As well as sourcing contemporary art by leading global artists, we also collaborate with artists to create custom art commissions tailored to the project. As international art consultants, Artelier specialises in commissioning and curating wall murals for luxury residential, hospitality, yacht and aviation projects, creating unforgettable art feature walls.
We discover some recent projects by MJ Atelier, who create custom murals from hand-carved plaster. Designed specially for each project, the unique wall-coverings are crafted in studio using innovative plaster techniques, allowing them to be shipped worldwide. The result is a site-specific artwork that is tailored to the project, yet easy to install and durable – a one-of-a-kind feature wall, ideal for hotels and residences.
Maria Apelo Cruz, the creative director of MJ Atelier, is an artist whose skills often seem a rarity in the modern age. She is trained to the highest level of Old Masters and Renaissance practices, having dedicated over thirty years to learning the techniques of artistic forefathers.
Maria's extensive experience of creating murals led her and Mike Jovanovic to develop an innovative, patented technique which transcends the usual limitations of site-specific wall-coverings.
Their hand-sculpted plaster is durable and flexible, allowing MJ Atelier to create monumental wall-coverings in their studio and ship them around the world for installation. The wall-coverings are specially crafted for each space; they fit corner-to-corner, and the designs are adapted to best complement the artwork's context, creating unique feature wall art.
Kips Bay Decorator Show House 2019
Created in just three weeks for the prestigious New York show house, this fine art wall-covering was crafted using moulded gesso and 23K gold on one seamless stretch of canvas.
The interior designer, Richard Rabel, took inspiration from the decadence of the late 19th Century Aesthetic movement. As described in Architectural Digest's feature of the project, the designer "realized his vision in large part thanks to his custom, and site-specific wallpaper". The abstracted peacock feathers are accented with gold, sweeping upwards and extending to the ceiling above.
Georgian New York Residence
As featured in the New York Times, MJ Atelier's intricate wall-covering spans the grand staircase across two storeys. Emulating traditional bas relief sculptural art, the classically inspired design was hand applied onto canvas.
Design company Houzz describes experiencing the space: "As you enter the foyer, your eyes are drawn upward to the dramatic custom black-and-white modern chinoiserie". MJ Atelier's off-site production allows them to create complex designs for spaces that are difficult to access, and can therefore be installed swiftly.
Havana Inspired Interior in Palm Beach, Florida
The luxurious yet relaxed space designed by Phillip Gorrivan showcases MJ Atelier's tropical design on every wall. As seen in Harper's Bazaar, Interior Design, and House Beautiful, the wall-covering uses textural depth to allude to the experience of being in nature.
Architectural Digest remarks how "The room's undisputed pièce de résistance, however, is the custom mural from MJ Atelier, a textural, monochromatic take on a tropical scene rendered in painted plaster and custom fitted to the room."
MJ Atelier are featured in Artelier's feature wall collection – Artist Walls. To read more about them and see further examples of their projects, visit their dedicated page on our website.