The Works：HK$300 million match fund to support the arts, Yang Jiechang's modern ink, Balthus at Ga

Apart from direct sales of their works or tickets to their performances, artists rely on support from private patrons, corporations, or governments to survive. For governments, art is far from a necessity, and the search for ongoing financial support can be both tough and exhausting. For the arts in Hong Kong, most government funding is distributed through either the Arts Development Council or the Home Affairs Bureau, but a new pilot scheme could encourage the private sector to get more involved.
Like many Chinese artists of the past Paris-based Yang Jiechang uses ink as a medium in his art, but he often uses it in far from traditional ways. He says that in this time of worldwide chaos, unpredictable change, and even hysteria, he wants to bring Hong Kong a little positivity and some auspicious images, and this month he’s done so in two exhibitions of his work presented as part of Le French May.
Polish-French painter, Balthasar Klossowski de Rola, more commonly known as Balthus, is best known for his haunting depictions of languid young girls and – often – cats in enigmatic interiors, although his work is much more varied than that. As an artist, he also preferred to be something of an enigma. Until the middle of August, the Gagosian Gallery Hong Kong, in collaboration with his estate, is presenting “Balthus: The Last Studies”, a career-spanning exhibition of his paintings, drawings, and photographs. For fans of his work it’s a chance not to be missed.Here to open the exhibition was his widow, Setsuko Klossowski de Rola.
In Western mythology, the phoenix is consumed by fire and rises anew from its own ashes. Chinese artist Xu Bing’s versions of the ancient phoenix pair arise from waste from modern industrial construction. For our final report from this year’s Venice Biennale we spoke to Xu Bing about his ongoing Phoenix Project.