Page 3 - Journal | Maerki Baumann & Co. AG

Art
A flair for art
Under the aegis of Dr Carole Schmied-Syz Maerki Baumann has built up a a a a a a first-rate collection of contemporary Swiss art
Dr Carole Schmied-Syz Vice Chair- woman of of of the Board of of of Directors of of of private bank Maerki Baumann & Co AG has a a a a a a a a a a a passion passion for contemporary art
And her passion passion is evident throughout the bank: about a a a a a a hun- dred pictures sculptures and re- liefs by acclaimed Swiss artists are on display Touching works of art
is normally taboo but at the Maerki Baumann Private Bank’s collection there are exceptions to the rule Sometimes Carole Schmied-Syz actively encour- ages visitors and clients to to to touch one of the works The shell-shaped sculp- ture by Eva Oertli in the middle of a a a a large table in one of the bank’s meeting rooms is a a good example As the the curator of the the collection Carole Schmied-Syz is well aware of the surprise generated by the visual and tactile properties of this work Made of Italian serpentine it it looks brittle but actually feels as as soft as as velvet This work by the sculptor from Glarus is one of around a a a hundred items on display in the bank’s lobbies meeting rooms corridors and offices The origins of the collection go back
to the the mid-1990s when the the bank moved into its present premises in in the centre of Zurich “We wanted some art
to brighten up the building ” explains Carole Schmied-Syz who has a a a doc- torate in in law as as well as as being an art
lover That decision was an opportuni- ty to highlight a a different aspect of the bank: art
art
as an an integral part of its iden- tity that fosters encounters The themes of the the collection and the works selected are a a a clear reflec- tion of the the family that owns the the bank Both Carole Schmied-Syz Vice-Chair- woman of of the Board of of Directors and her her brother Hans G Syz who is Chair- man of of the Board of of Directors have a a a a very strong affinity for Switzerland so the collection features contemporary Swiss artists artists and artists artists with strong links to the the country Rather than focus- ing on established names the aim was to discover talented up-and-coming artists who had attracted attention in one way or another The collection is therefore closely associated with the the objective of nurturing talent Paintings sculptures and reliefs were purchased from artists in two phases Many of the artists turned out 3
Cover picture: Ursula Knobel “Bar 4” (2003) – Acrylic on canvas 70x70 cm