Does the Hong Kong-based gallery’s westward move tell a bigger story about changing buyer habits and the new geography of London’s art scene?
At a time when many respected galleries across the world are downsizing or closing down altogether, others are investing in larger spaces to reach the next generation of collectors. Among them is contemporary Chinese art gallery 3812, marking a bold new chapter with the opening of its London flagship during Frieze Art Week. Does its new home at The Whiteley in Bayswater – a century-old former shopping centre transformed by Foster + Partners into a mixed-use development with apartments, retail and a luxury hotel – signal a shift in where art enthusiasts are looking to base their business?
3812 co-founder Calvin Hui speaks to Monocle about his path from collector to gallerist, giving up a gilded Mayfair postcode for “dynamic” west London and why the UK capital is still a desirable destination.
What made The Whiteley the right home for 3812?
The sales presentation. It was so impressive and we liked the international mix of residents. As a contemporary Chinese art gallery, we are trying to reach out to a new generation of collectors. When we arrived in London in 2018, we wanted to be located in a prominent address to attract English and European customers. Now we’re looking to be more dynamic.
Is this symbolic of a wider shift away from Mayfair?
No, it’s just us. Moving out of Mayfair means leaving our comfort zone but we are not a typical Western gallery – and now we have twice as much space, if not more. Ceiling height is another impressive element of the new location: our ground-floor gallery is 5.5 metres in height. A bigger space means bigger possibilities for our curatorial vision.
What does your opening programme look like?
A solo show by Ma Desheng. He’s a very established Chinese artist based in Paris. Two or three years ago, he held a major retrospective at Centre Pompidou. Afterwards we will present works by a Hong Kong cultural icon, Stanley Wong, and postwar abstract master Hsiao Chin, who passed away two years ago. We will also have a group exhibition of young Hong Kong and mainland Chinese artists in their twenties and thirties, including Thomas Ngan and Liu Yangwen. As you can see, our shows will range from emerging to established artists, primarily painters.
How did you first find your way into the art world?
It was very organic. I started collecting art while running my PR and marketing company and then I began writing columns in some Chinese newspapers and magazines about the market. My partner encouraged me to open a gallery because he could see my passion and potential. Every time I had guests at home, they really liked what I had hanging on the walls.
When did that turn into your first gallery?
I opened my first space in 2011 in Wong Chuk Hang [a former industrial area on the south side of Hong Kong Island]. I called it a contemporary-art project because I didn’t know exactly what I was going to do. And then, bit by bit, I became more serious about building an identity and an artist portfolio, so in 2015 we moved to Sheung Wan and finally called ourselves a gallery. Three years later we moved to Central, where we are now, and also expanded overseas to St James’s in London.
Do you still collect personally or is all your energy in the gallery now?
I never stopped collecting, even after I started my gallery business. It varies from contemporary art to mid-century furniture, vintage silverware and Whitefriars glassware. I also collect my own artists’ work as recognition of their talents and a gesture of support.
Any British names you’re excited by at the moment?
I have a lot of modern and contemporary British art in my collection. I collect in two directions: early to mid-20th-century British modernism, such as Peter Lanyon and Barbara Hepworth, and contemporary artists. I recently acquired some of Samuel Chatto’s ceramics. Over the past few years, I have also been supporting many artists at the Royal Drawing School.
Which Chinese artists are you championing right now?
Chloe Ho is a young ink painter. She presents a traditional medium in a very distinctive way, sometimes incorporating coffee or spray paint to add a contemporary touch while maintaining the traditional elements. I really admire Liu Guofu and I have to mention Ma Desheng, whose pieces I have collected for more than 20 years. I began visiting him in Paris and we became good friends. It’s a real honour to now represent him and show his works for the inaugural show of the new gallery.