Swiss Banking Group Extends Arts Partnership as Historic Museum Begins Renovation

A centuries-old banking institution has renewed its support for one of Paris’s most prominent cultural venues, continuing a relationship that began three years ago and will now extend through the museum’s upcoming renovation period.

Mirabaud announced the extension of its partnership with the Centre Pompidou for three additional years. The agreement includes support for the museum’s final exhibition before the historic building closes for major renovation work—a show dedicated to German photographer Wolfgang Tillmans.

The Tillmans exhibition will occupy 6,000 square meters of the former Public Information Library on the building’s second floor, cleared of furniture to accommodate the installation. The photographer, who won the Turner Prize and remains the only photographer to receive that honor, will present decades of work combining photographs, videos, sounds, texts, and performances.

“We are delighted to support this exhibition dedicated to a major figure in the international contemporary art scene and one of the artists in our collection whom we have long admired,” said Lionel Aeschlimann, senior managing partner of Mirabaud Group.

Arts Commitment Spans Decades and Continents

The banking group’s involvement in contemporary art extends beyond its Paris partnership. Founded in Geneva in 1819, the institution maintains a corporate collection and supports cultural venues across multiple countries.

Mirabaud serves as a founding member and long-standing partner of the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Geneva. The bank also sponsors the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Bechtler Foundation in Uster, and the Cerezales Foundation in Spain, among other institutions.

Stéphane Jaouen, director of wealth management for the bank’s French operations, emphasized the connection between Tillmans’s artistic approach and institutional values.

“Wolfgang Tillmans’s work embodies a freedom of vision, a constant search for meaning and an openness to the world that deeply resonate with our values,” Jaouen said.

The Centre Pompidou partnership includes funding for one exhibition annually from 2025 through 2027. These shows will take place at prominent Paris cultural institutions including the Louvre and the Grand Palais while the Centre Pompidou undergoes renovation.

Photography at the Edge of Obsolescence

Tillmans works at what curators describe as the intersection of analogue and digital eras. His practice includes traditional photography alongside camera-less images that explore the properties of photosensitive materials.

The artist captures what observers call the fragility of the physical world—sometimes beautiful, sometimes disturbing—while celebrating photographic materials at a moment when traditional processes face potential obsolescence. His aesthetic universe draws from early astronomical observations and the counterculture of the early 1990s.

The exhibition represents more than a retrospective, according to museum officials. They characterize it as a manifesto exploring contemporary forms of humanism and coexistence, themes that extend beyond the art world into broader cultural conversations.

Tillmans’s influence reaches across disciplines, shaping discussions about visual culture, technology, and social engagement. The unprecedented scope of the Paris exhibition—described as the largest ever organized in France on the artist—reflects this expanded impact.

Banking and Cultural Institutions

Aeschlimann framed the museum support within a broader understanding of contemporary art’s social role. He described art as essential for reevaluating worldviews and encouraging critical self-examination.

“Contemporary art plays an essential role in our society by inviting us to re-evaluate the world and question ourselves,” Aeschlimann said. “We want to support exhibitions that will make their mark on art history and be accessible to as wide an audience as possible.”

The bank’s approach to cultural support emphasizes accessibility alongside artistic quality. Partnerships aim to bring significant works to diverse audiences rather than limiting exposure to specialized collectors or institutions.

This philosophy aligns with the institution’s broader operational model. The family-owned bank, which remains under control of its founding family after seven generations, emphasizes personalized service and long-term relationships in its wealth management and asset management businesses.

The Centre Pompidou renovation represents a major undertaking for French cultural infrastructure. The building, opened in 1977, requires substantial upgrades to maintain its function as a contemporary art venue and educational center.

During the renovation period, the museum will continue programming through partnerships with other venues. The collaboration with Mirabaud ensures funding for high-profile exhibitions that maintain the Centre’s presence in Paris’s cultural landscape.

Art Collection Reflects Institutional History

Mirabaud’s corporate art collection has grown over several decades of active acquisition. The collection includes works by artists the institution has supported through various partnerships and sponsorships.

Acquiring Tillmans’s work preceded the current exhibition support, demonstrating the bank’s sustained engagement with the photographer’s practice. This long-term commitment characterizes the institution’s approach to arts patronage more broadly.

The bank supports artists through direct acquisition while also funding exhibitions and institutional partnerships. This dual approach aims to support both individual practitioners and the broader cultural infrastructure that makes their work accessible.

Jaouen emphasized the timing of the Centre Pompidou support, noting the building’s importance to Paris’s cultural identity. The partnership continues during a transitional moment when the historic venue requires major infrastructure investment.

“We are honoured to support the Centre Pompidou’s final exhibition before this iconic cultural and educational venue closes for renovation,” Jaouen said.

The extended partnership positions Mirabaud among a select group of financial institutions maintaining sustained support for major cultural venues. As renovation costs and exhibition funding become more challenging for museums, corporate partnerships provide crucial resources for ambitious programming.