Cultural philanthropy: UBS presents Melati Suryodarmo’s I Love You (2007) at ART SG 2026 and its Art for All initiative in Singapore
UBS is the Founding and Lead Partner of ART SG, Southeast Asia’s largest international art fair, sponsoring the event for the fourth consecutive year in January 2026. As part of its commitment to the local, art scene, UBS also has an “Art for All” community program. The art fair looks at South East Asian artists (ASEAN) and brings together a varied selection of regional artists.
For 2026, the UBS Art Collection presented acclaimed performance artist Melati Suryodarmo who undertook a live performance I Love You in the UBS Art Studio on Thursday, 22nd January 2026 in Singapore. Melati Suryodarmo is an Indonesian durational performance artist. Her physically demanding performances make use of repetitive motions and often last for many hours. Her work can be found with video footage in the Singapore Art Museum.
Melati Suryodarmo
Melati Suryodarmo’s (b. 1969 in Surakarta, Indonesia) work is the result of ongoing research into the movements of the body and its relationship to the self and the world. These are enshrined in photography, translated into choreographed dances, enacted in video or executed in live performances. Her work is known for long durational performances, influenced by Butoh, dance, and history, among others. By compiling, extracting, conceptualizing and translating some of these factors of presence that she recognizes into her work, she intends to tease open the fluid border between the body and its environment, expressing her concerns about the cultural, societal, and political dimensions. Her most iconic piece, Exergie – Butter Dance (2000), in which she dances on 20 blocks of butter while wearing high heels until she falls and rises repeatedly, has been featured or documented in several major international museums and exhibitions.
In the live art fair performance, Suryodarmo moves through a stark red room, carrying a large glass while repeating “I love you.” The red evokes love, desire, urgency and danger, while the fragile yet heavy glass symbolizes emotional vulnerability and burden. Through repetition and physical strain, the work transforms a simple declaration into a ritual of longing, resilience and endurance.
Melati Suryodarmo has been a professional performance artist for over 30 years, with a career that includes significant works and exhibitions since at least the mid-1990s, particularly beginning her performance pieces around 1996.
Suryodarmo also spoke with Elaine Choi, UBS Art Collection Manager, about her practice and performance at the ART SG Talks Theatre. As part of her discussion, she spoke about the fragility of the world reflected by her handling of the glass and a message that the world needed in “I love you.” Her endurance during the performance was shared by the audience who watched for three hours as she handled the large, heavy pane of glass, moving carefully so as not to break or drop it.
This marks UBS’s first presentation of a performance artwork, as well as Suryodarmo’s first performance at an art fair, reaffirming UBS’s long-standing commitment to supporting cultural initiatives worldwide and its belief in the power of contemporary art to inspire dialogue, deepen understanding and enrich lives. I Love You also reflects the breadth of the UBS Art Collection and demonstrates the Collection’s mission to collect the art of our time that fosters conversations and cultivates understanding.
UBS Singapore continues to connect communities through the “Art for All” initiative At the UBS Art Studio, fairgoers can participate in the “crating messages of love” experience: visitors are invited to leave a message of what love means to them and experience the craft of recycling plastics into a heart-shaped keychain. Plastics used to produce the keychains are part of UBS’s in office initiatives which include plastic donations and recycling drives, as well as a series of plastic recycling workshops held in the office for staff engagement, volunteering, and other purposes, taking place in the lead-up to ART SG. The heart-shaped keychains at the fair, made from recycled plastics, are inspired by Suryodarmo’s work I Love You in the UBS Art Collection and align with UBS’s commitment to sustainability and community enrichment through outreach programs.
The ART SG FUTURES Prize, presented by UBS, made its inaugural launch at the 2026 edition of the fair. Ten thousand US dollars were awarded to the most outstanding emerging artist featured in the FUTURES sector. The FUTURES sector features young galleries established within the last ten years, presenting new artwork by rising talents, specially created for ART SG. art ecosystem by fostering innovation and supporting the next generation of creative voices.
ART SG and UBS announced Filipino-Canadian inter-disciplinary artist Marigold Santos as the inaugural recipient of the ART SG FUTURES Prize. This prize champions new voices, experimentation and the future of contemporary art in the region.
Jin Yee Young, Co-Head UBS Global Wealth Management Asia Pacific and Country Head UBS Singapore, said: “The Art Basel and UBS Survey of Global Collecting 2025 reveals that 81% of Singapore’s HNW collectors are optimistic about the global art market, with the nation rising to become the fifth-largest global importer of art. As Founding and Lead Partner of ART SG for the fourth consecutive year, we are delighted to provide a platform that reinforces Singapore’s vital role as a cultural gateway for the region. We believe in the transformative power of art and are excited to showcase works from the UBS Art Collection in the UBS Lounge and UBS Art Studio at the fair, including Melati Suryodarmo’s I Love You. Furthermore, to nurture emerging talent, we are proud to launch the inaugural ART SG FUTURES Prize, presented by UBS. Our “Art for All” community initiative also continues this year in partnership with Plastify, inviting visitors to craft messages of love and sustainable keepsakes that promote accessibility and creativity.”
Key Takeaways
- UBS sponsors ART SG, Southeast Asia’s largest art fair, for the fourth consecutive year, showcasing Melati Suryodarmo’s performance I Love You.
- Suryodarmo’s work explores the body’s relationship to the self and the environment, often involving long durational performances.
- The performance symbolises love and emotional vulnerability, inviting audience reflection over three hours.
- UBS continues its ‘Art for All’ initiative, allowing fairgoers to engage with art and sustainability through hands-on experiences.
- UBS launches the ART SG FUTURES Prize to support emerging artists, demonstrating its commitment to cultural philanthropy in the region.
Subscribe to the Citywealth Weekly Newsletter to learn more about Private Wealth Management.
Read more:
Citywealth Future Leaders Awards 2025 – Winners’ Tribute
60-second interview: Jonathan Giles, managing director, Rathbones | Citywealth News
60 seconds – Richard Cook, Rathbones Group
Rathbones reports surge in IHT queries
Rathbones appoints Simonetta Rigo as Chief Client Officer
Rathbones announces combination: Investec Wealth & Investment
Leader List Interview: 60 seconds with Matt Crossman, Rathbones | Citywealth News
Louise Willows Willows Marketing: A Career Journey | Citywealth News
Nomadar Expands Talent Identification Project to Ecuador with Cadiz CF and HOPE Foundation
Nomadar (NASDAQ: NOMA), a U.S.-based company operating at the intersection of sports, technology, tourism, and health, announced today a recent international project in Manta, Ecuador, in collaboration with HOPE Foundation and with the technical support of Cadiz Club de Fútbol, as part of the Company´s expansion strategy for its High Performance Training (“HPT”) Program.
From Elephant Orphans to Guardians
It is difficult to do animals justice through human language. Our lexicon is built upon qualities and values as we understand them; thus, the creatures outside our realm defy true characterisation.