As international 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 project.
Our newly completed yacht art project for M/Y Go featured a series of artwork commissions inspired by the design scheme's fresh aqua blue accent colours. Turquoise, the yard behind M/Y Go, made the yacht instantly recognisable by its striking turquoise hull – this theme is carried into the interior design, and we therefore commissioned art that enhanced the blue design palette and the polished stainless-steel finishes.
The works of the artists we commissioned were integral to an extensive art collection aboard the yacht, and sat alongside pieces by prominent artists such as the glass sculptor Chihuly.
As part of our art consultancy services, we identify key placements for artworks on the yacht. For pride of place in the Main Saloon, we collaborated with British sculptor Simon Allen to develop a sculpture for the yacht's dining area.
Allen created a large scale circular feature panel from carved wood, basing the design on the ripples of water surfaces. The sculpture was finished with hand applied gold leaf; Allen used Moon Gold leaf, as its cooler gold tones complement the polished chrome and steel in the surrounding interiors.
The sculpture presented a technical challenge, as it needed to be hung on a mirror. Overseeing each element of artwork installation, we developed specialist fastening solutions for fixing the heavy sculpture, allowing it to safely hang on a glass surface.
Taking inspiration from the mirror that the sculpture would be hung on, Allen added a turquoise blue backing to the sculpture – true to the nature of a project aboard a Turquoise yacht. When the mirror reflects the backing, it shines a blue glow around the artwork, giving an off-blue tinge to the piece.
Simon Allen’s collaboration on the project continued to the stairwell, where we commissioned a sculptural triptych that would span across three floors.
The three panels were specially designed for the project, and custom made to fit into the niches of the stairwell's walls. Crafted from carved wood with gesso and white gold, the triptych gives the impression of abstract flowing water, which streams between the upper and lower levels.
As well as bespoke sculpture commissions, Artelier also provided a range of paintings for the yacht. In keeping with the fresh, bright colours and polished metals of the design scheme, we researched and curated a portfolio of artists that would enhance the interiors.
For the Owners’ Suite, we commissioned a pair of contemporary abstract paintings. The paintings bring the bright aqua palette seen elsewhere on the yacht to the more muted colour scheme of the bedroom. The abstract shapes depicted are reminiscent of ink in water, interpreting the marine theme in an original way.
Continuing this theme, other paintings we commissioned likewise portrayed abstracted water imagery, and evoked the movement of water to create gestural seascapes.
In a commission for two artworks for the hallway, we collaborated with a painter from Devon, UK, who has long been influenced by the sea close to their coastal home. For these paintings, the artist took inspiration from a bird's eye view of atolls, using the strikingly bright colours of tropical waters for their palette.
As M/Y Go was custom built for the use of her owner, the interiors of the yacht reflected their personal taste – a fusion between elegant, modern styles, with vivid bursts of the yacht's signature turquoise colour. Working closely with the designers, Artelier delivered an art collection that brought together these concepts, proving to be an integral part of the overall high-calibre presentation.
To learn more about our turn-key art consultancy services, as well as our process for commissioning art, visit our Art Consultancy page. To see further examples of our projects delivering art for luxury yachts, see our dedicated 'Sea' page.
Yacht interior images credited to Guillaume Plisson ©, interior design by H2.