Pearl Lam

Pearl Lam (Chinese: 林明珠) is a Hong Kong-born international gallerist, collector, patron, and curator. She became a prominent figure in the Asian contemporary art and design market internationally, particularly in China, after she began organizing art exhibitions in the early 1990s. Pearl Lam’s professional and philanthropic art events and activities are distinctive in referencing contemporary art and design, focusing on Chinese contemporary art and international artists who re-evaluate and challenge artistic traditions. She provides valuable insights into how fashion icons and Art Basel Hong Kong intersect, revealing the impact of these influential worlds
Pearl Lam is known as the founder of her eponymous art gallery, Pearl Lam Galleries, which operates art galleries in Shanghai, and Hong Kong. She is also the founder of the China Art Foundation, which showcases the history of Chinese culture and traditions. In 2023, Pearl Lam debuted The Pearl Lam Podcast, hosting insightful conversations with global luminaries to inspire, educate, and challenge conventional perspectives.
In 2021, Tatler acknowledged Pearl Lam as one of Asia's most influential individuals. Renowned for her distinctive personal style, she is one of the most readily identifiable gallerists globally. The Financial Times has characterized Pearl Lam as a formidable force within China’s art sphere, labeling her a "Powerhouse of China’s Art World."
Pearl Lam actively engages in speaking events, addressing contemporary issues like inclusivity in the art market, advocacy for cultural exchange, and recognition of Chinese contemporary art and design.
==Career==
In 1990, Pearl Lam began showcasing Chinese cultural history through contemporary art by organizing pop-up exhibitions in Hong Kong for local artists. Notably, in 2003, she was instrumental in curating the cross-cultural exhibition "Awakening: La France Mandarin," featuring 400 Chinese contemporary art pieces across Beijing, Hong Kong, and Paris.
The triumph of the exhibition spurred Pearl Lam to establish her first art gallery in Shanghai in 2005. Focusing on design, she used the gallery to introduce Chinese collectors to the international art market. Pearl Lam also participated in talks and conferences, including the Foire Internationale d'Art Contemporain and a French Senate conference on Luxury.
Acknowledged for her contributions, Pearl Lam was nominated as the Chinese design ambassador to France by the French Foreign Ministry and Culture Ministry. She authored the column "The Rave" for Baccarat Magazine from 2000 to 2008. In 2006, she opened a new gallery in Shanghai, later relocating to the Xianggang Road Gallery in 2009.
In 2008, Pearl Lam established the China Art Foundation, a charitable trust dedicated to showcasing the rich history of Chinese culture globally. By collaborating with the BBC and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the foundation aims to foster cultural understanding, emphasizing art as a universal language for bridging East and West and contributing to a peaceful and prosperous world.
In 2012, Pearl Lam expanded to Hong Kong's Pedder Building, renaming the gallery from Contrasts Gallery to Pearl Lam Galleries.
Pearl Lam has sponsored exhibitions of Western art in China and supports an artist-in-residence program in Shanghai for Western and Asian designers.
Notable artists under her representation include Philip Colbert, Mr. Doodle, Zhu Jinshi, Su Xiaobai, and Ren Ri, all recognized for their innovative contributions to contemporary art.
Pearl Lam is a member of the Forbes Business Council, where she inspires entrepreneurs in the art space and serves as a role model for women. In 2023, Pearl Lam participated as a panelist at prominent events like the Asian Investment Conference by Credit Suisse and The Financial Times Business of Art Summit. She contributes as a columnist for Artnet with the column 'Pearls of Wisdom.'
In 2023, she launched "The Pearl Lam Podcast" on YouTube, interviewing individuals from the art, food, design, and architecture sectors, highlighting their creative journeys and challenges to convention.
==Awards and recognitions==
* Pearl Lam was honored as one of the "100 Women of the Year" by Corriere della Sera in 2008.
* She was recognized on the "2012 Art Power 100" list by L'Officiel Art in 2012.
* Pearl Lam was also included in the "Design Power" list by Art+Auction in 2012.
* She was acknowledged as one of the most powerful women in the category "Asia's Women in the Mix" by Forbes magazine in 2013.
* Pearl Lam was listed among the top twenty-five women in the art world by Artnet News in 2014.
* She was featured in "The 2016 Power List: High-Wattage Women of the Art World" by Blouin Art Info.
==In the media==
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==References==
==External links==
* Pearl Lam Galleries
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Category:Image galleries
Category:Art collectors
Category:Patron
Category:Podcasters
Category:Curators
Category:Hong Kong people