Living traditions: remixing heritage to challenge old stories

Art Basel Hong Kong 2025, March 29

Shao Fan, Sleeping (detail), 2012, Private collection, Switzerland. Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Urs Meile.
Shao Fan, Sleeping (detail), 2012, Private collection, Switzerland. Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Urs Meile.

Shao Fan, artist
Citra Sasmita, artist
Moderator: Diana Campbell, Artistic Director, Bukhara Biennial 2025 ‘Recipes for Broken Hearts’

What happens when artists combine artistic traditions rooted in specific historical contexts with a 21st-century sensibility? This discussion invites artists who are recasting ancient art forms to reflect on the histories contained within each tradition as well as on the narratives they are challenging or reframing by engaging with them today.

Shao Fan was born in 1964 to a Beijing family of artists and has lived there ever since. He started studying painting with his parents at a young age. His works have a clear independent and individual style. From deep within the spirit of Chinese culture and art, he brings forth a fascinating realm of the ‘old.’

Citra Sasmita is a contemporary artist renowned for her exploration of the myths and misconceptions surrounding Balinese art and culture. Her work critically examines the societal position of women and aims to dismantle established constructs of gender.

The program will be conducted in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin, with simultaneous interpretation available. All talks will be recorded and available on YouTube and on the Art Basel website after the fair.

The Art Basel Hong Kong 2025 Conversations program is curated by Stephanie Bailey.

Conversations are free and open to all; no Art Basel ticket is needed to enter. To secure your place for this Conversation, please RSVP here to receive your digital ticket. Visitors without tickets will be welcomed on a first come first served basis.

Venue: Auditorium, N101B, Level 1, Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre.