UBS to Debut Chan Wai Lap’s New Immersive Installation at Art Basel Hong Kong 2026
HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 4 February 2026 – As Global Lead Partner, UBS proudly presents the 2026 edition of Art Basel Hong Kong, 27-29 March 2026, drawing together collectors, curators, artists and art enthusiasts from around the world to the Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Center.
"Art Basel Hong Kong continues to serve as the leading art fair in the region, offering collectors an important platform to discover a rich tapestry of groundbreaking galleries and visionary artists of our time. This year, we are thrilled to continue our support and commitment to the local art community by presenting an immersive installation by Hong Kong artist Chan Wai Lap that reflects the city's vibrant culture. The Art Basel and UBS Global Collecting Survey 2025 highlights how collecting behaviors are evolving in Asia and beyond, driven by new tastes and approaches, and this new commission by UBS reflects the changing ways collectors engage with art. We believe in using contemporary art to bring together ideas, inspiration, and people together - enriching lives, and fostering deeper connections between artists, audiences, and the communities they serve," says Amy Lo, Chairman, UBS Global Wealth Management Asia, Head and Chief Executive, UBS Hong Kong.
"We are pleased to feature Chan Wai Lap's works at the upcoming edition of Art Basel Hong Kong. His practice offers a compelling lens through which to consider how everyday spaces carry deeper emotional and social resonance. The UBS Art Collection is dedicated to nurturing innovative artistic practices that engage audiences in meaningful ways, and Chan's installation embodies that mission. Through this work, he is creating a space that examines the nuances of personal experience and community." says Mary Rozell, Global Head of the UBS Art Collection.
Celebrating Local Artist Chan Wai Lap in the UBS Art Studio and UBS Lounge
Commissioned by the UBS Art Collection, the installation Mimimomo Pool (2026) by Chan Wai Lap draws from a tongue-in-cheek Cantonese expression depicting a slow, sluggish state, inviting visitors to pause and find respite amid the vibrant pace of Art Basel Hong Kong. Developed from Chan's drawing Dreaming of Swimming Pools 12 (2024–25)—a work in the Collection that will be featured in the UBS Lounge—the interactive circular installation explores community, connection and shared experience. Featuring a carpet printed with the original drawing, mosaic‑adorned structures, built‑in massage rollers and brightly colored parasols, Mimimomo Pool creates a playful communal space within the fair.
Chan will join Elaine Choi, UBS Art Collection (APAC) and Mizuki Takahashi, Executive Director and Chief Curator of CHAT (Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile) for a discussion on his practice, the commissioned installation Mimimomo Pool (2026) and his works for CHAT's presentation at the fair. The talk is part of Art Basel Hong Kong's Conversations and will take place on Saturday, March 28 at 12:30pm.
Beyond Pop: Art of the Everyday in the UBS Lounge and UBS One
This presentation features works in the UBS Art Collection by artists, representing different generations, geographies and art movements, who find inspiration in quotidian objects and materials, bridging the gap between fine art and popular culture. While traditional art often draws from figures, history or landscapes, these artists explore commonplace items, infusing new meaning into their chosen mediums and materials. They elevate these objects for different purposes—to evoke nostalgia or familiarity, reflect personal and collective identities or examine consumerism through mass produced imagery, transforming the ordinary into impactful works of art.
Artists featured in this display include Farah Al Qasimi, Katherine Bernhardt, Chan Wai Lap, Anne Collier, Michael Craig-Martin, Jose Dávila, Gabriel de la Mora, Sylvie Fleury, Hong Hao, Steph Huang, Roy Lichtenstein, Luo Brothers, Ma Qiusha, Claes Oldenburg, Hilary Pecis, Ed Ruscha, Wayne Thiebaud, Rirkrit Tiravanija, Andy Warhol, and Zheng Guogu. Chan's works will be presented with a site-specific backdrop, also commissioned by the UBS Art Collection, that ties to his practice and explores how everyday environments inspire contemporary art, inviting visitors to delve into the intersection of daily life and artistic expression.
The UBS Art Collection is one of the most important corporate collections of contemporary art with over 40,000 artworks by influential artists of our time.
Championing Moving Image at M+
For the fifth year, UBS presents a monumental public artwork on the M+ Facade in the West Kowloon Cultural District, co-commissioned by Art Basel and M+. Pakistani-American artist Shahzia Sikander, whose works are also included in the UBS Art Collection, will transform the museum's exterior with a hand-painted animation, 3 to 12 Nautical Miles. This radiant cinematic tableau, animated from hand-painted images, navigates the enduring currents of power and trade that have shaped the global landscape from the nineteenth century to the modern era. This commission reflects UBS and Art Basel's commitment to bringing contemporary art into the public realm. The work will be shown on the M+ Facade every night from Monday, 23 March to Sunday, 21 June 2026.
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About UBS
UBS is a leading and truly global wealth manager and the leading universal bank in Switzerland. It also provides diversified asset management solutions and focused investment banking capabilities. UBS manages 6.6 trillion dollars of invested assets as per second quarter 2025. UBS helps clients achieve their financial goals through personalized advice, solutions and products. Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, the firm is operating in more than 50 markets around the globe. UBS Group shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
About UBS & Contemporary Art
Global Lead Partner of Art Basel, UBS has a long history of supporting contemporary art and artists. The firm has one of the world's most important corporate art collections of contemporary art. UBS seeks to advance the international conversation about the art market through its global lead partnership with Art Basel, and as co-publisher of the 'Art Basel and UBS Global Art Market Report' and the 'Art Basel and UBS Survey of Global Collecting'. UBS also supports some of the world's most important arts institutions, events, and fairs. Through UBS Art Advisory & Collecting, UBS provides UHNW clients and their family offices impartial advice and execution services across the whole lifecycle of a collection, from strategic development and governance to making an impact through cultural philanthropy and the transition of collections into the next generation.
About UBS Art Collection
The UBS Art Collection is considered one of the most important corporate collections of contemporary art in the world. It currently includes more than 40,000 paintings, works on paper, photographs, sculptures, videos, and installations. Most of these works are displayed in UBS offices globally, serving as an inspiration for employees and a platform for dialogue with clients and the public.
About CHAN Wai Lap
Chan's works have been exhibited in various art institutions in Hong Kong, Beijing, New York, Istanbul, Abu Dhabi, etc. Recent exhibitions include Loveguard (Gallery EXIT, Hong Kong, 2025), Some of us are looking at the stars, (Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 2023), and The Lonesome Changing Room (Art Central, Hong Kong, 2021). He was the winner of the inaugural Winsor & Newton x Paul Smith's Foundation International Art Prize in 2024 and the Award for Young Artist (Visual Arts) of the Hong Kong Arts Development Awards in 2019. The artist currently lives and works in Hong Kong.
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, Hong Kong, Paris and Qatar. 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 new digital platforms and initiatives, such as The Art Basel and UBS Global Art Market Report, the Art Basel Shop, and the Art Basel Awards. For further information, please visit artbasel.com.
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