History and artistic programme
The gallery was founded by Urs Meile (the son of an art collector) in 1992. Since its establishment in 1992, Galerie Urs Meile has contributed to the presentation and dissemination of contemporary art, from painting and sculpture to photography, installation and video. The gallery is working from two locations: Lucerne (Switzerland) and Beijing (China). While its center of operations is based in Switzerland, the Beijing gallery has established itself as an international meeting place for collectors, curators, artists and aficionados of the arts. Galerie Urs Meile was one of the first international galleries to focus on the Chinese art scene and has been working on an international level with Chinese artists since 1995. The gallery represents established artists such as Wang Xingwei, Xie Nanxing, Qiu Shihua, Not Vital, Tobias Rehberger (in Asia), as well as emerging artists such as Chen Fei, Yan Xing, Cheng Ran, Li Gang, Zhou Siwei, Hu Qingyan and Julia Steiner. The opening of Galerie Urs Meile’s new space in the 798 Art District in Beijing in May 2017 marks a further stage in the expansion of the gallery’s activities. The new space is located in one of 798’s historical buildings that once made up the Dashanzi factory complex. The former warehouse has been completely renovated under the guidance of the Japanese architect Mitsunori Sano. On 520 square meters, it contains generous exhibition and reception areas, offices, and storage rooms. Offering perfect conditions for exhibitions and events featuring its diverse roster of contemporary artists, the new venue represents Galerie Urs Meile’s commitment to the city’s vibrant art scene. The artist-in-residence program supported and run by Galerie Urs Meile in Beijing offers Western artists the opportunity to work in China for several months and establish a network within the Chinese art scene. In the frame of this cooperation, emerging and established artists present projects that have been specifically made for the Beijing gallery space. Galerie Urs Meile annually participates at Art Basel, Art Basel Hong Kong, and Art BaselReferences
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