18 Art Installations Yield a Strong Sense of Place

Kimpton Alma San Diego

The details: Drawing on seemingly disparate influences—San Diego’s connection to Mexican heritage, tattoo art, and the city’s affinity for comic books—Indidesign worked with Local Language on a fresh take on Southern California culture for the Kimpton Alma San Diego. Centering the narrative is the fictional Alma, featured in cartoon-style portraits in the lobby. “The walls are a focal point, intended to draw the eye with a variety of pieces,” says Beatrice Girelli, cofounder and design director of Indidesign. At the entrance of farm-to-table restaurant the Desmond, local artist Celeste Byers contributed a colorful mural featuring food and flowers, while inside handmade traditional Mexican fans purchased from an artisan are displayed as wall art. And on the fourth-floor pool deck, a floral mural by artist Jules Muck blooms, employing bold pastel colors from traditional glazed Mexican ceramics.

Photo by Will Pryce