AMSTERDAM.- Art is an essential part of ING's corporate identity. The ING Collection was founded in 1974 to create a stimulating working environment. Over the years, the collection has grown to become an extensive and internationally renowned collection of artworks, with a focus on contemporary art by professional artists. In 2014, to celebrate 40 years of the Art Collection, this milestone is marked with an exhibition and the publication of this book.

Re: Society shows a selection of artworks that ING has collected over the past 40 years. The book explains what ING has meant for and will mean for society in the future, and how art reflects on society. The history and tradition of ING makes for an art collection that is diverse. The works in this publication are presented by theme. This was a conscious choice in order to create a dialogue between works that seem unrelated at first. Although covering different ground, all ten themes have one common denominator: they are drawn from society. They show some of the most important themes that have shaped the world as we know it. This selection shows how artists engage with, react to and reflect on society as they hold a mirror up to the viewer. For instance, the Urban Culture theme zooms in on life in the city while Family Values shows the importance of family in an increasingly individualistic society. The Corporate World theme relates to ING, while The Great Escape takes us into the unknown.

The theme texts have been written by Konrad Schiller, curator and PhD candidate at the Institute of Art of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Schiller studied art history in Warsaw before completing an MA in Postcolonial Culture and Global Policy at Goldsmiths College in London. The themes show the collection in its full breadth and depth. Erica Shiozaki's article 'Kismet and Art' looks back into history, asking questions such as: Does art have a fate? Is art destined for something? The article looks into the ethical and the unethical: the current sense of responsibility and freedom of art. Shiozaki is a writer and curator based in London and is the inaugural recipient of the Florence Trust Curatorial Residency, supported by the Arts Council of England. The book also springs to life with videos and interviews via Layar technology for smartphones, thus making the collection accessible in new and interesting ways.

Features
• A visual feast of over 130 artworks

• Outstanding graphic design and a beautifully-embossed cover

• The book springs to life with videos and interviews via Layar technology for smartphones

• Biographies of each featured artist

• A timeline of milestones of ING over the past 40 years

• Available in English and Dutch

The Hidden Picture is a large scale and ambitious exhibition by Het Cobra Museum in Amstelveen, the Netherlands and ING Art Management. The Cobra and ING teams have made an exciting and extensive selection from the works of ING's international collections, meaning that more than 50 artworks are now on display for the first time to the public. The exhibition shows the new face of 40 years of collecting art, including works by Michelangelo Pistoletto, Ossip Zadkine, Iris van Dongen, Ad Dekker, Piet Mondriaan, Ossip Zadkine, Pyke Koch, Richard Deacon, Carel Willink, Cristian Boltanski, René Daniëls, Roni Horn, Jessica Diamond, Michael Raedecker and many more.

One work deserving special note is the triptych by Jaap Hillenius (1934–1999). This work was specially commissioned in 1987 for the iconic ING headquarters in Amsterdam. The architecture of the building was even adapted to give the work the best possible light. This work is now on public view for the first time.

The exhibition runs from 13 September 2014 until 4 January 2015 at Het Cobra Museum in Amstelveen.