ART, ARCHITECTURE & HOTELS

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01 SOFITEL VIENNA STEPHANSDOM

02 L OBBY OF NEW YORK’S THE STANDARD

WHEN HOTELS COMPETE WITH GALLERIES AND GUEST ROOMS BECOME ART INSTALLATIONS

INVESTMENT Hoteliers are increasingly aware that their guests appreciate art and expect more than a which includes artists and photog- raphers such as Sam Samore, Joan familiar print bolted to the wall. Luxury brands are investing substantial sums in works by established Fontcuberta and Ralph Gibson, to or emerging talent and are curating their own collections, as Kathryn Tully discovers create art works, video installations and soundscapes for the hotels. As Ms Ziegler puts it: “Jerome opens ! Earlier this month, The Stand- and curators to help them select Some hotels, like Zurich’s The sive art collection or a hotel can doors that we would never have ard Hotel in New York held a party works for permanent display or Dolder Grand, are proud of their borrow from other private col- been able to open as a brand, par- in the ultra-hip Boom Boom Room temporary exhibitions. extensive, museum-quality collec- lections, because it is never easy ticularly for artists that don’t nor- to celebrate the launch of its second When Brian Williams, managing tions. Others, such as The Opposite to build a collection from scratch. mally engage with big companies.” series of video installations to be director of Swire Hotels, wanted to House in Beijing, want to showcase Finding, selecting and buying the However, Anne Pasternak, presi- shown in all guest rooms. The vid- create a contemporary art collec- the work of emerging artists. Earlier art or commissioning the right art- dent and artistic director of pub- eos include work from seven con- tion for The Montpellier Chapter in this year, it commissioned art stu- ists takes time. It took two years to lic art, non-profit Creative Time, temporary artists and in Rabbit Holy Cheltenham, he turned to Jane Lee, dents at China’s Central Academy put together the collection at The which curated The Standard’s new Days, by Terrence Koh, flu"y white course director in fine art at Central of Fine Arts to produce a series of Montpellier Chapter, which started video series, thinks that, as long as bunnies are filmed relaxing in one St Martins College of Art and Design postcards to be left as gifts during the by buying works by established art- artists work with the right brand, of the hotel’s minimalist bathroom in London for help after he met her at hotel’s turn-down service. ists such as John Hopper and Mario the pervasive cliches surrounding sinks and admiring the view from a degree show. “We were very keen to But not all properties want to be Rossi and then adding to these core hotel art are redundant. “Not one the 18th floor. promote both established and young thought of as an art hotel. “We didn’t pieces with art by younger talent. artist that we approached to work While the long-held stereotype British artists and Central Saint Mar- want to be another art hotel, where Executing bespoke commissions with The Standard turned us down,” of hotel art has involved something tins has a long reputation for produc- you just put high-end, expensive takes even longer and installing art she says, adding that the hotel has a bolted to a wall, simultaneously deco- ing artists of some repute,” he says. art into the environment,” says Eva work presents another logistical very hip reputation. rative yet bland and almost apologis- Approaches vary quite dramati- Ziegler, global brand leader of Le challenge before a newly built or If anything, she says that the hotel ing for its own existence, things have cally. Sometimes, art is intended to Méridien and W Hotels Worldwide. newly refurbished hotel can throw project gave video artists more crea- moved on a lot. In recent years, the gel with the hotel’s overall design aes- “We want our lobbies to be a creative open its doors. tive flexibility than they have when hotel industry has realised that many thetic; sometimes quite the opposite. hub where people can gather and producing installations for other of their guests are also art aficionados In The Surrey, a renovated Manhat- exchange ideas.” Nevertheless, Ms public spaces. “We do video projects and that cultural tourism can begin tan hotel that reopened in 2009, the Ziegler says that guests formulate In an increasing number in New York’s Times Square where the minute they arrive the lobby. ambience of a luxurious, traditional lasting impressions of hotels within passersby have a very short attention In an increasing number of hotels, Upper East Side townhouse is o"set ten minutes of arriving, which is why of hotels, art is not an span, whereas a hotel guest might art is not an afterthought, but a cen- with playful contemporary art works, Le Méridien has high-impact art in engage with an in-room video instal- tral part of the guest o"ering. In fact, such as a gra#ti-adorned armoire in its lobbies. afterthought but a central lation for 20 minutes.” it is so integral to some new hotels the lobby and gra#tied tables in the Yet, whatever the approach, the Of course, a still more compel- that they are designed with the art bar by UK furniture designers Jim- benefits are much the same. Art is a part of the guest offering ling reason for hotels to exhibit art work in mind. The Sofitel Vienna mie Martin. way of defining a hotel’s identity and is that it democratises the process Stephansdom, for example, designed This was also the thinking at The giving it a unique draw, whether that of enjoying it. by architect Jean Nouvel, features Montpellier Chapter. “We were draw is the presence of Old Masters Critically, some artists are also JW Marriott has teamed up with multicoloured video ceilings by keen that the art was a standalone by Giuseppe Zais and Giuseppe Baz- ambivalent about their work Christie’s auction house to feature Swiss artist Pipilotti Rist. feature of the hotel and not driven zani in the lobby of Rome’s Cavalieri appearing in hotels or any large special art exhibitions. The first Today, many hotels compete with solely by design aesthetic,” explains Hilton or guest-room murals by con- commercial setting. Le Méridien of these was a preview of unseen galleries and museums as an alter- Mr Williams. “We wanted our guests temporary artists in Copenhagen’s bypassed this problem by recruit- Beatles photos at London’s Gros- native exhibition space, producing to be intrigued and interested by Hotel Fox. ing Jérôme Sans to be the hotel’s venor House. Another is due to be glossy catalogues of their collections the art and that it didn’t feel like a Of course, it certainly helps if a cultural curator, who has selected held in December at Miami’s JW and employing creative directors corporate acquisition.” hotel owner already has an exten- Le Méridien 100 (LM100), a group Marriott Marquis.

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CASE STUDIES Kathryn Tully combines hotel living RENAISSANCE FRESCOS OR and art appreciation in a tour of five of the world’s CONTEMPORARY STREET ART? leading art hotels which each o"ers its own individualistic guest experience

THE DOLDER GRAND FOUR SEASONS HOTEL FOX LANGHAM PLACE GRAMERCY PARK HOTEL ZURICH FLORENCE COPENHAGEN HONG KONG NEW YORK

! Built between 1897 and 1899, and ! Hotel owners often spend years build- ! It cannot boast the same ultra-luxu- ! Chinese contemporary art is the ! The Gramercy Park’s lobby, famous spectacularly reimagined by architect ing art collections in their properties rious accommodation o"ered by some hottest art market in the world at the Rose Bar and other common spaces fea- Norman Foster before it reopened in from scratch. Another approach is to of its art-hotel rivals, but this fun, city- moment and Hong Kong’s Langham ture an extremely impressive collec- 2008, The Dolder Grand sits on a hill- open a new hotel in a stunning 15th-cen- centre boutique residence certainly Place hotel has a world-class collection. tion of 20th-century masterpieces by side just 15 minutes from Zurich air- tury palace, already heaving with Renais- wins marks for innovation. At Hotel The hotel houses an eclectic range of Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, port. The two modern wings, added by sance frescos, friezes and sculptures. This Fox, each bedroom is a di"erent piece 1,500 art works, which can be found on Damien Hirst, Richard Prince, Keith Lord Foster to the palatial original build- is what guests will find at the Palazzo della of art. When it reopened in 2005, as part each of the 42 floors, some by big names Haring, Julian Schnabel and others, ing, allow guests a panoramic vista of Gherardesca, Florence, which has been of an innovative marketing campaign such as Wang Guangyi, Yue Minjun and which are on loan from private collec- the city. The Dolder Grand boasts an home to nobles, princes and the future for the launch of the Volkswagen Fox Jiang Shuo. The lobby is used as a tem- tions. Currently, three oil paintings impressive art collection selected by Pope Leo XI, since it was built in 1473. It 21, a collection of 21 contemporary art- porary exhibition space and, from Feb- from Damien Hirst’s 2008 series, The owner Urs Schwarzenbach. Salvador opened as the Four Seasons Hotel, after ists, graphic designers and illustrators ruary to April, the hotel’s art consult- Golden Jubilee, hang in the sumptu- Dalí’s Femmes Metamorphoses hangs in a seven-year renovation, in 2008. The painted and adorned each of the hotel’s ant, Angeli Li, arranged for 29-year-old ous lobby. Julian Schnabel designed the the restaurant. Other highlights in the lobby features bas-reliefs by Bertoldo di 61 rooms in a di"erent style. Guests can Chinese sculptor Luo Zhenhong to hold interior of the hotel, in collaboration hotel’s common spaces are Horizontal Giovanni, who taught Michelangelo. All find themselves sleeping surrounded his latest exhibition, Mirror Mirror On with Ian Schrager, when the 1925 land- Brushstrokes by Sol LeWitt and a perma- guest rooms combine antique furnishings by street art, benevolent monsters or The Wall, which featured 109 carica- mark building was renovated. Guests nent installation by Joachim Fleischer. and paintings with 21st-century ameni- Mexican wrestlers. Be warned, much of ture sculptures, all posing on and around will find framed photos in the hotel’s Hotel guests can also enjoy discounts to ties, but those who stay in the Royal Suite, the art in Hotel Fox is loud. If you don’t a battered Mini Cooper, taken from a bedrooms, which were selected from major art events taking place in the city. Gallery Suite, Noble Suite, Renaissance fancy sleeping in a hot pink room fea- scrap yard. Essentially, though, the the Magnum archive, the photographic The Dolder Grand o"ered 10 per cent o" Suite or Presidential Suite can also enjoy turing a large black-and-white weight- whole hotel functions as a gallery and, agency founded by Henri Cartier-Bres- entry to the recent Picasso exhibition at vaulted, frescoed ceilings, without leav- lifting cat, for example, then room 407 if they choose to, guests can take tours son, Robert Capa, George Rodger and Zurich’s Kunsthaus museum. ing their rooms. is probably not for you. of the whole collection during their stay. David Seymour in 1947.

Tel: +41 44 456 60 00 Tel: +39 055 2626 1 Tel: + 45 33 13 30 00 Tel: +852 3552 3388 Tel +1 212 920 3300 www.thedoldergrand.com www.fourseasons.com/florence www.hotelfox.dk www.hongkong.langhamplacehotels.com www.gramercyparkhotel.com

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

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