UBS, a partner of Art Basel since 1994, extends its support to a global partnership with the show in 2014 as Lead Partner of Art Basel's Hong Kong edition, augmenting its support of the shows in Basel and Miami Beach. UBS’s support of Art Basel is part of a comprehensive commitment to contemporary art including the Guggenheim UBS MAP Global Art Initiative, the UBS Art Collection and numerous regional art partnerships.
Hong Kong, 30 April 2014 – The Art Basel show in Hong Kong, which will take place from Thursday, May 15 until Sunday, May 18, 2014 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) , will feature 245 galleries, from 39 countries and territories and more than 3,000 artists. With half of the participating galleries from Asia-Pacific, Art Baselhas already established a reputation for showcasing the best art from the region.
Chi-Won Yoon, CEO UBS, Asia Pacific said: “UBS is proud to be the Lead Partner of Art Basel’s Hong Kong show. The partnership builds on our rich history of supporting cultural and artistic endeavors globally that encourage our clients and the public to participate in the art world. The Hong Kong arts scene is vibrant and fast-growing, and with the growth of global interest in the region, the show is set to become an essential fixture in the culture calendar internationally.”
Magnus Renfrew, Director Asia, Art Basel said: 'More than twenty years ago, Art Basel and UBS became partners, and since then UBS has extended its support to major cultural initiatives and programs all over the world. We are delighted to have a partner whose sponsorship philosophy is so deeply rooted in culture and the arts. We have a shared vision to support the art scene in Hong Kong and across Asia and look forward to collaborating further in this area.”
UBS will present a program of events and activities, which will take place at the HKCEC for the duration of the show, with an accompanying digital program online, designed to encourage further understanding of and participation in art for both its clients and the broader public.
In collaboration with the Financial Times, UBS will present a forum on collecting contemporary art in Asia and globally, featuring experts from the art world, who will provide insight into collecting trends and advice on how to start a collection. Also included in the four-day program are talks with cultural opinion formers and cultural institutions, in Hong Kong and internationally. All programs will be documented online for the public via UBS social media channels and hosted in the UBS VIP Lounge Open Classroom. Featured commentators include: Stephen McCoubrey, Curator APAC, UBS Art Collection; Hammad Nasar, Head of Research & Programs, Asia Art Archive (AAA); Swiss collector Uli Sigg; Phil Tinari, Director of UCCA, Beijing; and artists Zhang Enli, Yang Fudong, Shi Guowei and Hannes Schmid. UBS will also host an Open Platform session on ‘Art in the Digital Age’ on Saturday 17 May at AAA’s booth.
The UBS Junior Art Hub, on the Level 1 concourse of the HKCEC, will offer interactive and educational arts program for children aged 3 and above to create their own masterpieces. Activities will include bicycle-powered spin painting inspired by Damien Hirst. Complimentary 45-minute art classes will be available for UBS clients and for the public throughout the duration of the fair.
The UBS VIP Lounge (by invitation only) will feature major works from the UBS Art Collection by: Damien Hirst; Tracey Emin; Andreas Gursky; Thomas Struth; Zhang Enli; Shi Guowei; Yang Fudong; and Isaac Julien. The lounge will also feature a digital wall streaming news, social feeds, video, images and digital art work by Hiraki Sawa and Yang Zhenzhong; UBS Open Classroom; and an Art+ ipad station which will allow guests to download information on how to navigate the show.
An afternoon tea and media tour of the UBS VIP Lounge and the UBS Art Collection with Chi-Won Yoon, CEO UBS, Asia Pacific and Stephen McCoubrey, Curator Asia Pacific, UBS Art Collection, is scheduled to take place on Thursday 15 May. Some artists featured in the collection will attend.
Notes to editors:
About the UBS Art Collection
UBS holds one of the world’s most important corporate collections of contemporary art with over 35,000 works by the newest talents to some of the most famous artists of the last 50 years. At least 40% of the annual acquisition budget is currently dedicated to Asia Pacific. Recent acquisitions include works by: Liu Wei, MadeIn Company, and Yang Fudong from Mainland China; Hong Kong’s Wilson Shieh; Indonesia’s Christine Ay Tjoe; Zhao Renhui from Singapore; Yee I-Lann from Malaysia; Yan Huili from Taiwan; South Korea’s Lee Ufan; and Hema Upadhyay from India. UBS regularly loans works from the collection to museums and public exhibitions. A selection of works from the collection are currently on show at the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts in Taiwan until 11 May 2014 in an exhibition entitled Pop Art Factory-50 years of art and consumer culture. www.ubs.com/artcollection
About UBS and Contemporary Art
UBS has a rich history of supporting cultural and artistic endeavours that enable active participation in the art world. We share our passion for contemporary art with our clients and the public through partnerships with leading cultural institutions, as well as the sponsorship of exhibitions at museums internationally. The depth of our commitment to cultural and educational programs gives us unique access to experts from the world's most esteemed museums, galleries and art fairs. These resources, augmented by in-house curators, help our clients, employees and the public explore, interpret and collect art. More than a sponsor or supporter of contemporary art, UBS participates in the international conversation about art and in the global art market and seeks to promote the cultural and creative development of art communities internationally.
Current programs in Asia include UBS’s presentation of the critically acclaimed No Country: Contemporary Art for South and Southeast Asia, the first touring exhibition of a multi-year collaboration, the Guggenheim UBS MAP Global Art Initiative, opening on 10 May at the Center for Contemporary Arts (CCA) at the Gillman Barracks, Singapore. Presenting recent works by artists from the region, the CCA’s presentation of No Country showcases 19 mixed-media works from 16 challenging and inventive voices from across South and Southeast Asia. UBS will also present the work of Swiss photographer Hannes Schmid, for the first time in Asia at the Today Art Museum in Beijing in MOMENTOUS a multi-media, interactive exhibition which will open on 22 June 2014.
About Art Basel
Art Basel stages the world's premier art shows for Modern and contemporary works, sited in Basel, Miami Beach, and Hong Kong. Defined by its host city and region, each show is unique, which is reflected in its participating galleries, artworks presented, and the content of parallel programming produced in collaboration with local institutions for each edition. In addition to ambitious stands featuring leading galleries from around the globe, each show's singular exhibition sectors spotlight the latest developments in the visual arts, offering visitors new ideas, new inspiration and new contacts in the art world. UBS is Art Basel's global Lead Partner, supporting all three shows in Basel, Miami Beach and Hong Kong.
