The other day I went to an art show in Hong Kong sponsored by 德意志银行 (de2yi4zhi4 yin2hang2 – Deutsche Bank), held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center.  Works from 世界各地 (shi4jie4ge4di4 – all over the world) were on display.  Some of the more recognizable works on display included the exaggerated smiling faces made famous by 岳敏君 (yue1 min3jun1 – Yue Minjun) and the post-apocalyptic photographic landscapes from 陈家刚 (chen2jia1gang1 – Chen Jiagang).  Much of the art was for sale, and unlike (I’ve heard) other years it was more 商业化 (shang1ye4hua4 – commercialized) works than art for the sake of art.  Popular themes included 头骨 (tou2gu3 – skulls) and the 迅速发展 (xun4su4fa1zhan3 – rapid development) of China, although not necessarily in the same works.  Modern art has been developing at a breakneck pace, and if this past weekend’s recession-beating sales are any indication, the trend is likely to continue.