Not for sale: He manages UOB’s 2,800 artworks

I make sure that more than 2,800 works of art owned by UOB are kept safe and in good condition. About 70 per cent of them are displayed and stored locally.

- Sharon Salim Business Correspondent

Mr Xu conducts periodic randomised visual checks during which some artworks are brought out from a storage facility. His job includes selecting suitable frames for the works. Some pieces do better without frames, which can be a distraction. Mr Xu reviewing the floor plan for an upcoming exhibition (Oct 18 to Nov 30) that will feature artworks for sale by six alumni winning artists. EVERY WORK TELLS A STORY A misconception people have is that we are basically a storeroom for decorative pieces. I think artworks are not just decorative objects. They carry works we value, each with a story to tell. Because of that, they deserve due respect, and should be showcased in the best possible way.

We used to have an acquisition committee that bought artwork for our corporate art collection, so a good portion was acquired long ago. Now, we organise the yearly Painting of the Year competition, where the winning artworks become ours. People are not allowed to buy them because they are part of a corporate collection.

I do not call myself an art curator, but I am the go-to person in the bank for all things related to the UOB art collection. While I was not trained as a curator, I worked in the art industry for 10 years, learning the ropes of exhibition and collection management along the way. The job includes looking at specific requests by UOB offices, bank branches and exhibitions. In terms of art collection management, my role focuses on operations, programmes and overall responsibility for them.

The artworks displayed at our premises are carefully selected because they are in public or semi public places. We are careful with how we display them.

To profile our winning artists, we showcase their winning works on the walls of branches or in the UOB Plaza 1 lobby to give them more exposure. We also took the opportunity to refresh the artworks in the lobby for an art projection showcase that concluded recently.