As yacht art consultants, Artelier specialises in curating artwork collections for luxury yachts. As well as sourcing contemporary art by leading global artists, we also collaborate with artists to create custom art commissions tailored to the yacht interior.
Artelier provided turn-key curated art services for a recently completed major project, the Amels limited edition superyacht M/Y Plvs Vltra (74m). As specialist yacht art consultants, we collaborated 12 months prior to delivery with designers to develop a highly personalised artwork collection tailored to the yacht.
A key area of focus was art for the yacht's main saloon, where we commissioned a pair of crystal sculptures for niches in the wall. The client had a particular interest in fluorite crystal, a rare type of blue-green hued gemstone, which we specially sourced directly from a mine in China.
We worked with a leading British sculptor to create the unique sculpture commission. The artist, who was a specialist in working with crystal, carved the sculpture in shapes that would optimise the remarkable properties of the material. The translucent stone is dappled with aqua tones, which are illuminated as light passes through the sculpture.
Working with a large stone sculpture for a yacht is a technical challenge, as its significant weight must be safely secured onboard. We developed solutions for fixing the artwork in the yacht with sea-fastenings and bolts, without detracting from its aesthetic qualities.
Another key focus of the project was incorporating bespoke artworks in the spa, which were resistant to humid conditions while enhancing the atmosphere of the space.
We commissioned a pair of stainless steel looping sculptures for the spa, positioned either side of the jacuzzi, as well as a stand-out circular artwork installation for the jacuzzi's back wall.
For the circular artwork, we worked with a leading porcelain artist to create an intricate, yet resilient, installation of hand-sculpted porcelain flowers. Each flower was fixed onto a board in concentric circles, giving the impression of ripples on a pool of water.
The curved back wall of the yacht spa presented a particular challenge, as the base of the artwork needed to fit perfectly against the wall. This required us to specially develop a custom board, measured exactly to the curvature of the wall.
In addition, the environment of the yacht spa needed special consideration – the sculpture not only had to withstand longterm exposure to humidity from the jacuzzi, but also the vibration of the yacht itself. We worked with the artist to ensure the sculpture was technically suitable for this environment, adapting how the delicate porcelain flowers were fixed to the board.
Expanding on the potential of bespoke artworks, the client also wanted custom art for the sauna. The artwork needed to be capable of resisting the extreme heated environment, and being safe for the users of the sauna – an artwork with metal elements, for example, was not suitable, since it would heat up considerably and be dangerous to touch.
We therefore developed with an artist hand-carved wooden wall panels, which were tailored to the unique space. The adhesives and the wood finishes used were selected due to their suitability for withstanding heat, protecting the artwork and ensuring that it is hard-wearing.
Together with the artist, we carefully consulted the design scheme of the sauna in order to consider how the work would look in its surroundings. We selected a wood that complemented the neutral tones of the other wooden elements of the sauna. The abstract design carved into the panels, on the other hand, subtly contrasted with the parallel lines of the sauna's wooden planks.
Working closely with the yard, Amels, and the interior contractor, the fourth key feature we developed for the project was commissioning a range of paintings that would also function as television rollers.
Every television on the project was fitted with a unique hand-painted artwork, which rolled down when not in use. While tv rollers on yachts have recently become popular, we pioneered using collectible artworks for this purpose – providing an elegant solution for concealing televisions, as well as offering an opportunity to showcase specially commissioned artworks.
For these TV roller artworks, we worked with a contemporary Russian Fauvist painter, as the client had a particular interest in the style. We consulted closely with the artist, adapting their use of painting techniques to make the paintings suitable for repeated rolling.
A particular advantage of presenting art in this way is that the specially commissioned painting can also be easily removed from the roller. Should the owner choose, it can therefore be reframed and hung in a more conventional context.
To learn more about our turn-key art consultancy services, and our process for commissioning artworks, visit our Art Consultancy page. As specialist art consultants for yachts, we also have a dedicated page for our yacht projects, where you can discover more examples of our curated art collections.
Images courtesy of Artelier © and Winch Media.