{"id":1855863,"date":"2026-03-26T23:00:19","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T20:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1855863"},"modified":"2026-03-26T23:00:19","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T20:00:19","slug":"chan-wai-lap-is-bringing-the-public-pool-to-art-basel-hong-kong-and-he-wants-you-to-stay-a-while","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1855863","title":{"rendered":"Chan Wai-lap Is Bringing the Public Pool to Art Basel Hong Kong \u2014 And He Wants You to Stay a While"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F03%2F23%2Fchan-wai-lap-mimimomo-pool-2026-art-basel-hong-kong-interview-0.jpg?w=1080&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&#8221;]<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-post-body col\">\n<div class=\"row post-body\">\n<aside class=\"post-body-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-upper\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-category d-none d-lg-block\">\n<p>    Art\n                                                                                                    <\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-published d-none d-lg-block\"><time>Mar 26, 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<ul class=\"post-body-sidebar-hype-comments-container list-unstyled d-none d-lg-block\">\n<li><span class=\"hype-count grey\"><br \/>\n             396<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Views<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"disqus-comment-count\"><span>0<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"d-none d-sm-inline text\">Comments<\/span><\/span>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"text\">Save<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-author d-none d-lg-block\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider share-divider\">\n<h6>Text By<\/h6>\n<p><span class=\"author-name\">Sophie Caraan<\/span><\/div>\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider d-none d-lg-block\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-share d-none d-lg-block\">\n<h6>Share this article<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<article class=\"post-body-article\">\n<div id=\"post-body-top-bar\" class=\"post-body-top-bar d-block d-lg-none\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-share-meta-container\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-meta\"><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-category\"><\/p>\n<p>    Art<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-published\"><time>Mar 26, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-hype-comments-container \"><span class=\"hype-count grey\"><br \/>\n             396<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Views<\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"disqus-comment-count\"><span>0<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"d-none d-none text\">Comments<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"text\">Save<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-content\">\n<p>In the midst of the frenzy of Art Basel Hong Kong 2026, there\u2019s one section of the premiere art fair that offers an unexpected command: slow down.<\/p>\n<p>Welcome to the world of Chan Wai-lap. The Hong Kong born-and-raised artist has spent years documenting the sterile, yet deeply human architecture of public swimming pools \u2014 a common gathering ground in the city he calls home. His latest installation \u201cMimimomo Pool (2026),\u201d which is on view at this year\u2019s Basel alongside the likes of Andy Warhol, Ed Ruscha, and Wayne Thiebaud, is more than just an invitation to sit down. It\u2019s a linguistic wink to Chan\u2019s Hong Kong roots; drawn from the Cantonese phrase \u300c\u9761\u9761\u6469\u6469\u300d(mi-mi-mo-mo), it serves as a tongue-in-cheek descriptor for someone who is dawdling or taking their time. Further anchoring this local identity is a flickering neon sign hovering over the space. The quintessential visual shorthand for Hong Kong\u2019s street life is traditionally used to lure customers into shops. Here, it serves as a welcome beacon, paying homage to Hong Kong\u2019s vibrant, albeit exhausting, energy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI chose \u2018Mimimomo Pool\u2019 for its distinctly Cantonese sound and local character. Even locals may use the phrase without knowing it can be written as \u300c\u9761\u9761\u6469\u6469\u300d\u2014 I only learned that through research,\u201d Chan tells Hypebeast just days ahead of Art Basel Hong Kong\u2019s opening. \u201cThat gap between everyday speech and its \u2018proper\u2019 form is a playful entry point. The title frames slowness with humour, inviting visitors to relax, slow down, and share a lighter, unhurried mood.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<p>The seeds of \u201cMimimomo Pool (2026)\u201d were planted in \u201cDreaming of Swimming Pools 12 (2024-25),\u201d one of Chan\u2019s earlier works that reimagined the world as a circular, mosaic-tiled basin. Rather than framing the piece on a wall, however, the artist instead chose to print the work onto a sprawling carpet, effectively erasing the distance between the viewer and the art. This evolution from paper to a physical environment was made possible through a strategic partnership with the UBS Art Collection. Mary Rozell, Global Head of the UBS Art Collection, explains the significance of this growth, \u201cThe commission of Mimimomo Pool exemplifies how the UBS Art Collection builds long-term relationships with artists. When we first acquired the drawing by Chan Wai-lap, we were drawn to the conceptual world he has created. Commissioning this work allowed us to support the evolution of that idea from an intimately-scaled drawing into a large-scale installation that invites public participation.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<p>Chan explains that the transition is more than just about size, \u201cYou step onto the artwork instead of looking at the artwork as an image on a wall.\u201d He explains, \u201cInstalling the drawing as floor and environment makes the encounter physical \u2014 scale, texture, movement, and duration become part of the work, along with decisions about materials, colour, lighting, and entry points.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<p><q>\u201cI share the belief that art can emerge from ordinary life \u2014 not only from museums and white-cube spaces.\u201d<\/q><\/p>\n<p>For Chan, the swimming pool provides more than the aesthetics of leisure. Through his work, he analyzes the subtle power dynamics that occur when strangers take up the same space. The public swimming pool becomes a microcosm, governed by rules, proximity, and even shared breath. Putting that into the context of a city as densely populated and fast-paced as Hong Kong, he notes, \u201cSlowness and breathing space can feel like luxuries.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis work turns my observations into a lived experience \u2014 creating a pause within the art fair where viewers, especially strangers, experience space together,\u201d he continues, \u201cand where \u2018self and others\u2019 is felt through shared time and presence.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<p>As guests kick off their shoes to rest their weary feet against the texture of the \u201cpool\u201d floor, it\u2019s evident that \u201cMimimomo Pool (2026)\u201d serves as a new chapter for the artist. The Art Basel Hong Kong highlight is a work that values accessibility and as much as it does technical precision. \u201cIt\u2019s a significant step into immersive, participatory work,\u201d Chan reflects. \u201cIt expands my practice from depiction to environment, building a shared experience people can inhabit.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<p>The inclusion of \u201cMimimomo Pool\u201d in the <em>Beyond Pop: Art of the Everyday<\/em> exhibition is a powerful curatorial choice, with Rozell noting the bridge Chan builds between the local and the universal. \u201cWhat makes Chan Wai Lap\u2019s work compelling in the context of <em>Beyond Pop: Art of the Everyday<\/em> is the way it anchors universal themes in a specific local experience. While artists like Ed Ruscha and Wayne Thiebaud examine the visual language of everyday life and consumer culture, Chan looks at shared spaces such as public swimming pools, diving into the personal and social significance that may be overlooked by residents,\u201d she states. \u201cThrough this lens, Chan transforms a familiar urban environment into a reflection on memory, community, and the rhythms of daily life. His vibrant work connects the particularities of Hong Kong\u2019s cultural landscape with broader questions about how ordinary spaces shape collective identity.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<p>In a city that famously values time and efficiency, Chan Wai-lap has managed to do the impossible: he\u2019s built a place where everyone is allowed to be a little bit <em>mimimomo<\/em>.\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode-slider before-booted full-screen-enabled light\" data-width=\"100%\" data-animate=\"slide\" data-slideshow data-loop data-slideshowspeed=\"7000\" data-group-cells=\"1\">\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel\">\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel-cell\" data-gallery-index=\"1\"><span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"image-index\">1 of 5<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"caption\">Installation view of the UBS Art Studio at Art Basel Hong Kong 2026. Chan Wai Lap, Mimimomo Pool, 2026 \u00a9 Chan Wai Lap<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/image\/2026\/03\/26\/chan-wai-lap-mimimomo-pool-2026-art-basel-hong-kong-interview-2.jpg\" alt=\"Chan-Wai Lap Mimimomo Pool 2026 art basel hong kong Interview\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text credit-wrapper\"><span class=\"credit\">Courtesy Of Ubs<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel-cell\" data-gallery-index=\"2\"><span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"image-index\">2 of 5<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"caption\">Installation view of the UBS Art Studio at Art Basel Hong Kong 2026. Chan Wai Lap, Mimimomo Pool, 2026 \u00a9 Chan Wai Lap<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/image\/2026\/03\/26\/chan-wai-lap-mimimomo-pool-2026-art-basel-hong-kong-interview-3.jpg\" alt=\"Chan-Wai Lap Mimimomo Pool 2026 art basel hong kong Interview\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text credit-wrapper\"><span class=\"credit\">Courtesy Of Ubs<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel-cell\" data-gallery-index=\"3\"><span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"image-index\">3 of 5<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"caption\">Installation view of the UBS Art Studio at Art Basel Hong Kong 2026. Chan Wai Lap, Mimimomo Pool, 2026 \u00a9 Chan Wai Lap<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/image\/2026\/03\/26\/chan-wai-lap-mimimomo-pool-2026-art-basel-hong-kong-interview-4.jpg\" alt=\"Chan-Wai Lap Mimimomo Pool 2026 art basel hong kong Interview\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text credit-wrapper\"><span class=\"credit\">Courtesy Of Ubs<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel-cell\" data-gallery-index=\"4\"><span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"image-index\">4 of 5<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"caption\">UBS Art Studio installation view. Artist Chan Wai Lap with the artwork commissioned by the UBS Art Collection. Chan Wai Lap, Mimimomo Pool, 2026, \u00a9 Chan Wai Lap<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/image\/2026\/03\/26\/chan-wai-lap-mimimomo-pool-2026-art-basel-hong-kong-interview-5.jpg\" alt=\"Chan-Wai Lap Mimimomo Pool 2026 art basel hong kong Interview\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text credit-wrapper\"><span class=\"credit\">Courtesy Of Ubs<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel-cell\" data-gallery-index=\"5\"><span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"image-index\">5 of 5<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"caption\">UBS Art Studio installation view. Artist Chan Wai Lap with the artwork commissioned by the UBS Art Collection. Chan Wai Lap, Mimimomo Pool, 2026, \u00a9 Chan Wai Lap<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"portrait\" src=\"https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/image\/2026\/03\/26\/chan-wai-lap-mimimomo-pool-2026-art-basel-hong-kong-interview-6.jpg\" alt=\"Chan-Wai Lap Mimimomo Pool 2026 art basel hong kong Interview\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text credit-wrapper\"><span class=\"credit\">Courtesy Of Ubs<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Hypebeast: What was the creative process like when transitioning the two-dimensional work of \u201cDreaming of Swimming Pools 12 (2024-25)\u201d into an immersive, physical space?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The drawing imagines the globe as a circular, mosaic pool. The installation brings that image into the body: a carpet printed with the drawing, mosaic surfaces, seating with massage rollers, and parasols that heighten a leisure atmosphere. It\u2019s less an enlargement than a choreography \u2014 how people enter, pause, and stay \u2014 forming a calm pocket inside the busy art fair.\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cMimimomo Pool (2026)\u201d features a diverse array of elements, including mosaic structures, built-in massage rollers, and parasols. How do these specific<\/strong><strong>objects function together to transform a standard art fair environment into a playful communal space?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>They\u2019re familiar signals of rest and public leisure. Together they shift the work from \u201clook at\u201d to \u201cspend time in\u201d: sit, linger, share space. I\u2019m interested in the choreography that emerges, how people gather, move, and navigate boundaries, so the installation becomes a small commons rather than a static display.\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>As an artist born and based in Hong Kong, how does this installation reflect the vibrant culture of the city while simultaneously offering a \u201crespite\u201d from its pace?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>My work comes from observing Hong Kong\u2019s streets and how people use public space. \u201cMimimomo Pool\u201d carries that urban energy through its materials and references to shared leisure infrastructure, but it slows the tempo, offering a brief, communal pause inside the city\u2019s intensity.\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>Your work is being featured alongside global icons of the \u201cPop\u201d and \u201cEveryday\u201d movements, such as Andy Warhol and Ed Ruscha. How do you see your exploration of \u201cquotidian objects\u201d differing from or aligning with these international traditions?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m honored to be shown alongside these artists, and I share the belief that art can emerge from ordinary life \u2014 not only from museums and white-cube spaces. My focus is on observing and transforming everyday situations, especially those shaped by unspoken rules, access, intimacy, and power as they\u2019re subtly negotiated in daily life.<\/p>\n<div class=\"show-article\">\n<p>                                                            Read Full Article<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<footer>\n<div class=\"related-stories-main-wrapper\">\n<h3>Related Stories<\/h3>\n<div class=\"stories-container\" data-layer-list-name=\"related_stories\" data-layer-list-offset=\"0\" data-layer-list-child-selector=\".story-item\">\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6696040\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\"><span>&gt;<\/span>Closer Look at Art Basel Hong Kong 2026\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6695079\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\"><span>&gt;<\/span>Yeat Redefines the Album Rollout and Ye Drops &#8216;BULLY&#8217;: Everything We Loved In Music This Week\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-email-signup-wrapper impression-tracker\">\n<h3>We got you covered. Don\u2019t miss out on the latest news by signing up for our newsletters.<\/h3>\n<div class=\"terms\">By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-author d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider share-divider\">\n<h6>Text By<\/h6>\n<p><span class=\"author-name\">Sophie Caraan<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-share d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider\">\n<h6>Share this article<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-content-tags\">\n<div class=\"body collapsed\">\n<p>    Art Basel Hong KongArt Basel Hong Kong 2026Chan Wai-lap\n                                                            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"post-footer\" class=\"post-footer row\">\n<div class=\"col-shopping-break\">\n<hr>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-comments\">\n<div id=\"comments\" class=\"post-comments none \">\n<header>\n<div class=\"heading\"><span class=\"comment-count\">0<\/span><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"comment-dropdown-tooltip\">\n<ul>\n<li>\n<li><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row post-body\">\n<aside class=\"post-body-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-upper\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-category d-none d-lg-block\">\n<p>    Art\n                                                                                                    <\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-published d-none d-lg-block\"><time>Mar 26, 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<ul class=\"post-body-sidebar-hype-comments-container list-unstyled d-none d-lg-block\">\n<li><span class=\"hype-count grey\"><br \/>\n             396<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Views<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"disqus-comment-count\"><span>0<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"d-none d-sm-inline text\">Comments<\/span><\/span>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"text\">Save<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-author d-none d-lg-block\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider share-divider\">\n<h6>Text By<\/h6>\n<p><span class=\"author-name\">Sophie Caraan<\/span><\/div>\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider d-none d-lg-block\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-share d-none d-lg-block\">\n<h6>Share this article<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<article class=\"post-body-article\">\n<div id=\"post-body-top-bar\" class=\"post-body-top-bar d-block d-lg-none\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-share-meta-container\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-meta\"><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-category\"><\/p>\n<p>    Art<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-published\"><time>Mar 26, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-hype-comments-container \"><span class=\"hype-count grey\"><br \/>\n             396<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Views<\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"disqus-comment-count\"><span>0<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"d-none d-none text\">Comments<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"text\">Save<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-content\">\n<p>In the midst of the frenzy of Art Basel Hong Kong 2026, there\u2019s one section of the premiere art fair that offers an unexpected command: slow down.<\/p>\n<p>Welcome to the world of Chan Wai-lap. The Hong Kong born-and-raised artist has spent years documenting the sterile, yet deeply human architecture of public swimming pools \u2014 a common gathering ground in the city he calls home. His latest installation \u201cMimimomo Pool (2026),\u201d which is on view at this year\u2019s Basel alongside the likes of Andy Warhol, Ed Ruscha, and Wayne Thiebaud, is more than just an invitation to sit down. It\u2019s a linguistic wink to Chan\u2019s Hong Kong roots; drawn from the Cantonese phrase \u300c\u9761\u9761\u6469\u6469\u300d(mi-mi-mo-mo), it serves as a tongue-in-cheek descriptor for someone who is dawdling or taking their time. Further anchoring this local identity is a flickering neon sign hovering over the space. The quintessential visual shorthand for Hong Kong\u2019s street life is traditionally used to lure customers into shops. Here, it serves as a welcome beacon, paying homage to Hong Kong\u2019s vibrant, albeit exhausting, energy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI chose \u2018Mimimomo Pool\u2019 for its distinctly Cantonese sound and local character. Even locals may use the phrase without knowing it can be written as \u300c\u9761\u9761\u6469\u6469\u300d\u2014 I only learned that through research,\u201d Chan tells Hypebeast just days ahead of Art Basel Hong Kong\u2019s opening. \u201cThat gap between everyday speech and its \u2018proper\u2019 form is a playful entry point. The title frames slowness with humour, inviting visitors to relax, slow down, and share a lighter, unhurried mood.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<p>The seeds of \u201cMimimomo Pool (2026)\u201d were planted in \u201cDreaming of Swimming Pools 12 (2024-25),\u201d one of Chan\u2019s earlier works that reimagined the world as a circular, mosaic-tiled basin. Rather than framing the piece on a wall, however, the artist instead chose to print the work onto a sprawling carpet, effectively erasing the distance between the viewer and the art. This evolution from paper to a physical environment was made possible through a strategic partnership with the UBS Art Collection. Mary Rozell, Global Head of the UBS Art Collection, explains the significance of this growth, \u201cThe commission of Mimimomo Pool exemplifies how the UBS Art Collection builds long-term relationships with artists. When we first acquired the drawing by Chan Wai-lap, we were drawn to the conceptual world he has created. Commissioning this work allowed us to support the evolution of that idea from an intimately-scaled drawing into a large-scale installation that invites public participation.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<p>Chan explains that the transition is more than just about size, \u201cYou step onto the artwork instead of looking at the artwork as an image on a wall.\u201d He explains, \u201cInstalling the drawing as floor and environment makes the encounter physical \u2014 scale, texture, movement, and duration become part of the work, along with decisions about materials, colour, lighting, and entry points.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<p><q>\u201cI share the belief that art can emerge from ordinary life \u2014 not only from museums and white-cube spaces.\u201d<\/q><\/p>\n<p>For Chan, the swimming pool provides more than the aesthetics of leisure. Through his work, he analyzes the subtle power dynamics that occur when strangers take up the same space. The public swimming pool becomes a microcosm, governed by rules, proximity, and even shared breath. Putting that into the context of a city as densely populated and fast-paced as Hong Kong, he notes, \u201cSlowness and breathing space can feel like luxuries.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis work turns my observations into a lived experience \u2014 creating a pause within the art fair where viewers, especially strangers, experience space together,\u201d he continues, \u201cand where \u2018self and others\u2019 is felt through shared time and presence.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<p>As guests kick off their shoes to rest their weary feet against the texture of the \u201cpool\u201d floor, it\u2019s evident that \u201cMimimomo Pool (2026)\u201d serves as a new chapter for the artist. The Art Basel Hong Kong highlight is a work that values accessibility and as much as it does technical precision. \u201cIt\u2019s a significant step into immersive, participatory work,\u201d Chan reflects. \u201cIt expands my practice from depiction to environment, building a shared experience people can inhabit.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<p>The inclusion of \u201cMimimomo Pool\u201d in the <em>Beyond Pop: Art of the Everyday<\/em> exhibition is a powerful curatorial choice, with Rozell noting the bridge Chan builds between the local and the universal. \u201cWhat makes Chan Wai Lap\u2019s work compelling in the context of <em>Beyond Pop: Art of the Everyday<\/em> is the way it anchors universal themes in a specific local experience. While artists like Ed Ruscha and Wayne Thiebaud examine the visual language of everyday life and consumer culture, Chan looks at shared spaces such as public swimming pools, diving into the personal and social significance that may be overlooked by residents,\u201d she states. \u201cThrough this lens, Chan transforms a familiar urban environment into a reflection on memory, community, and the rhythms of daily life. His vibrant work connects the particularities of Hong Kong\u2019s cultural landscape with broader questions about how ordinary spaces shape collective identity.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<p>In a city that famously values time and efficiency, Chan Wai-lap has managed to do the impossible: he\u2019s built a place where everyone is allowed to be a little bit <em>mimimomo<\/em>.\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode-slider before-booted full-screen-enabled light\" data-width=\"100%\" data-animate=\"slide\" data-slideshow data-loop data-slideshowspeed=\"7000\" data-group-cells=\"1\">\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel\">\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel-cell\" data-gallery-index=\"1\"><span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"image-index\">1 of 5<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"caption\">Installation view of the UBS Art Studio at Art Basel Hong Kong 2026. Chan Wai Lap, Mimimomo Pool, 2026 \u00a9 Chan Wai Lap<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/image\/2026\/03\/26\/chan-wai-lap-mimimomo-pool-2026-art-basel-hong-kong-interview-2.jpg\" alt=\"Chan-Wai Lap Mimimomo Pool 2026 art basel hong kong Interview\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text credit-wrapper\"><span class=\"credit\">Courtesy Of Ubs<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel-cell\" data-gallery-index=\"2\"><span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"image-index\">2 of 5<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"caption\">Installation view of the UBS Art Studio at Art Basel Hong Kong 2026. Chan Wai Lap, Mimimomo Pool, 2026 \u00a9 Chan Wai Lap<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/image\/2026\/03\/26\/chan-wai-lap-mimimomo-pool-2026-art-basel-hong-kong-interview-3.jpg\" alt=\"Chan-Wai Lap Mimimomo Pool 2026 art basel hong kong Interview\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text credit-wrapper\"><span class=\"credit\">Courtesy Of Ubs<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel-cell\" data-gallery-index=\"3\"><span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"image-index\">3 of 5<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"caption\">Installation view of the UBS Art Studio at Art Basel Hong Kong 2026. Chan Wai Lap, Mimimomo Pool, 2026 \u00a9 Chan Wai Lap<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/image\/2026\/03\/26\/chan-wai-lap-mimimomo-pool-2026-art-basel-hong-kong-interview-4.jpg\" alt=\"Chan-Wai Lap Mimimomo Pool 2026 art basel hong kong Interview\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text credit-wrapper\"><span class=\"credit\">Courtesy Of Ubs<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel-cell\" data-gallery-index=\"4\"><span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"image-index\">4 of 5<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"caption\">UBS Art Studio installation view. Artist Chan Wai Lap with the artwork commissioned by the UBS Art Collection. Chan Wai Lap, Mimimomo Pool, 2026, \u00a9 Chan Wai Lap<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/image\/2026\/03\/26\/chan-wai-lap-mimimomo-pool-2026-art-basel-hong-kong-interview-5.jpg\" alt=\"Chan-Wai Lap Mimimomo Pool 2026 art basel hong kong Interview\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text credit-wrapper\"><span class=\"credit\">Courtesy Of Ubs<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel-cell\" data-gallery-index=\"5\"><span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"image-index\">5 of 5<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"caption\">UBS Art Studio installation view. Artist Chan Wai Lap with the artwork commissioned by the UBS Art Collection. Chan Wai Lap, Mimimomo Pool, 2026, \u00a9 Chan Wai Lap<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"portrait\" src=\"https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/image\/2026\/03\/26\/chan-wai-lap-mimimomo-pool-2026-art-basel-hong-kong-interview-6.jpg\" alt=\"Chan-Wai Lap Mimimomo Pool 2026 art basel hong kong Interview\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text credit-wrapper\"><span class=\"credit\">Courtesy Of Ubs<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Hypebeast: What was the creative process like when transitioning the two-dimensional work of \u201cDreaming of Swimming Pools 12 (2024-25)\u201d into an immersive, physical space?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The drawing imagines the globe as a circular, mosaic pool. The installation brings that image into the body: a carpet printed with the drawing, mosaic surfaces, seating with massage rollers, and parasols that heighten a leisure atmosphere. It\u2019s less an enlargement than a choreography \u2014 how people enter, pause, and stay \u2014 forming a calm pocket inside the busy art fair.\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cMimimomo Pool (2026)\u201d features a diverse array of elements, including mosaic structures, built-in massage rollers, and parasols. How do these specific<\/strong><strong>objects function together to transform a standard art fair environment into a playful communal space?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>They\u2019re familiar signals of rest and public leisure. Together they shift the work from \u201clook at\u201d to \u201cspend time in\u201d: sit, linger, share space. I\u2019m interested in the choreography that emerges, how people gather, move, and navigate boundaries, so the installation becomes a small commons rather than a static display.\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>As an artist born and based in Hong Kong, how does this installation reflect the vibrant culture of the city while simultaneously offering a \u201crespite\u201d from its pace?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>My work comes from observing Hong Kong\u2019s streets and how people use public space. \u201cMimimomo Pool\u201d carries that urban energy through its materials and references to shared leisure infrastructure, but it slows the tempo, offering a brief, communal pause inside the city\u2019s intensity.\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>Your work is being featured alongside global icons of the \u201cPop\u201d and \u201cEveryday\u201d movements, such as Andy Warhol and Ed Ruscha. How do you see your exploration of \u201cquotidian objects\u201d differing from or aligning with these international traditions?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m honored to be shown alongside these artists, and I share the belief that art can emerge from ordinary life \u2014 not only from museums and white-cube spaces. My focus is on observing and transforming everyday situations, especially those shaped by unspoken rules, access, intimacy, and power as they\u2019re subtly negotiated in daily life.<\/p>\n<div class=\"show-article\">\n<p>                                                            Read Full Article<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<footer>\n<div class=\"related-stories-main-wrapper\">\n<h3>Related Stories<\/h3>\n<div class=\"stories-container\" data-layer-list-name=\"related_stories\" data-layer-list-offset=\"0\" data-layer-list-child-selector=\".story-item\">\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6696040\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\"><span>&gt;<\/span>Closer Look at Art Basel Hong Kong 2026\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6695079\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\"><span>&gt;<\/span>Yeat Redefines the Album Rollout and Ye Drops &#8216;BULLY&#8217;: Everything We Loved In Music This Week\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-email-signup-wrapper impression-tracker\">\n<h3>We got you covered. Don\u2019t miss out on the latest news by signing up for our newsletters.<\/h3>\n<div class=\"terms\">By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-author d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider share-divider\">\n<h6>Text By<\/h6>\n<p><span class=\"author-name\">Sophie Caraan<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-share d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider\">\n<h6>Share this article<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-content-tags\">\n<div class=\"body collapsed\">\n<p>    Art Basel Hong KongArt Basel Hong Kong 2026Chan Wai-lap\n                                                            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-upper\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-category d-none d-lg-block\">\n<p>    Art\n                                                                                                    <\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-published d-none d-lg-block\"><time>Mar 26, 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<ul class=\"post-body-sidebar-hype-comments-container list-unstyled d-none d-lg-block\">\n<li><span class=\"hype-count grey\"><br \/>\n             396<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Views<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"disqus-comment-count\"><span>0<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"d-none d-sm-inline text\">Comments<\/span><\/span>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"text\">Save<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-author d-none d-lg-block\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider share-divider\">\n<h6>Text By<\/h6>\n<p><span class=\"author-name\">Sophie Caraan<\/span><\/div>\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider d-none d-lg-block\">\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-share d-none d-lg-block\">\n<h6>Share this article<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-category d-none d-lg-block\">\n<p>    Art\n                                                                                                    <\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-published d-none d-lg-block\"><time>Mar 26, 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-author d-none d-lg-block\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider share-divider\">\n<h6>Text By<\/h6>\n<p><span class=\"author-name\">Sophie Caraan<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-sidebar-share d-none d-lg-block\">\n<h6>Share this article<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<article class=\"post-body-article\">\n<div id=\"post-body-top-bar\" class=\"post-body-top-bar d-block d-lg-none\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-share-meta-container\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-meta\"><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-category\"><\/p>\n<p>    Art<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-published\"><time>Mar 26, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-hype-comments-container \"><span class=\"hype-count grey\"><br \/>\n             396<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Views<\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"disqus-comment-count\"><span>0<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"d-none d-none text\">Comments<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"text\">Save<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-content\">\n<p>In the midst of the frenzy of Art Basel Hong Kong 2026, there\u2019s one section of the premiere art fair that offers an unexpected command: slow down.<\/p>\n<p>Welcome to the world of Chan Wai-lap. The Hong Kong born-and-raised artist has spent years documenting the sterile, yet deeply human architecture of public swimming pools \u2014 a common gathering ground in the city he calls home. His latest installation \u201cMimimomo Pool (2026),\u201d which is on view at this year\u2019s Basel alongside the likes of Andy Warhol, Ed Ruscha, and Wayne Thiebaud, is more than just an invitation to sit down. It\u2019s a linguistic wink to Chan\u2019s Hong Kong roots; drawn from the Cantonese phrase \u300c\u9761\u9761\u6469\u6469\u300d(mi-mi-mo-mo), it serves as a tongue-in-cheek descriptor for someone who is dawdling or taking their time. Further anchoring this local identity is a flickering neon sign hovering over the space. The quintessential visual shorthand for Hong Kong\u2019s street life is traditionally used to lure customers into shops. Here, it serves as a welcome beacon, paying homage to Hong Kong\u2019s vibrant, albeit exhausting, energy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI chose \u2018Mimimomo Pool\u2019 for its distinctly Cantonese sound and local character. Even locals may use the phrase without knowing it can be written as \u300c\u9761\u9761\u6469\u6469\u300d\u2014 I only learned that through research,\u201d Chan tells Hypebeast just days ahead of Art Basel Hong Kong\u2019s opening. \u201cThat gap between everyday speech and its \u2018proper\u2019 form is a playful entry point. The title frames slowness with humour, inviting visitors to relax, slow down, and share a lighter, unhurried mood.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<p>The seeds of \u201cMimimomo Pool (2026)\u201d were planted in \u201cDreaming of Swimming Pools 12 (2024-25),\u201d one of Chan\u2019s earlier works that reimagined the world as a circular, mosaic-tiled basin. Rather than framing the piece on a wall, however, the artist instead chose to print the work onto a sprawling carpet, effectively erasing the distance between the viewer and the art. This evolution from paper to a physical environment was made possible through a strategic partnership with the UBS Art Collection. Mary Rozell, Global Head of the UBS Art Collection, explains the significance of this growth, \u201cThe commission of Mimimomo Pool exemplifies how the UBS Art Collection builds long-term relationships with artists. When we first acquired the drawing by Chan Wai-lap, we were drawn to the conceptual world he has created. Commissioning this work allowed us to support the evolution of that idea from an intimately-scaled drawing into a large-scale installation that invites public participation.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<p>Chan explains that the transition is more than just about size, \u201cYou step onto the artwork instead of looking at the artwork as an image on a wall.\u201d He explains, \u201cInstalling the drawing as floor and environment makes the encounter physical \u2014 scale, texture, movement, and duration become part of the work, along with decisions about materials, colour, lighting, and entry points.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<p><q>\u201cI share the belief that art can emerge from ordinary life \u2014 not only from museums and white-cube spaces.\u201d<\/q><\/p>\n<p>For Chan, the swimming pool provides more than the aesthetics of leisure. Through his work, he analyzes the subtle power dynamics that occur when strangers take up the same space. The public swimming pool becomes a microcosm, governed by rules, proximity, and even shared breath. Putting that into the context of a city as densely populated and fast-paced as Hong Kong, he notes, \u201cSlowness and breathing space can feel like luxuries.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis work turns my observations into a lived experience \u2014 creating a pause within the art fair where viewers, especially strangers, experience space together,\u201d he continues, \u201cand where \u2018self and others\u2019 is felt through shared time and presence.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<p>As guests kick off their shoes to rest their weary feet against the texture of the \u201cpool\u201d floor, it\u2019s evident that \u201cMimimomo Pool (2026)\u201d serves as a new chapter for the artist. The Art Basel Hong Kong highlight is a work that values accessibility and as much as it does technical precision. \u201cIt\u2019s a significant step into immersive, participatory work,\u201d Chan reflects. \u201cIt expands my practice from depiction to environment, building a shared experience people can inhabit.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<p>The inclusion of \u201cMimimomo Pool\u201d in the <em>Beyond Pop: Art of the Everyday<\/em> exhibition is a powerful curatorial choice, with Rozell noting the bridge Chan builds between the local and the universal. \u201cWhat makes Chan Wai Lap\u2019s work compelling in the context of <em>Beyond Pop: Art of the Everyday<\/em> is the way it anchors universal themes in a specific local experience. While artists like Ed Ruscha and Wayne Thiebaud examine the visual language of everyday life and consumer culture, Chan looks at shared spaces such as public swimming pools, diving into the personal and social significance that may be overlooked by residents,\u201d she states. \u201cThrough this lens, Chan transforms a familiar urban environment into a reflection on memory, community, and the rhythms of daily life. His vibrant work connects the particularities of Hong Kong\u2019s cultural landscape with broader questions about how ordinary spaces shape collective identity.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<p>In a city that famously values time and efficiency, Chan Wai-lap has managed to do the impossible: he\u2019s built a place where everyone is allowed to be a little bit <em>mimimomo<\/em>.\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode-slider before-booted full-screen-enabled light\" data-width=\"100%\" data-animate=\"slide\" data-slideshow data-loop data-slideshowspeed=\"7000\" data-group-cells=\"1\">\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel\">\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel-cell\" data-gallery-index=\"1\"><span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"image-index\">1 of 5<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"caption\">Installation view of the UBS Art Studio at Art Basel Hong Kong 2026. Chan Wai Lap, Mimimomo Pool, 2026 \u00a9 Chan Wai Lap<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/image\/2026\/03\/26\/chan-wai-lap-mimimomo-pool-2026-art-basel-hong-kong-interview-2.jpg\" alt=\"Chan-Wai Lap Mimimomo Pool 2026 art basel hong kong Interview\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text credit-wrapper\"><span class=\"credit\">Courtesy Of Ubs<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel-cell\" data-gallery-index=\"2\"><span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"image-index\">2 of 5<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"caption\">Installation view of the UBS Art Studio at Art Basel Hong Kong 2026. Chan Wai Lap, Mimimomo Pool, 2026 \u00a9 Chan Wai Lap<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/image\/2026\/03\/26\/chan-wai-lap-mimimomo-pool-2026-art-basel-hong-kong-interview-3.jpg\" alt=\"Chan-Wai Lap Mimimomo Pool 2026 art basel hong kong Interview\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text credit-wrapper\"><span class=\"credit\">Courtesy Of Ubs<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel-cell\" data-gallery-index=\"3\"><span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"image-index\">3 of 5<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"caption\">Installation view of the UBS Art Studio at Art Basel Hong Kong 2026. Chan Wai Lap, Mimimomo Pool, 2026 \u00a9 Chan Wai Lap<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/image\/2026\/03\/26\/chan-wai-lap-mimimomo-pool-2026-art-basel-hong-kong-interview-4.jpg\" alt=\"Chan-Wai Lap Mimimomo Pool 2026 art basel hong kong Interview\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text credit-wrapper\"><span class=\"credit\">Courtesy Of Ubs<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel-cell\" data-gallery-index=\"4\"><span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"image-index\">4 of 5<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"caption\">UBS Art Studio installation view. Artist Chan Wai Lap with the artwork commissioned by the UBS Art Collection. Chan Wai Lap, Mimimomo Pool, 2026, \u00a9 Chan Wai Lap<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/image\/2026\/03\/26\/chan-wai-lap-mimimomo-pool-2026-art-basel-hong-kong-interview-5.jpg\" alt=\"Chan-Wai Lap Mimimomo Pool 2026 art basel hong kong Interview\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text credit-wrapper\"><span class=\"credit\">Courtesy Of Ubs<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel-cell\" data-gallery-index=\"5\"><span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"image-index\">5 of 5<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"caption\">UBS Art Studio installation view. Artist Chan Wai Lap with the artwork commissioned by the UBS Art Collection. Chan Wai Lap, Mimimomo Pool, 2026, \u00a9 Chan Wai Lap<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"portrait\" src=\"https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/image\/2026\/03\/26\/chan-wai-lap-mimimomo-pool-2026-art-basel-hong-kong-interview-6.jpg\" alt=\"Chan-Wai Lap Mimimomo Pool 2026 art basel hong kong Interview\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text credit-wrapper\"><span class=\"credit\">Courtesy Of Ubs<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Hypebeast: What was the creative process like when transitioning the two-dimensional work of \u201cDreaming of Swimming Pools 12 (2024-25)\u201d into an immersive, physical space?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The drawing imagines the globe as a circular, mosaic pool. The installation brings that image into the body: a carpet printed with the drawing, mosaic surfaces, seating with massage rollers, and parasols that heighten a leisure atmosphere. It\u2019s less an enlargement than a choreography \u2014 how people enter, pause, and stay \u2014 forming a calm pocket inside the busy art fair.\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cMimimomo Pool (2026)\u201d features a diverse array of elements, including mosaic structures, built-in massage rollers, and parasols. How do these specific<\/strong><strong>objects function together to transform a standard art fair environment into a playful communal space?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>They\u2019re familiar signals of rest and public leisure. Together they shift the work from \u201clook at\u201d to \u201cspend time in\u201d: sit, linger, share space. I\u2019m interested in the choreography that emerges, how people gather, move, and navigate boundaries, so the installation becomes a small commons rather than a static display.\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>As an artist born and based in Hong Kong, how does this installation reflect the vibrant culture of the city while simultaneously offering a \u201crespite\u201d from its pace?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>My work comes from observing Hong Kong\u2019s streets and how people use public space. \u201cMimimomo Pool\u201d carries that urban energy through its materials and references to shared leisure infrastructure, but it slows the tempo, offering a brief, communal pause inside the city\u2019s intensity.\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>Your work is being featured alongside global icons of the \u201cPop\u201d and \u201cEveryday\u201d movements, such as Andy Warhol and Ed Ruscha. How do you see your exploration of \u201cquotidian objects\u201d differing from or aligning with these international traditions?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m honored to be shown alongside these artists, and I share the belief that art can emerge from ordinary life \u2014 not only from museums and white-cube spaces. My focus is on observing and transforming everyday situations, especially those shaped by unspoken rules, access, intimacy, and power as they\u2019re subtly negotiated in daily life.<\/p>\n<div class=\"show-article\">\n<p>                                                            Read Full Article<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<footer>\n<div class=\"related-stories-main-wrapper\">\n<h3>Related Stories<\/h3>\n<div class=\"stories-container\" data-layer-list-name=\"related_stories\" data-layer-list-offset=\"0\" data-layer-list-child-selector=\".story-item\">\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6696040\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\"><span>&gt;<\/span>Closer Look at Art Basel Hong Kong 2026\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<div class=\"story-item\" data-layer-item-id=\"6695079\" data-layer-item-blog-id=\"1\" data-layer-item-type=\"post\"><span>&gt;<\/span>Yeat Redefines the Album Rollout and Ye Drops &#8216;BULLY&#8217;: Everything We Loved In Music This Week\n                                                                        <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-email-signup-wrapper impression-tracker\">\n<h3>We got you covered. Don\u2019t miss out on the latest news by signing up for our newsletters.<\/h3>\n<div class=\"terms\">By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-author d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider share-divider\">\n<h6>Text By<\/h6>\n<p><span class=\"author-name\">Sophie Caraan<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-share d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider\">\n<h6>Share this article<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-content-tags\">\n<div class=\"body collapsed\">\n<p>    Art Basel Hong KongArt Basel Hong Kong 2026Chan Wai-lap\n                                                            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<div id=\"post-body-top-bar\" class=\"post-body-top-bar d-block d-lg-none\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-share-meta-container\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-meta\"><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-category\"><\/p>\n<p>    Art<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-published\"><time>Mar 26, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-hype-comments-container \"><span class=\"hype-count grey\"><br \/>\n             396<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Views<\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"disqus-comment-count\"><span>0<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"d-none d-none text\">Comments<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"text\">Save<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-share-meta-container\">\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-meta\"><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-category\"><\/p>\n<p>    Art<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-published\"><time>Mar 26, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-meta\"><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-category\"><\/p>\n<p>    Art<br \/>\n                                                    <\/span><span class=\"post-body-top-bar-published\"><time>Mar 26, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-top-bar-hype-comments-container \"><span class=\"hype-count grey\"><br \/>\n             396<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Views<\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"disqus-comment-count\"><span>0<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"d-none d-none text\">Comments<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"floating-tooltip\" role=\"tooltip\"><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"text\">Save<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-content\">\n<p>In the midst of the frenzy of Art Basel Hong Kong 2026, there\u2019s one section of the premiere art fair that offers an unexpected command: slow down.<\/p>\n<p>Welcome to the world of Chan Wai-lap. The Hong Kong born-and-raised artist has spent years documenting the sterile, yet deeply human architecture of public swimming pools \u2014 a common gathering ground in the city he calls home. His latest installation \u201cMimimomo Pool (2026),\u201d which is on view at this year\u2019s Basel alongside the likes of Andy Warhol, Ed Ruscha, and Wayne Thiebaud, is more than just an invitation to sit down. It\u2019s a linguistic wink to Chan\u2019s Hong Kong roots; drawn from the Cantonese phrase \u300c\u9761\u9761\u6469\u6469\u300d(mi-mi-mo-mo), it serves as a tongue-in-cheek descriptor for someone who is dawdling or taking their time. Further anchoring this local identity is a flickering neon sign hovering over the space. The quintessential visual shorthand for Hong Kong\u2019s street life is traditionally used to lure customers into shops. Here, it serves as a welcome beacon, paying homage to Hong Kong\u2019s vibrant, albeit exhausting, energy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI chose \u2018Mimimomo Pool\u2019 for its distinctly Cantonese sound and local character. Even locals may use the phrase without knowing it can be written as \u300c\u9761\u9761\u6469\u6469\u300d\u2014 I only learned that through research,\u201d Chan tells Hypebeast just days ahead of Art Basel Hong Kong\u2019s opening. \u201cThat gap between everyday speech and its \u2018proper\u2019 form is a playful entry point. The title frames slowness with humour, inviting visitors to relax, slow down, and share a lighter, unhurried mood.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<p>The seeds of \u201cMimimomo Pool (2026)\u201d were planted in \u201cDreaming of Swimming Pools 12 (2024-25),\u201d one of Chan\u2019s earlier works that reimagined the world as a circular, mosaic-tiled basin. Rather than framing the piece on a wall, however, the artist instead chose to print the work onto a sprawling carpet, effectively erasing the distance between the viewer and the art. This evolution from paper to a physical environment was made possible through a strategic partnership with the UBS Art Collection. Mary Rozell, Global Head of the UBS Art Collection, explains the significance of this growth, \u201cThe commission of Mimimomo Pool exemplifies how the UBS Art Collection builds long-term relationships with artists. When we first acquired the drawing by Chan Wai-lap, we were drawn to the conceptual world he has created. Commissioning this work allowed us to support the evolution of that idea from an intimately-scaled drawing into a large-scale installation that invites public participation.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<p>Chan explains that the transition is more than just about size, \u201cYou step onto the artwork instead of looking at the artwork as an image on a wall.\u201d He explains, \u201cInstalling the drawing as floor and environment makes the encounter physical \u2014 scale, texture, movement, and duration become part of the work, along with decisions about materials, colour, lighting, and entry points.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<p><q>\u201cI share the belief that art can emerge from ordinary life \u2014 not only from museums and white-cube spaces.\u201d<\/q><\/p>\n<p>For Chan, the swimming pool provides more than the aesthetics of leisure. Through his work, he analyzes the subtle power dynamics that occur when strangers take up the same space. The public swimming pool becomes a microcosm, governed by rules, proximity, and even shared breath. Putting that into the context of a city as densely populated and fast-paced as Hong Kong, he notes, \u201cSlowness and breathing space can feel like luxuries.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis work turns my observations into a lived experience \u2014 creating a pause within the art fair where viewers, especially strangers, experience space together,\u201d he continues, \u201cand where \u2018self and others\u2019 is felt through shared time and presence.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<p>As guests kick off their shoes to rest their weary feet against the texture of the \u201cpool\u201d floor, it\u2019s evident that \u201cMimimomo Pool (2026)\u201d serves as a new chapter for the artist. The Art Basel Hong Kong highlight is a work that values accessibility and as much as it does technical precision. \u201cIt\u2019s a significant step into immersive, participatory work,\u201d Chan reflects. \u201cIt expands my practice from depiction to environment, building a shared experience people can inhabit.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<p>The inclusion of \u201cMimimomo Pool\u201d in the <em>Beyond Pop: Art of the Everyday<\/em> exhibition is a powerful curatorial choice, with Rozell noting the bridge Chan builds between the local and the universal. \u201cWhat makes Chan Wai Lap\u2019s work compelling in the context of <em>Beyond Pop: Art of the Everyday<\/em> is the way it anchors universal themes in a specific local experience. While artists like Ed Ruscha and Wayne Thiebaud examine the visual language of everyday life and consumer culture, Chan looks at shared spaces such as public swimming pools, diving into the personal and social significance that may be overlooked by residents,\u201d she states. \u201cThrough this lens, Chan transforms a familiar urban environment into a reflection on memory, community, and the rhythms of daily life. His vibrant work connects the particularities of Hong Kong\u2019s cultural landscape with broader questions about how ordinary spaces shape collective identity.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<p>In a city that famously values time and efficiency, Chan Wai-lap has managed to do the impossible: he\u2019s built a place where everyone is allowed to be a little bit <em>mimimomo<\/em>.\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode-slider before-booted full-screen-enabled light\" data-width=\"100%\" data-animate=\"slide\" data-slideshow data-loop data-slideshowspeed=\"7000\" data-group-cells=\"1\">\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel\">\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel-cell\" data-gallery-index=\"1\"><span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"image-index\">1 of 5<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"caption\">Installation view of the UBS Art Studio at Art Basel Hong Kong 2026. Chan Wai Lap, Mimimomo Pool, 2026 \u00a9 Chan Wai Lap<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/image\/2026\/03\/26\/chan-wai-lap-mimimomo-pool-2026-art-basel-hong-kong-interview-2.jpg\" alt=\"Chan-Wai Lap Mimimomo Pool 2026 art basel hong kong Interview\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text credit-wrapper\"><span class=\"credit\">Courtesy Of Ubs<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel-cell\" data-gallery-index=\"2\"><span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"image-index\">2 of 5<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"caption\">Installation view of the UBS Art Studio at Art Basel Hong Kong 2026. Chan Wai Lap, Mimimomo Pool, 2026 \u00a9 Chan Wai Lap<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/image\/2026\/03\/26\/chan-wai-lap-mimimomo-pool-2026-art-basel-hong-kong-interview-3.jpg\" alt=\"Chan-Wai Lap Mimimomo Pool 2026 art basel hong kong Interview\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text credit-wrapper\"><span class=\"credit\">Courtesy Of Ubs<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel-cell\" data-gallery-index=\"3\"><span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"image-index\">3 of 5<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"caption\">Installation view of the UBS Art Studio at Art Basel Hong Kong 2026. Chan Wai Lap, Mimimomo Pool, 2026 \u00a9 Chan Wai Lap<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/image\/2026\/03\/26\/chan-wai-lap-mimimomo-pool-2026-art-basel-hong-kong-interview-4.jpg\" alt=\"Chan-Wai Lap Mimimomo Pool 2026 art basel hong kong Interview\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text credit-wrapper\"><span class=\"credit\">Courtesy Of Ubs<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel-cell\" data-gallery-index=\"4\"><span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"image-index\">4 of 5<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"caption\">UBS Art Studio installation view. Artist Chan Wai Lap with the artwork commissioned by the UBS Art Collection. Chan Wai Lap, Mimimomo Pool, 2026, \u00a9 Chan Wai Lap<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/image\/2026\/03\/26\/chan-wai-lap-mimimomo-pool-2026-art-basel-hong-kong-interview-5.jpg\" alt=\"Chan-Wai Lap Mimimomo Pool 2026 art basel hong kong Interview\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text credit-wrapper\"><span class=\"credit\">Courtesy Of Ubs<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flickity-carousel-cell\" data-gallery-index=\"5\"><span class=\"gallery-image-index\"><span class=\"image-index\">5 of 5<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<div class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"caption\">UBS Art Studio installation view. Artist Chan Wai Lap with the artwork commissioned by the UBS Art Collection. Chan Wai Lap, Mimimomo Pool, 2026, \u00a9 Chan Wai Lap<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"portrait\" src=\"https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/image\/2026\/03\/26\/chan-wai-lap-mimimomo-pool-2026-art-basel-hong-kong-interview-6.jpg\" alt=\"Chan-Wai Lap Mimimomo Pool 2026 art basel hong kong Interview\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text credit-wrapper\"><span class=\"credit\">Courtesy Of Ubs<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Hypebeast: What was the creative process like when transitioning the two-dimensional work of \u201cDreaming of Swimming Pools 12 (2024-25)\u201d into an immersive, physical space?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The drawing imagines the globe as a circular, mosaic pool. The installation brings that image into the body: a carpet printed with the drawing, mosaic surfaces, seating with massage rollers, and parasols that heighten a leisure atmosphere. It\u2019s less an enlargement than a choreography \u2014 how people enter, pause, and stay \u2014 forming a calm pocket inside the busy art fair.\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cMimimomo Pool (2026)\u201d features a diverse array of elements, including mosaic structures, built-in massage rollers, and parasols. How do these specific<\/strong><strong>objects function together to transform a standard art fair environment into a playful communal space?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>They\u2019re familiar signals of rest and public leisure. Together they shift the work from \u201clook at\u201d to \u201cspend time in\u201d: sit, linger, share space. I\u2019m interested in the choreography that emerges, how people gather, move, and navigate boundaries, so the installation becomes a small commons rather than a static display.\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>As an artist born and based in Hong Kong, how does this installation reflect the vibrant culture of the city while simultaneously offering a \u201crespite\u201d from its pace?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>My work comes from observing Hong Kong\u2019s streets and how people use public space. \u201cMimimomo Pool\u201d carries that urban energy through its materials and references to shared leisure infrastructure, but it slows the tempo, offering a brief, communal pause inside the city\u2019s intensity.\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>Your work is being featured alongside global icons of the \u201cPop\u201d and \u201cEveryday\u201d movements, such as Andy Warhol and Ed Ruscha. How do you see your exploration of \u201cquotidian objects\u201d differing from or aligning with these international traditions?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m honored to be shown alongside these artists, and I share the belief that art can emerge from ordinary life \u2014 not only from museums and white-cube spaces. My focus is on observing and transforming everyday situations, especially those shaped by unspoken rules, access, intimacy, and power as they\u2019re subtly negotiated in daily life.<\/p>\n<div class=\"show-article\">\n<p>                                                            Read Full Article<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-author d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider share-divider\">\n<h6>Text By<\/h6>\n<p><span class=\"author-name\">Sophie Caraan<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-share d-block d-lg-none\">\n<hr class=\"sidebar-divider\">\n<h6>Share this article<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-body-content-tags\">\n<div class=\"body collapsed\">\n<p>    Art Basel Hong KongArt Basel Hong Kong 2026Chan Wai-lap\n                                                            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/hypebeast.com\/2026\/3\/chan-wai-lap-mimimomo-pool-2026-art-basel-hong-kong-interview&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/image-cdn.hypb.st\/https%3A%2F%2Fhypebeast.com%2Fimage%2F2026%2F03%2F23%2Fchan-wai-lap-mimimomo-pool-2026-art-basel-hong-kong-interview-0.jpg?w=1080&amp;cbr=1&amp;q=90&amp;fit=max&#8221;] Art Mar 26, 2026 396 Views 0\u00a0Comments Comments Save Text By Sophie Caraan Share this article Art Mar 26, 2026 396 Views 0\u00a0Comments Comments Save In the midst of the frenzy of Art Basel Hong Kong 2026, there\u2019s one section of the premiere art fair that offers an unexpected command: slow down. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,39],"class_list":["post-1855863","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-hypebeast-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1855863","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1855863"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1855863\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1855863"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1855863"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1855863"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}