UBS, in collaboration with the K11 Craft & Guild Foundation, is unveiling an exciting new program at Art Basel Hong Kong 2025, showcasing contemporary reinterpretations of traditional Chinese craftsmanship. The program brings together renowned artists to explore the fusion of heritage craft with modern practices, pushing boundaries and redefining craftsmanship for future generations.
Flag Gate UBS, 2024-25 ©Yin Xiuzhen, courtesy of Pace Gallery and Beijing Commune. Photo Wang Xiang.
Reimagining Porcelain at the UBS Art Studio
A special commission at the UBS Art Studio, co-created by fashion designer Guo Pei and Master Tan Guanghui, a National-level Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritor of Guangcai, is the centerpiece of this initiative. The collaboration, titled Glazed Splendor, rejuvenates the Guangcai porcelain tradition, blending Cantonese porcelain with innovative couture. The creation of a gold-themed couture gown using 6,000 hand-painted porcelain tiles adorned with peony and edelweiss motifs symbolizes a cross-cultural fusion between China and Switzerland, celebrating 75 years of Swiss-Chinese relations.
In addition, Yin Xiuzhen’s Wall Instrument No. 27 (2019-21), a striking installation combining porcelain and recycled materials, is featured alongside Glazed Splendor, adding a contemporary twist to traditional Chinese porcelain. Yin’s unconventional firing techniques and unique use of found materials give new life to porcelain, offering a fresh perspective on this ancient craft.
Full image of 'Glazed Splendor' by Guo Pei and Master Tan Guanghui. Photo by Double-Like Productions.
Exploring Identity, Gender, and the Environment with Threads
In the UBS Lounge, a new installation by Yin Xiuzhen, Flag Gate UBS (2024-25), makes its debut. This piece uses donated garments from UBS employees, exploring themes of memory, cultural identity, and social equality. The installation features garments cut into uniform shapes, forming a flag that symbolizes equality, while rolled-up fabrics resemble planets, with mirrors at their centers reflecting the individual and the collective.
This installation is part of Threads, a curated presentation of textile and craft-based works from the UBS Art Collection, which brings together artists who challenge traditional boundaries between art, craft, and design. The exhibition delves into themes of identity, gender roles, and environmental concerns through innovative textile art by artists such as Maja Bajević, Sheila Hicks, Yinka Shonibare, and many others.
UBS One: Contemplating Time and Memory
UBS also presents a contemplative experience at UBS One, a private lounge for the next generation of UBS clients. Singaporean artist Dawn Ng’s Into Air series—comprising video, photography, and painting—captures the ephemeral nature of time through melting pigmented ice blocks. Ng’s work invites viewers to reflect on the passing of time, memory, and the transient beauty of life.
Avalanche I, Time Lost Falling in Love, 2022 4K video, 25 minutes UBS Art Collection Image courtesy of Dawn Ng Studio and Sullivan+Strumpf.
Insights into Collecting: A New Wave of Young Collectors
On March 27, UBS will host a panel discussion exploring the motivations behind the young collectors in Greater China, highlighting their dynamic approach to art acquisitions and their openness to global artists and emerging talents. The panel, moderated by arts patron Margaret Wang, features key industry figures including Jeffrey Ziyu Liu, René Meile, and Carola Wiese.
Celebrating Hong Kong’s Film Legacy at M+
UBS also supports the new work Night Charades by Singaporean artist Ho Tzu Nyen, commissioned by Art Basel and M+. This dynamic digital installation illuminates the M+ Façade, offering a futuristic reinterpretation of Hong Kong’s iconic film culture, re-composed by AI and continuously re-edited by an algorithm, generating a constantly evolving vision of the past and future.
UBS’s participation at Art Basel Hong Kong 2025 provides a unique opportunity to experience a cross-cultural dialogue through innovative craftsmanship and contemporary art, celebrating the fusion of tradition and modernity.
UBS at Art Basel Hong Kong 2025
Dates: March 28-30, 2025
Location: Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
