British auction house Phillips Asia will inaugurate its first gallery space at the St George’s Building in Central next Wednesday.

It is on the 14th floor of the same building where the 222-year-old auction house has just relocated its Asia headquarters. The gallery space will be a destination for global art connoisseurs with Phillips’ proposed calendar encompassing several exhibitions, auction previews, private sales, cultural programs and other special events.
Since its inaugural Hong Kong sale in November 2015, the number of Asian buyers in Phillips’ auctions across the globe has increased by 133 per cent. In the past two years, total sales in Asia have grown 13 per cent.

CEO Edward Dolman says the expanded headquarters in Hong Kong is an important addition to its business, along with its headquarters in London and New York.

To mark the inauguration of the Asia gallery, the company will host a cross-category selling exhibition, Hong Kong. Spotlight. Now., on view at the venue through to April 13. It will showcase works by artists such as Keith Haring, Marc Chagall, Peter Doig and Yayoi Kusama.

There will also be works of design, photographs, watches and jewels, with highlights from Phillips’ forthcoming Geneva and Hong Kong watch auctions.