For more than sixty years, UBS has cultivated one of the world’s largest and most influential corporate art collections, amassing over 40,000 works from around the world. This global collection doesn’t just acquire art; it creates a dynamic conversation that connects distinct cultural narratives. Within this framework, Japanese art holds a unique place, offering insights that resonate universally while highlighting regional heritage. Through careful curation, UBS elevates Japanese art’s role in this global discourse, positioning it as a bridge between cultural traditions and contemporary concerns.
Mary Rozell, Global Head UBS Art Collection. Photo: Flavio Karrer
Mary Rozell, Global Head of the UBS Art Collection, emphasizes that UBS’s approach is rooted in creating connections that transcend geographic borders. Her leadership highlights the importance of both local relevance and international reach. The Collection seeks to balance regional voices with global themes, selecting works that provoke thought, inspire dialogue, and capture the current cultural landscape. Under Rozell’s direction, UBS has developed a strategy that prioritizes acquiring art reflective of key issues like social justice, technological innovation, and environmental sustainability. This approach is documented in the Collection’s recent publication, Reimagining: New Perspectives, which explores the guiding themes of recent acquisitions, including those from Japan.
Elaine Choi, UBS Art Collection Manager for Asia-Pacific, plays a pivotal role in representing Japanese art within this global context. She emphasizes that Japanese art in the UBS Art Collection does more than represent a specific geography—it engages with universal themes that speak to global audiences. Choi explains that artists such as Nobuyoshi Araki, Hiroshi Sugimoto, and Tsuyoshi Ozawa, who are central figures in the UBS Art Collection, are valued not only for their cultural heritage but for their ability to transcend it, addressing complex themes that are relevant worldwide. By juxtaposing Japanese works with those from other countries, UBS crafts a narrative that underscores shared human concerns while respecting cultural distinctions.
The UBS Art Collection’s acquisitions from Japanese artists illustrate the firm’s commitment to art that embodies the evolving social and technological landscape. Mika Tajima’s Negative Entropy series, for example, explores technology’s pervasive influence on identity—a theme relevant to audiences across continents. Likewise, the works of Kishio Suga, a leading figure in the Mono-ha movement, represent a minimalist aesthetic that questions material presence and space, challenging viewers to contemplate philosophical and visual interpretations of nature and existence. These selections showcase how Japanese artists contribute nuanced perspectives to broader themes, reinforcing their relevance within a global art conversation.
Mika Tajima, Negative Entropy (Inscape, Breathing Exercise, Full Width, Burgundy, Quad), 2020
Cotton, polyester, nylon, rayon, wool acoustic baffling felt, and white oak, UBS Art Collection
©︎Mika Tajima, Courtesy of TARO NASU. Photo by Charles Benton
In addition to acquisitions, UBS supports Japanese art through high-profile public engagements. Events such as Art Basel Hong Kong exemplify how the UBS Art Collection promotes Asian art in general on an international stage, encouraging dialogue and cultural exchange. The latest exhibition [EC1] included a commissioned LED installation by Chen Wei, inspired by urban landscapes and local dialects in Hong Kong—a work that invited viewers to reflect on cultural identity in globalized urban spaces. Such installations complement UBS’s ongoing efforts to showcase global artists in exhibitions and art fairs, allowing international audiences to engage directly with the distinct and influential contributions of art from different countries.
Rozell and Choi’s efforts within UBS underscore that Japanese art is not merely an addition to the Collection but an essential aspect of its vision. By highlighting Japanese art alongside international works, UBS emphasizes Japan’s significance in the contemporary art world while enhancing its impact within a broader narrative. Through this inclusive approach, UBS elevates Japanese art to foster cultural dialogue, bridging local expressions with universal insights that resonate across borders. In doing so, the UBS Art Collection remains a living, evolving testament to the power of art to connect, inform, and inspire across the world.
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