Five years ago, the son of renowned Parisian gallerist Daniel Malingue moved to Hong Kong after a prolonged stint in London as a private art dealer. Edouard Malingue opened up his own gallery space in Queen’s Road Central and has since developed one of the most intriguing contemporary arts programmes in the city with his wife. We speak to him ahead of the gallery’s expansion and relocation to Des Voeux Road Central, which opens on January 15... 

Your previous space was well received. Why the move to a bigger gallery?
After four years, we’ve got more clients and an ambition to keep growing. The new space allows for more versatility and flexibility. The previous space was 1,600sq ft and this new one is double the size. It can also be divided into two. We can now show more installations, sculptures and video projections. Also, I live in Hong Kong and this expansion is a declaration that this is my home. This is where I want to see my business thrive. The move is important for our artists as well as a personal move. 

How has the curatorial development progressed in the past four years?
When I first opened the gallery in 2010, the plan was to let people know about my background in modern and impressionist art. We started with a Picasso show, the first ever in Hong Kong. The long-term plan was to bring in a lot of contemporary art programming. For four years my wife and I have been able to curate these solo show.

The artists you choose seem to represent a particular interest in spatial dimensions... 

There are a few threads in selecting artists. That’s one of them. Architecture, understanding of space. With Callum Innes, each colour occupies space in a different view and Nuri Kuzucan is very interested in the urban landscape as a kind of living organism, displaying see-through hues of buildings and cities which seem to reveal the soul of the human being. There’s also Yuan Yuan, who depicts interior scenes, always abandoned and derelict, but they still carry the memory of the people in the past.  

What are some of the main difficulties in operating a gallery in Hong Kong? 
The same as anywhere else: it’s about creating a reputation that’s very solid. Only time can make up for that, as well as solid shows, participation in art fairs and gaining credibility. Another aspect is that Hong Kong tends to be a commercial place and I wish art students would spend more time visiting galleries. So we organise tours and talks for students. The gallery’s opening hours belong to them. If a student enters a gallery and is snubbed, the gallery is not doing its job – it’s meant to be for the public.

Finally, what have you got planned for Basel in March? 
We’re presenting in the general section of the fair but we also have a Wang Wei solo show. Expect two gigantic mural paintings that will make you think about how we create an environment for ourselves and whether this environment is a place to thrive or a place for entrapment.