In Hong Kong, where encounters with 20th-century Southeast Asian art are still largely limited to random auction and art-fair appearances, a new exhibition at Villepin gallery offers a rare chance to see a broad mix of works by two major artists from the region: Fernando Zobel and Le Pho.
Born in Manila in the Philippines, Zobel was a Harvard-educated artist, museum director, collector and influential figure in both his home country and his adopted home of Spain. He has long been recognised as a key shaper of the post-World War II abstract movement in both countries.
Considering his fame, it is perhaps surprising that his part in a group show within Villepinโs hushed three-storey space on Hollywood Road is described as the first time his art has been shown in a Hong Kong gallery.
Similarly, while the work of Vietnamese-French artist Le is often found in major auctions in the city, Villepin curator Rishika Assomull, the galleryโs new senior director, says the selection here stands out for being an unusual opportunity to see examples from all the key phases of a long career.
The group exhibition, titled โWorlds Within: Art as Refugeโ, positions Zobel and Le alongside two other migrant artists and Villepin regulars: Zao Wou-Ki and Kang Myonghi.