Bringing together leading artists, curators, gallerists, collectors, and critics from across the world, Art Basel’s talks program in Hong Kong will offer over 15 dynamic dialogues between prominent figures of the international art world. Featured artists include Nadim Abbas, Chim↑Pom, Chow Chun Fai, Chu Hing Wah, Fiona Hall, Kwan Sheung Chi, Lam Tung Pang, LAM Laam Jaffa, Lee Kit, Leung Chi Wo, Leung Mee Ping, Liu Kuo-sung, Lo Chi Kit, Ahmed Mater, Carsten Nicolai, The Propeller Group, Fabienne Verdier, Wu Mali, Wu Daarkuen and Xu Tan.

This year’s Conversations program in Hong Kong opens on Thursday, May 15, with the Premiere Artist Talk. Legendary Chinese artist Liu Kuosung will discuss his visual responses to living as a Chinese artist in the United States, Hong Kong and Taiwan, and the development of modern ink painting. The artist will be in conversation with Curator of Ink Art, M+, Hong Kong, Lesley Ma and independent curator Zhu Hongzi.

The 2014 Conversations program features a particularly strong line-up of leading international museum directors and curators. Hou Hanru, Juliana Engberg, Eungie Joo and Jessica Morgan will draw on their experiences directing biennials to discuss the role of the biennial in international and local communities. Focusing on Gwangju, Sharjah and Sydney, the panel will also explore to what extent these biennials mediate across different cultural regions. The program continues with a panel discussion between Shareen Khatter, Takeo Obayashi, Gene Sherman AM, Lu Xun and Elaine Ng on whether an Eastern and Western ways of collecting exists in a world in which local or national identities are being challenged. The debate will examine where collectors’ responsibilities lie when it comes to promoting cross-cultural exchange and arts education, a topic particularly pertinent to Hong Kong as the city embraces a maturing cultural infrastructure. Conversations is supported by Absolut.

A platform for shorter, often more informal presentations, the afternoon Salon program features artist talks, panel discussions and lectures with artists, curators, museum directors and researchers. Topics are as varied as the participants, ranging from a focus panel on the Vietnamese art scene, artist talks and a discussion on collecting and archiving, to a talk on film as an art genre, titled “Activism Utopia.” Salon will also include a talk between artists Nadim Abbas and Lee Kit with William Lim and Christoph Noe; a discussion between Li Zhenhua, curator of the film sector, and the artists Kwan Sheung Chi and Chim↑Pom; a talk on Hans van Dijk; and a conversation between artist Carsten Nicolai and Nikolaus Hirsch, Frankfurt curator and architect.

Both programs take place in the auditorium on Level 1, at the entrance of Hall 1 A of the HKCEC. Talks from the Conversations program are free to the public. Art Basel VIP card or ticket includes admission to all Salon talks. The talks will be accessible in English, Cantonese and Mandarin.

The second edition of Art Basel in Hong Kong, whose Lead Partner is UBS, will showcase 245 of the world’s leading galleries across four sectors and takes place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) from Thursday, May 15, to Sunday, May 18.

The full talks program is available at artbasel.com/hongkong/talks.