HONG KONG—Art HK 08, a new international contemporary-art fair to be held in Hong Kong from May 14 to 18, is poised to play a pivotal role in the Asian art market. Capitalizing on the city’s duty-free and tax-free status, organizers hope it attracts a range of collectors from Asia, Europe and the United States.

Supervising the event are Magnus Renfrew, based in Hong Kong, and Stephanie Dieckvoss, in London. With two directors, Art HK 08 can keep on top of operations in Asia while maintaining close ties to foreign dealers. Western exhibitors will include Yvon Lambert, of Paris and New York; Eva Presenhuber, of Zurich; and Marlborough Fine Art and Albion, of London.

Renfrew, who initiated the fair, was most recently director of Contrasts Gallery, a chain of contemporary-art galleries in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing run by the dynamic Pearl Lam. Dieckvoss brings to her new position a wealth of experience as a fair organizer in London, having formerly served as manager of the Winter Fine Art & Antiques Fair, Olympia, and of the Frieze Art Fair during its first three years in operation. “I am convinced,” she says, “that the Asian market will develop into a real alternative for galleries that might start to feel quite insecure, considering the recessions on the horizon in the West.”

"Directorial Duo" originally appeared in the April 2008 issue of Art+Auction. For a complete list of articles from this issue available on ARTINFO, see Art+Auction's April 2008 Table of Contents.