Hong Kong, 12 February 2015 – UBS will present a comprehensive program of public, client and employee activities during the third edition of Art Basel’s show in Hong Kong, which will take place from 15-17 March at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). Featuring 233 leading international galleries from 37 countries, Art Basel showcases the best art from Asia and Asia-Pacific, with half of the galleries in its Hong Kong presentation having exhibition spaces in the region.

Adeline Ooi, Director Asia, Art Basel said: “Art Basel and UBS have enjoyed a long-standing partnership. Art Basel stages the world’s premier art shows for Modern and contemporary works, and here in Hong Kong we enjoy a shared commitment to support the art scenes in Asia by providing an international platform for galleries and artists from across the region.”

UBS will present a program of events and activities for the duration of the Hong Kong show, designed to increase understanding and encourage participation in art for its clients, employees and the public. The popular UBS Junior Art Hub will provide more children with free, dynamic, art-inspired sessions and tours throughout the show. The activities on offer are inspired by works from the UBS Art Collection, and will include print and collage-making, as well as sand painting. For the first time a key work from the Collection, The Melody Haunts My Reverie by Roy Lichtenstein, will be on display on the public concourse.

Further artworks from the world-renowned UBS Art Collection will be presented in the UBS VIP Lounge, including works by artists such as David Hockney, Andy Warhol, Wilson Shieh, Christopher Wool, Haegue Yang, Gilbert & George, Isaac Julien, Claus Oldenburg, Ed Ruscha, Wayne Thiebaud, Jumaldi Alfi, Roy Lichtenstein, Qiu AnXiong and Christine Ay Tjoe, as well as an important recent acquisition to the collection by Chinese artist, Liu Wei.

Chi-Won Yoon, Regional Group CEO UBS Asia Pacific said: “UBS is proud to be extending our program during the Art Basel show in Hong Kong this year. We are building on the successes of last year, such as the extremely popular UBS Junior Art Hub, and introducing several key new activities such as collaboration with the Mandarin Oriental’s Pierre Restaurant and the launch of a new, critically acclaimed app, Planet Art. These activities are a demonstration of our commitment to supporting cultural and artistic endeavors in Asia and globally, and of our mission to encourage our clients and the public to actively participate in the art world.”

UBS is partnering with Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong’s award winning Pierre restaurant during the show to present a special menu created by Michelin Star Chef Pierre Gagnaire and inspired by works from the UBS Art Collection, which will be exhibited in the restaurant for the first time. The seven course dinner menu, with highlights available at lunch, will be plated from Wednesday 11 March until Saturday 21 March with Chef Gagnaire in residence 11 March to 18 March. This special exhibition will include artworks by MadeIn Company, Lee Ufan, Cy Twombly and Sigmar Polke, among others.

Chef Pierre Gagnaire, who recently received the accolade of being named the Number 1 Michelin Star Chef selected by 512 Michelin Star Chefs from around the world in Le Chef Magazine, said: “I am pleased to welcome such exquisite art pieces to the restaurant. The world of art, in which I include cooking, brings me joy and is a daily inspiration. The entire Pierre team will therefore pay tribute through our menu to the great artists displayed during Art Basel show in Hong Kong.”

UBS is also celebrating the launch of its app, UBS Planet Art, which presents a snapshot of trending topics and relevant contemporary art news based on data gathered from global media sources. The app is a simple, effective tool to navigate and distill vast amounts of information about contemporary art; it collects and organizes news, features and market stories into custom content streams for users. Planet Art can be downloaded via the Apple App Store.

In collaboration with the Financial Times, UBS will again host a private forum on collecting contemporary art, featuring experts from the art world, who will provide insight into collecting trends and advice on how to start a collection. A key feature of UBS’s program will be the Planet Art Talks, hosted in the UBS VIP Lounge, featuring cultural opinion formers, artists and representatives from cultural institutions.

Featured commentators include: Stephen McCoubrey, Curator APAC, UBS Art Collection; Hammad Nasar, Head of Research & Programs and Anthony Yung, Senior Researcher for China, Asia Art Archive (AAA). UBS will also present bespoke tours for clients.

UBS will collaborate with Asia Art Archive ("AAA") to host an Open Platform session on the public concourse with a focus on how technology is affecting and enhancing the art market. A key feature of the lounge will be the AAA curated reading corner which includes physical and digital items from AAA’s extensive collection.

For enquiries about UBS and Art Basel:

Lucie Sherwood / Sylvia Chan, Sutton PR Asia
Email: lucie@suttonprasia.com / sylvia@suttonprasia.com
Tel: +852 2528 0792

For inquiries about UBS:

Mark Panday, Executive Director, Corporate Communications Asia Pacific
Email: mark.panday@ubs.com
Tel: +852 2971 8221

Notes to editors:

About the UBS Art Collection

UBS holds one of the world’s most important corporate collections of contemporary art with 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 from the Asia region include works by: Liu Wei, MadeIn Company, Liu Weijian, Zheng Lu, Shi Guowei and Yang Fudong (Mainland China); Wilson Shieh (Hong Kong); Christine Ay Tjoe, Jumaldi Alfi (Indonesia); Zhao Renhui (Singapore); Yee I-Lann (Malaysia); Yuan Hu-li (Taiwan); Lee Ufan, Haegue Yang (South Korea); and Hema Upadhyay, Rohini Devasher (India) Mitsuhiro Ikeda (Japan). www.ubs.com/artcollection

About UBS and Contemporary Art

UBS has a rich history of supporting cultural and artistic endeavors 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.

About Art Basel

The third edition of Art Basel in Hong Kong will feature 233 premier galleries, from 37 countries and territories from Asia, Europe, the Americas and the rest of the world and more than 3,000 artists, ranging from young emerging artists to the Modern masters from both Asia and the West from the 20th and 21st centuries. With around 50 percent of galleries having exhibition spaces in Asia and the Asia- Pacific region, Art Basel underlines its commitment to showcasing the best art from the region. The show will include for the second time a Film sector, curated by Li Zhenhua, and hosted in collaboration with the Hong Kong Arts Centre. Alexie Glass-Kantor will curate Encounters, the sector for large-scale sculptural and installation pieces, for the first time this year. Art Basel in Hong Kong, whose Lead Partner is UBS, will take place from Sunday, March 15, to Tuesday, March 17, 2015 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center. www.artbasel.com/en/Hong-Kong