The contemporary art collection of the Yageo Foundation, based in Taiwan, has two main focuses: Western (European and North American) and East Asian contemporary art. The works are selected by Pierre Chen, the head of the foundation, based on the concepts of “living with art” and “art is accessible.” Today, many of the Foundation’s artworks are displayed in Chen’s own home and offices, reflecting his philosophy of art as an inseparable part of everyday life.

The exhibition, features 75 outstanding works from the Yageo Foundation Collection by 39 contemporary artists. The works represent an unparalleled cross-section of contemporary art’s “hardcore,” and are truly deserving of the title “world treasures.” These fabulous works of art will not merely be lined up for display, but will be categorized into 10 sections, including “Muse,” “The Sublime,” “Dignity,” “Reality,” “Memory,” “The Existential Condition,” and “New Beauty.” The exhibition will thus introduce the diverse expressions of contemporary art and the highlights of each masterpiece, and in addition will address the relationship between the collector and his collection, a theme that has not been so openly discussed at art museums. Furthermore, the exhibition will bring out the greatest charm of this collection of art works, considered to be one of the most outstanding private art collections in the world, both in terms of quality and scale.

Yun Gee – Man with Pipe (Otis Oldfield)
The Yageo Foundation Collection

These days, prices for contemporary art frequently make headlines, and in this sense works of contemporary art are quite literally world treasures. At this show, however, viewers have an opportunity to encounter them in person, and gain a renewed sense of the incalculable value of contemporary art from a psychological, emotional, and art-historical standpoint.

The exhibition will travel to the following venues:

The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, Japan (June 20 – August 24, 2014)
Nagoya City Art Museum (September 6 – October 26, 2014)
Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art (December 20, 2014 – March 8, 2015)
MOMAK – The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto, Japan (March 31 – May 31, 2015)

The Yageo Foundation
The Foundation was established by Pierre Chen, CEO of the Yageo Corporation, a leading electronic component manufacturer based in Taiwan. Mr. Chen is so dedicated to art that he began buying works while still a student, with money he earned from programming and part-time jobs. As a result of this enthusiasm, he has built up the Yageo Foundation Collection in the space of a single generation. Today it is recognized as one of the world’s top collections of contemporary art.

 

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