UBS celebrates 25 years as Lead Partner of Art Basel Montag, 11. Juni 2018 - 10:00

• A dedicated presentation of works by artist Carlos Cruz-Diez, from the UBS Art Collection, will feature in the UBS Lounge, presented in collaboration with the artist’s studio
• UBS strengthens its commitment to providing platforms for dialogue for collectors and cultural philanthropists

"These 25 years of successful partnership between UBS and Art Basel build on our mutual commitment to pioneer bold initiatives with cultural impact. Art enriches lives. It offers pleasure, the thrill of discovering new perspectives, and, ultimately, the chance to leave behind a legacy. Passion drives collectors and passion is also a valuable proposition in the global art market, which, valued at an estimated $63.7 billion is often a fascinating mirror of wider economic trends. Art fairs accounted for an estimated 46% of dealer sales in 2017, and Art Basel clearly remains the leading global platform connecting collectors with the most important galleries, dynamic artists, and artworks being produced today."
Martin Blessing, Co-President, Global Wealth Management, UBS

Zurich, 11 June 2018 – UBS celebrates 25 years as Lead Partner of Art Basel, (14 – 17 June 2018), with a dedicated exhibition of work by artist Carlos Cruz-Diez from the UBS Art Collection, presented in the UBS Lounge. Carlos Cruz-Diez is considered one of the key 20th century thinkers in the realm of color, and is adept at creating participatory visual experiences.

The presentation at Art Basel in Basel will feature works from the UBS Art Collection that were part of an architectural intervention by Carlos Cruz-Diez at the former Union Bank of Switzerland building in Zurich in the 1970s. Chromo-kinetic elements were integrated into elements of the building so that people in halls, corridors and common spaces were captivated by an ever-changing color scheme.

The works presented at Art Basel in Basel will be exhibited together for the first time since 2011. Some have not been seen in public, while others have been displayed in UBS flagship buildings in London, Hong Kong and Panama. The UBS Art Collection is pleased to have the chance to work closely with Carlos Cruz-Diez and his studio, which restored several artworks for the display in the lounge at Art Basel in Basel.

Carlos Cruz-Diez said: “The ‘Environnement Chromatique‘ [Chromatic Environment] of the Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS) headquarters, on which I worked over 4 years, is one of my integrations of art in architecture I have the fondest memories about. Art is a complex structure of communication, expression, discovery and invention. Every work of art, every human production, is important when it modifies a former way of thinking."

Mary Rozell, Global Head of the UBS Art Collection, said: “The relationship between the UBS Art Collection and Carlos Cruz-Diez exemplifies the Collection's approach of close collaboration with living artists over many years. Ambitious site-specific artworks, created in collaboration with a diverse group of international artists, is one of the defining legacies of our collection.”

Martin Blessing, Co-President, Global Wealth Management, UBS said: "Collections are brought alive by their audiences. We endeavor to share our collection as much as possible and to mark the re-opening of UBS' Zurich headquarters at Bahnhofstrasse later this year, there will be a significant new presentation of emerging and established artists."

UBS has been collecting contemporary art for the last 60 years, driven by the company’s long-held belief that the art of today provides inspiration and encourages innovative thinking. With over 30,000 works, The UBS Art Collection is one of the most significant corporate art collections. UBS supports artists and galleries and actively lends works to major art museums and cultural institutions for public exhibitions. A selection of 54 works by Ed Ruscha from the Collection are currently the subject of a dedicated exhibition at the esteemed Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Humlebæk, Denmark. Ed Ruscha VERY: Works from the UBS Art Collection is on view until 19 August 2018.

UBS shares its passion for art and collecting with a global community of clients. The firm employs over 20 experts globally to deliver its art platforms, to convene and connect exceptional people in the art world through its global networks, and to provide strategic guidance on managing art collections and legacy planning through our Art Competence Center. In 2015 UBS developed the Global Philanthropists Community, which, with over 400 members is now the world's largest private network exclusively for philanthropists. Following its success and responding to interest from clients, UBS has recently established the Art Collectors Circle, a global community for UHNW collectors who are passionate about art to connect and share knowledge.

Gabriel Castello, Executive Vice Chairman, Global Wealth Management, UBS: "In today's complex art world it is important to facilitate dialogue on the impact of philanthropy and patronage. There is demand for a global platform which can bring together individuals who are passionate about contributing to the art world, to share learnings and to discuss best practice. Our clients want this from us and we are partnering with them to make it happen."

The firm's passion for art drives its role as a longstanding supporter of the arts. UBS actively enables clients and audiences to participate in the international conversation about art and the global art market through its global lead partnership with Art Basel and the firm’s collaboration with the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum on the Guggenheim UBS MAP Global Art Initiative. These activities are complemented by partnerships with fine art institutions including the Fondation Beyeler in Switzerland, Galleria d’Arte Moderna in Milan, the Nouveau Musée National de Monaco, the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Denmark, the Deichtorhallen in Hamburg, Museo del Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City and the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia.

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Notes to editors:

About the UBS Art Collection
UBS has been an active contemporary art collector since the 1960s, a practice driven by the company’s long-held belief that the art of today provides inspiration and challenge while encouraging the innovative thinking that has shaped UBS’s corporate culture over the last half century. Today the UBS Art Collection is considered one of the largest and most important corporate collections of contemporary art in the world. Comprised of various individual art collections with unique attributes that have been integrated over time through a series of mergers and acquisitions – notably between Union Bank of Switzerland, Swiss Bank Corporation and PaineWebber Inc. The vast majority of these works are displayed in more than 700 UBS offices around the world, serving as an inspiration for employees and a platform for dialogue with clients and the public. UBS takes a dynamic approach to the Collection, continuing to evolve and grow through acquisitions of works from around the world in accordance with the geographical reach of its business. UBS also actively supports artists and galleries and actively lends works to major art museums and cultural institutions for public exhibitions.

UBS and Art Basel
The relationship between UBS and Art Basel began in 1994 when the Swiss financial services firm began serving as lead partner for the original edition of the show in Basel. In 1999, the partnership was extended to include Art Basel’s Unlimited exhibition platform – which enables artists to realize highly original and ambitious projects – and, in 2002, the inaugural edition of Art Basel in Miami Beach. In 2014, UBS became involved with Art Basel in Hong Kong, officially assuming its current role as global Lead Partner of Art Basel for all three of its acclaimed international shows. In June 2016, it was announced that Art Basel and UBS would partner to commission a comprehensive, new annual art-market report by renowned cultural economist Dr. Clare McAndrew. The Art Basel and UBS Global Art Market Report will be issued in March 2017 during Art Basel in Hong Kong. In March 2018, UBS and Art Basel co-published the second Art Basel and UBS Global Art Market Report by Clare McAndrew. UBS has furthered its support of Art Basel by becoming Global Lead Partner of Art Basel Cities. Find more details at ubs.com/art.

About Art Basel
Founded in 1970 by gallerists from Basel, Art Basel today stages the world's premier art shows for Modern and contemporary art, 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.

Art Basel’s engagement has expanded beyond art fairs through a number of new initiatives. In 2014, Art Basel launched its Crowdfunding Initiative which catalysed much-needed support for outstanding non-commercial art projects worldwide and helped garner pledges in excess of USD 2 million in support of around 70 art projects from around the globe – from Bogota to Ho Chi Minh City, San José and Kabul. For Art Basel Cities, launched in 2016, Art Basel is working with selected partner cities to develop vibrant and content-driven programs specific to the individual city. Connecting them to the global art world through Art Basel's expertise and network, Art Basel Cities supports its partners to develop their unique cultural landscape. For further information, please visit artbasel.com.
 

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