The art of living
Ellerman House, Cape Town
Situated in Bantry Bay, Ellerman House is the former home of a shipping magnate. Its low-profile current owner, previously one of the country’s leading finance executives, has a passion for art, evident in his scintillating collection of South African work. It appears throughout the property, but is most beautifully distilled in Ellerman House Contemporary, a gallery opened in 2009 that showcases modern South African artists.
Pieces change each season, but the 1,000-plus works usually on display serve as visual stimuli and didactic references. They trace the evolution of the country – from colourful depictions of Cape Town life a century ago and portraits of bushmen, to the emergence of urban black artists such as Gerard Sekoto and current pieces like haunting black-and-whites by Phillemon Hlungwani and the bright tribal hues of Louis Maqhubela.
www.ellerman.co.za
Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit
The French brand’s flagship property in South East Asia created quite a buzz in April when it unveiled its revamped lobby. The most striking developments include the 72 anamorphosis-style images of the motherland by French photographer Charles Maze that line the upper concourse.
In addition, a new, 100sqm S Gallery displays works by emerging international and local artists. “People want more from a lobby these days," explains William Haandrikman, general manager of the 345-room hotel. “Art, much more than decor, sets the stage for an unforgettable stay."
www.sofitel-bangkok-sukhumvit.com
The Temple House, Chengdu
The third property in Swire Hotel’s House brand, Temple House focuses heavily on art. Though the details of the collection in the company’s newest property, which opens this month, are under wraps, expect provocative contemporary pieces by local artists in the same vein as the two existing House hotels.
Opposite House in Beijing hosts works for three-month periods, working mainly with regional artists such as Li Xiaofeng, whose life-sized wearable art is made from antique blue-and-white Ming and Qing dynasty porcelain. Upper House in Hong Kong has 350 pieces of custom art and sculpture in sandstone, ceramic, marble and bronze.
www.thetemplehousehotel.com
The Moxy, Milan
Rather than passively display accumulated pieces, this new mod-chic hotel within walking distance of Milan’s Malpensa Airport Terminal 2 took a novel tack when curating its artwork. It ran a competition to discover an artist in residence. Visual artists working in illustration, painting or graffiti had to create an exclusive piece that would form the cornerstone of the hotel’s collection. The winning entry – an interpretation of a 21st-century woman with tattooed arms, wild tresses of hair and bright red feathers, chosen from more than 300 submissions – was from a Roman painter who now has her work featured in the hotel. She will also act as the curator and designer for the next Moxy hotel, location unconfirmed.
www.moxy-hotels.marriott.com
Langham Place, New York
Located two blocks from the Empire State Building and with plenty of great sights just beyond, Langham Place’s USP could easily just be what’s nearby.
But its greatest lure is within, following the March debut of privately commissioned portraits by Brooklynite Alex Katz. The figurative artist is known for his paintings which exclusively depict people he knows.
The 10 commissioned works on display, which will be fully installed in September, will accompany lithographs and block prints to be prominently featured within the hotel.
www.langhamhotels.com
