare antiquities, and a dinosaur skeleton on display to showcase the breadth of its collection. 

Sotheby’s has morphed what was once prime retail real estate—goodbye, Armani café, Armani Fiori, and more blue-chip brands that were housed there before—into a 24,000-square-foot exhibition and retail space; some of the collections on show within the salons (the first floor is divided into thematic rooms) are available now, others will eventually be auctioned off to a discerning global clientele at calendar-scheduled auctions.

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong.

Baccarat and Hong Kong Designer Steve Leung Have Teamed Up to Create an Exquisite Chandelier

The fabulous fusion of porcelain and crystals marks 260 years of Baccarat and 60 years of Sino-French diplomacy.

Multi-hyphenate Renaissance man Steve Leung needs little introduction. Be it his super yachts, vacation homes, interior designs, and collaborations, Leung’s prolific portfolio has been featured on Robb Report Hong Kong time and again. Adding one more arrow to his quiver, the famed architect and designer has just unveiled his latest design in collaboration with crystal-maker Baccarat: the Printemps Bleu Zenith Chandelier, a grand lighting fixture. 

Baccarat and Leung’s Printemps Bleu—literarily “blue spring” in French—chandelier is a breathtaking and exquisite piece. Featuring crystals cut with precision and chinoiserie artwork meticulously painted on fine porcelain, it’s a nod to the heritage of both East and West. It’s a phenomenal achievement, tying in two disparate cultures united through refined craftsmanship and brave innovation. As the head of design of his eponymous label, Steve Leung Design Group (SLD), Leung is the first Chinese designer to collaborate with Baccarat. One hopes Leung’s collaboration with the famed French luxury house paves the way for more cross-cultural design endeavours, as this first iteration is a piece of art.

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong.

Art Basel Hong Kong 2024 Recap: A Stellar turnout and Strong Sales, With Willem de Kooning Artwork as Most Expensive Lot.

A recap of who came, who saw, and who conquered the art market this past week. 

Back with a bang, there was indeed Murder on the Dancefloor as Sophie Ellis-Bextor crooned at Rosewood Hong Kong on the eve of Art Basel Hong Kong. Artists, gallerists, and those in their circles braced themselves ahead of the biggest art event in the city this year. Indeed, the 11th iteration of Art Basel Hong Kong culminated in a strong turnout and significant sales.

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong. 

These Rare Qianlong Treasures Could Fetch HK$215 Million at Auction at Sotheby’s

The legendary Chinese monarch’s prized possessions are going under the hammer this April.

Just before the private, guarded wooden doors open, as suited security stand beside three Qianlong relics that are safely kept a metre behind a roped, cordoned-off area, we’re informed in hushed tones that China’s most powerful emperor’s treasures are within vicinity.

Even the estimated cost of these artefacts is staggering. And yet—we were told at an intimate press preview at Sotheby’s Hong Kong dotted with curators and connoisseurs—just three or four years ago, each piece would have expected to fetch over HK$100 million each. Now, three for HK$215 million seems like a bargain. An imperial white jade “Qianlong Yubi” seal with a twin-dragon knob carved in the early Qing dynasty (estimated at HK$70 million to HK$90 million), a rare imperial album featuring a portrait of the Qianlong Emperor by Jesuit artist Giuseppe Castiglione (HK$50 million to HK$70 million), and a glazed “dragon” moon flask with striking chiaroscuro effect (HK$35 million to HK$55 million) are up for grabs.

Read the entire feature online here at Robb Report Hong Kong. 

All pics by me on my Huawei phone. 

What to expect from Art Basel Hong Kong 2024: Over 240 Galleries From 40 Countries and Regions

 

The annual showcase is the most anticipated art event in the city.

With spring, we segue into the season of art, and details about Art Basel Hong Kong 2024 (ABHK24) are trickling in. Held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from 28 to 30 March 2024, with the Vernissage and media previews held on 26 and 27 March, we’re brushing over innumerable high-plaudit announcements of what’s soon to be on show.

One thing is clear: the 2024 iteration is returning with a bang. With 243 galleries from 40 countries and territories—that’s 66 more than last year—and five show sectors, ABHK24 is framing up to be the largest art event of the year, bar none. Here’s what to expect...

Oh read up the entire feature here only at Robb Report Hong Kong.

The 40th anniversary of the Friends of the Art Museum is tonight!

The 40th anniversary of the Friends of the Art Museum is tonight! 

My art feature is out with the Dec issue of Prestige HK. 

Gone Too Soon: The New Book ‘Bright Stars’ by Art Historian Kate Bryan

 

Kate Bryan’s new book Bright Stars: Great Artists Who Died Too Young exhumes some of the world’s great artists who shone briefly and faded just as fast. We delve into a fascinating tome, full of constant revelations.

Read the entire feature at PrestigeOnline.com here.

Art Agenda: August 2021, Prestige magazine feature

Tragically, the layout had already gone to print as the crackdown on travel, the rules and restrictions changed so for readers of the magazine in Hong Kong, - so all the galleries around the world where we ask our readers to visit were... well.. 

On the plus side, you can check out the galleries and exhibitions virtually. Not quite the same I know...