As the new coronavirus sent much of the world into a mask- wearing tizzy and a rash of self- isolation left city streets in Asia devoid of people, one particular artist was blessed with double luck. Venice-based Japanese glass artist Ritsue Mishima had just finished installing a newly commissioned glass sculpture, Cosmic Ring, for Chinese electronics giant Xiaomi in its second headquarters in Wuhan in late December—fortunately for her, just a few weeks before Covid-19 crippled the city and all of Hubei province. Many gallerists’ heavily sanitized fingers are crossed that Xiaomi will continue commissioning artworks after quarantine is lifted.

While most of the art world focused on the postponement of Art Basel Hong Kong, other important events were also wiped out by the panic caused by the epidemic. Among them included annual fundraising galas for Asia Society in Hong Kong, Mori Art Museum in Tokyo, and Singapore’s Center for Contemporary Art (CCA)— the latter of which is said to be sitting on its last shrinking pile of cash given out by Nanyang Technological University and now must actively look for other sources of income. We are definitely rooting for the livelihood of CCA.