Ullens Foundation Collection arrives in Beijing
With its philanthropic approach and curatorial excellence, the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA) has made waves in the Beijing art world since its debut last November. In March, Jérôme Sans was appointed the new artistic director, and the urbane Frenchman is make his mark on UCCA's development with a new exhibition of the Guy and Myriam Ullens Foundation Collection.

Sans is known for his innovative approach to curatorial practice, both as a curator and as the creator of innovative art institutions, such as the acclaimed Palais de Tokyo in Paris that he co-founded and directed until January 2006. Involved with the Chinese art world for twenty years, Sans has forged relationships with an array of renowned Chinese artists.

“Above all UCCA should be a place for sharing art, for sharing the creativity and dynamism of China today within a global context,” he comments. “Our role here is to create a platform for conversation between China and the rest of the world. We are taking art beyond the walls.”

UCCA's past exhibitions-CHouse of Oracles: a Huang Yong Ping Retrospective and Stray Alchemists (an international group show)-Creinforced Sans' philosophy of exchange and boundary breaking. The theme of China-international dialogue will then continue from July 19 when the center showcases, for the first time in China, a range of contemporary pieces from its Belgian benefactors in Our Future: The Guy and Myriam Ullens Foundation Collection.

One of the largest and most significant holdings of contemporary Chinese art in the world, the Ullens Foundation Collection represents several generations of Chinese artists at different stages of their development. As such, Our Future will provide unique insight into these artists' shifting social, cultural and philosophical perspectives.

Including six new commissions, two site-specific shows and four recent acquisitions, Our Future will present 89 works by such artists as Chen Zhen, Wang Guangyi, Zhang Xiaogang, Amy Cheung, Cao Fei and Wu Jicong. A program of events will run throughout the exhibition period, including international conferences and courses on art collection.

Daniel Allen

Details

Our Future: The Ullens Foundation Collection
Where: UCCA
When: July 19-September 9
How Much: ￥30