Given that Art Basel 2020 was canceled, hotel guests are craving art programming more than ever. The leaders of the hospitality industry know that when marketing a unique and luxury experience, the best way to establish brand value is to offer emblematic and contemporary experiences. There are a few trends in the industry that have made hotel art more exciting than ever. These include valuable hotel art collections, original art rooms, local art, art in common areas and collaborations with art institutions. Contrary to the past, many artworks now being installed in hotels aren’t conventionally decorative, but for sheer impact.
See below for a roundup of hotels that have helped spearhead these trends through collaborations with local and globally celebrated artists to curate and showcase their custom and original pieces.
Hotel Effie Sandestin + Brendan Parker Art
Hotel Effie, located on Florida’s Emerald Coast and part of the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, maintains a laid-back beachtown character complemented by artwork that perfectly encapsulates this change-of-pace. Brendan Parker is the local artist behind several pieces at Hotel Effie, using mixed-media art with epoxy resins and abstract expression. He lives at the resort and wanted to elevate its beauty, especially as someone who would always vacation in Sandestin. Parker created a custom original piece for the presidential suite and his works are showcased throughout the property, including the lobby and guest rooms, drawing inspiration from what he thought the space was missing and incorporating slow movement into the pieces.
Shelborne South Beach + Becky Robbins Art
Shelborne South Beach is collaborating with artist Becky Robbins to showcase her impactful artistry this summer. For the last decade, Robbins, a self-taught artist, has poured her time and energy into crafting oil paintings that intricately weave together her past and present. Organic in practice, nothing is planned when Robbins stands before a blank canvas to paint; though, she often splashes canvases with images of human faces, animals, flora, fauna, and texts that showcase her love of Earth and humanity. Robbins typically starts with one thought— an inspiration from a photograph she took or saw in a magazine, or something that came to her during daily morning meditation— and that one concept leads to another and another. She connects individual images through ropes or a string of music notes so that each piece feels cohesive. The entire process can take Robbins anywhere from six months to a year to finish an original painting.
Robbins’ most recent collection is titled “Yūgen,” a concept that is at the core of the appreciation of beauty and art in Japan. Pieces in the collection and on display at the Shelborne include “Revolution of Consciousness”, which depicts a powerful yet comforting message around the pandemic, changes and healing our world is undergoing. The stylized kanji symbol for the Kintsukuroi concept refers to repair. As Robbins worked through the painting, stories seem to interweave and come to life with a final call for a love revolution.
Another piece on display at the hotel includes “Love Is Still The Answer,” explores Robbins’ intuition and inspiration for creative ideas like images depicting the Golden Mean, collected in artistic display on a canvas. Her expression is further influenced by music, with this particular piece drawing inspiration from a song from by Jason Mraz and culminating in an epiphany: that love is still the answer.
Other pieces in the “Yūgen” collection include the “Pale Blue Dot,” referencing our journey on this tiny planet, and “Leap of Faith,” which revolves around taking risks. In addition to her originals on oil, Robbins sells limited edition prints which are beautifully floated on a background and framed.
THesis Hotel Miami + Jaume Plensa
THesis Hotel Miami is an urban resort with modern hotel sensibility and artistic expression. Its chic design is complemented and elevated by Jaume Plensa’s outdoor sculpture, “Storm,”centrally located at the hotel’s Paseo de Riviera, home to the hotel’s al fresco dining, weekend market and outdoor activations. “Storm,” a marvel from Paris, France, sits at the center of the hotel’s open-air Paseo carved at the base of THesis. This plaza, nestled between the buildings, allows light to stream in and glisten off of “Storm” at every hour of the day — making it a spectacle to any guest. Artistic displays are important for THesis because they capture the essence and beauty of a tropical and culturally diverse Miami. Plensa uses his public art around the world as a means of unifying people, strategically incorporating materials like stainless steel into his work to signify the human condition and the ephemeral.
The Gabriel + Alberto Van Stokkum
The Gabriel Miami features provocative and eccentric photography by Alberto Van Stokkum throughout the hotel’s public spaces, adding an artistic touch to the property’s design features. Known for his work in Vogue, Van Stokkum’s pieces are often described as wild and experimental. Alberto captures the fun, cheeky side of his models, possessing a gift for releasing the inhibitions of his subject.
The Marker Key West Harbor Resort
The Marker Key West Harbor Resort combines Key West charm with beachtown luxury for the best tropical escape. Artist John Martini perfectly captured its character with his colorful sculptures along Lazy Way at the front of the resort. Living and working both in Key West, Florida and Veuxhaulles-Sur-Aube, France, Martini’s artwork is internationally displayed for the public to enjoy. He uses materials such as wood and bronze to create unique standalone figures, drawing influence from animals and people. The sculptures on Lazy Way overlook the boats that enter the dock area, complementing the resort with a fun beach-themed color scheme. The property also partnered with local brand, Key West Pottery, who created a series of totem poles, which are placed on the hotel exterior. Originated in 2009 by the artists Adam Russell and Kelly Lever, Key West Pottery is made up of a small army of artisans who collaborate together to produce an authentic expression of modern, coastal life.
