Before the crowds arrive, Encounters, Art Basel Hong Kong’s sector for monumental artworks – has a particular intensity. Conceived as a curatorial project by Mami Kataoka, Alia Swastika, Isabella Tam, and Hirokazu Tokuyama, this year’s edition is shaped by the Five Elements – a cosmological framework widely found in Asia, with each element (space/ether, water, fire, wind, and earth) mapped onto specific spaces at the fair.   

Shot before the opening, this video follows the four curators through the exhibition, as they highlight the scale of spectacular installations on display. It offers a rare opportunity to experience Encounters as few ever will.