Budi Tek /
Founder of the Yuz Foundation, Shanghai
It was 6 years ago, for the Venice Biennale. Venice is the city of emotions throughout the centuries and years of art... but to focus on one, it could be the Dogana Museum of François Pinault with whom we enjoy spending time in our Collection Museums, in Venice or in Shanghai for the Yuz Museum that I founded near the Bund river. What an achievement and such a great location at the Ocean entrance of the City of Doges! The other great emotion for me was the Globe, a spectacular work measuring 4.5 meters in circumference by the Chinese-French artist Chen Zhen, which was at the entrance of the 2009 Biennale and which I have acquired since for my collection. I like the idea of all those different chairs facing out, towards the expanding universe. It is universal philosophy and visual emotion brought together in one same world. That's what I like in Venice. Of course I always visit the Chinese Pavilion as well as the Indonesian Pavilion which I have sponsored for the last few editions. That does not mean that as an independent collector with a very personal critical view on art I support all the content. I visit as many pavilions and exhibitions as I can, always waiting to be surprised, carried away or even challenged by new creations. This year I am eager to see what the exhibition “All the World's Futures” looks like...
People's Republic of China Pavilion Liu Jiakun, Lu Yang, Tan Dun, Wen Hui/Living Dance Studio, Wu Wenguang/Caochangdi Work Station, Other Future. Curator: Beijing Contemporary Art Foundation. Pavilion at Arsenale – Giardino delle Vergini.
Republic of Indonesia Heri Dono, Komodo Voyage, Curator: Carla Bianpoen, Restu Imansari Kusumaningrum. Pavilion at Arsenale Besides being one of the most important global places for art, Venice is for me a home to meet my friends from the art world. So we all converge there and have a good time in places like Harry's Bar for an after dinner drink, a lunch at the terrace of the Monaco Hotel facing the Grand Canal, a Grand chef's dinner at the Bauer where I have stayed, or an exclusive afternoon with my collector friends at the pool side of Belmond Hotel Cipriani. But I also like to discover new exquisite places, like the acclaimed Michelin restaurant Vecio Fritolin near the Prada Foundation. Campo San Stefano near the Palazzo Grassi and the Accademia Bridge is a very romantic piazza where I like to enjoy a ristretto with my wife Michelle. I am eager to see the Kaws installation there this year. Harry's Bar in Venice Calle Vallaresso, 1323 Tel 041-528 5777 harrysbarvenezia.com Hotel Monaco & Grand Canal San Marco, 1332 Tel 041-520 0211 hotelmonaco.it/en Bauer Hotel San Marco, 1459 Tel 041-520 7022 bauervenezia.com Vecio Fritolin Calle Regina, 30135 Tel 041-522 2881 veciofritolin.it