Last week Hong Kong hosted ART HK 11 and for a few days the city transformed into a multi-media performance. Edited from the multitude of happenings, here is my week at a glance…

Tuesday 24th May
ART HK 11 unofficially began with my hosting an intimate gathering for German photographer Candida Hofer, in my apartment, below her brilliant Napoli library print.

Candida is an artist I have long admired, and it was a dream fulfilled to talk to her and hear her stories and inspirations, while also meeting her husband Herbert Berkert, a professor of internet law. They were such an interesting couple, their minds paradigms of rarefied, classic tradition and avant garde thought. They, together with friends and the charms of gallery owners Ben Brown, Louisa Guinness and meine vernichten Paul Kasmin, made for a lively and memorable evening.

Wednesday 25th May
The official Art Fair opening, although it was at first hard to see the art through the social frenzy. Occupying the vast Convention Center was an impressive spectrum of international galleries and artists. I snapped “Ben and the Bush.” an iphoto of the dealer beneath one of his Helmut Newton works, and the Jeff Koons BMW which had a grand presence next to the Murakamis and the Japanese artist himself (not LV clad). With Art Basel’s purchase of the fair, Hong Kong will join the international art schedule – so looking forward to February 2012 already…

Thursday 26th May
The evening started off at Christie’s spring auction highlights, featuring great contemporary artists Zeng Fanzhi, Ju Ming, and Zhang Xiaogang. It was a very established presentation compared to the next event – a conceptual wedding banquet hosted by Outset, to benefit Para/Site, a conceptual art non-profit. The event was held in a dim, noisy, run-down and slightly squalid authentic Chinese banquet hall. During the many courses, we become spectators and participants in the performance. Artists paid homage to the wedding couple by curating and presenting gifts of art in the form of poetry, song, paintings and performance throughout the evening.

Before ending the evening, I took the 5 minute walk to The Space gallery, owned by my fiery friend Mandy d’Abo. The party inside celebrated Sir Peter Blake, known as the godfather of British pop art, who designed those familiar album covers for The Beatles, among many other things.

Friday 27th May
On my way to the Intelligence Squared debate, I stopped by On Pedder to meet Tom Binns who was at the center of his own jewelry exhibit and party. Inspired by bioluminescent marine life and aquariums, Tom incorporated glow-in-the-dark aspects into the jewelry pieces, and presented them in a large black cube constructed in the middle of the store. Funny he is a bit rugged in appearance in contrast to such delicate work.

Later at the Intelligent Squared event, photographer David La Chapelle and art expert Simon de Pury debated Singaporean multimedia artist Ming Wong and British art commentator Stephen Bayley on the topic “Art Must be Beautiful.” Ming Wong performed his supposition, “Art is truth,” by methodically stripping off his cheongsam and women’s support garments to reveal a modest little pair of Y fronts.

Saturday 28th May
Finally, the Peels closing party from 7:30 til late, or early as it turned out. 12 hours of sea air, culture and sin, and a “Where is Ai Wei Wei” T-shirt parting gift. Far from the 80’s RELAX (Don’t Do It), these were sobering words of truth (or beauty, or art?) to end an intoxicating week.