Press Release 2016

UOB Hong Kong teams up with Regal Hotels to promote art in the community

Launches the UOB Art Space uniquely @ REGAL in Hong Kong

Hong Kong, 17 June 2016 - United Overseas Bank Hong Kong (UOB Hong Kong) joins hands with Regal Hotels International (Regal Hotels) to launch the "UOB Art Space uniquely @ REGAL" at Regal Airport Hotel¹, Hong Kong today as part of their partnership to promote art in the community.

Themed "The Land. The People. The City", the inaugural exhibition at the UOB Art Space uniquely @ REGAL showcases 29 artworks from the UOB Art Collection. The selected artworks, which were curated by Mr Tony Scott, Director of China Art Projects, demonstrate a harmonious mix of cultures and landscapes in Asia through bustling city scenes.

For example, Scripts of Selective Sympathies by past UOB Painting of the Year winner Mr Anthony Chua captures urban construction and the birth of the modern city through a double representation of a street scene. The repetitive imagery creates a rhythmic effect reflective of the busy city life. Other artworks on display include those from Chinese painting master Mr David Kwo Da Wei, and other UOB Painting of the Year winners including Mr Quek Jing Cheng, Mr Boo Sze Yang and Mr Baet Yeok Kuan.

Both UOB Hong Kong and Regal Hotels hold a shared vision to encourage the appreciation of art in the community and to provide an avenue for young artists to showcase their works through sustainable initiatives and programmes. Their first collaboration was in 2015, when UOB Hong Kong and Regal Hotels organised an exhibition at Regal Airport Hotel to feature the winning artworks from the UOB Golden Garden Installation Art Awards.

Mrs Christine Ip, Chief Executive Officer of UOB Hong Kong, said that the collaboration between UOB Hong Kong and Regal Hotels is an art advocacy initiative by two renowned brands.

"Just as UOB has built an extensive network to serve and to connect our customers across Asia over the last few decades, we have been supporting the development of artists in the region through various community projects. In Hong Kong specifically, we launched the UOB Art Academy in April 2015 to make art more accessible to the community and to promote cross-cultural dialogue. This year, we are delighted to continue to work with Regal Hotels to showcase Asian art to people in Hong Kong and to travellers from around the world," said Mrs Ip.

Ms Poman Lo, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Regal Hotels, said, "Regal Hotels is most pleased to be in partnership with UOB to establish an art gallery in the Regal Airport Hotel, the Best Airport Hotel in the World . We believe the art exhibitions at the UOB Art Space uniquely @ REGAL will definitely become a point of attraction at Regal Hotels and enhance our guests' experience as they view the display of Asian art."

The exhibits at the UOB Art Space uniquely @ REGAL will be refreshed quarterly. The UOB Art Space uniquely @ REGAL is located at 2/F, Regal Airport Hotel, 9 Cheong Tat Road, Hong Kong International Airport, and is open from 11am to 8pm daily (except Wednesdays).

Connecting communities through art
UOB started its art collection in the early 1970s as a way of supporting local artists. The UOB Art Collection now holds more than 2,000 artworks, of which many are displayed at the Bank's branches and offices, as well as public art galleries. UOB's long-term commitment to art is principally demonstrated through its UOB Painting of the Year Competition, which has been running for more than three decades in Southeast Asia. In 2015, UOB also partnered with National Gallery Singapore to launch the UOB Southeast Asia Gallery early last year.

In Hong Kong, the UOB Art Academy was established to promote art education and to raise the appreciation of art in the community through monthly art events such as workshops and carnivals. Its frequent and regular activities are designed for children with special needs and those from less privileged backgrounds. It also organises annual art competitions to nurture local talent. Through forums and exhibitions, the Academy also encourages cross-cultural dialogue between local and overseas artists.

Regal Hotels first launched its Group Sustainability Programme in 2012 featuring environmental responsibility, social responsibility and economic responsibility. As professional hoteliers, Regal Hotels embraces the spirit of artisans with diligence and professionalism in serving people from different cultures and from all walks of life. In recent years, Regal Hotels put the ideas into practice by engaging art events including its sponsorship of the UOB Golden Garden Installation Art Awards in 2015. The collaboration on the UOB Art Space uniquely @ REGAL serves as a prelude for its art initiatives in 2016. This year, Regal Hotels will also play a part in nurturing local young artists by awarding the winner of the UOB Connectivity Photography Award a scholarship to attend a short photography course overseas.

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¹ Regal Airport Hotel was named the "Best Airport Hotel in the World 2015" by Business Traveller UK Magazine.