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9 Dynamic Art Installations Foster Interest and Engagement
Striking installations animate the spaces around them
Words by: Matt Dougherty
Products:
9 Dynamic Art Installations Foster Interest and Engagement
Words by: Matt Dougherty
Striking installations animate the spaces around them

Project: St. Regis Mexico City
The details: Cascading down the hotel’s multiple floors and emanating a rainbow shimmer on its descent, the Twirl chandelier from LASVIT is an eye-catching 2020 addition to the Yabu Pushelberg-designed St. Regis Mexico City. The 358 pieces of fine Bohemain glass gather on a table in the hotel’s ground floor foyer, creating a dramatic lighting installation inspired by the way water flows through Mexico’s cenotes—sinkholes that were sacred to the ancient Mayans and now are popular tourist destinations. “I intended to bring life and movement to the space,” says LASVIT designer Katarína Kudějová Fulínová. “This waterfall of glass refreshes the weary traveler and lets them bask in a pool of light.”
Project: St. Regis Mexico City
The details: Cascading down the hotel’s multiple floors and emanating a rainbow shimmer on its descent, the Twirl chandelier from LASVIT is an eye-catching 2020 addition to the Yabu Pushelberg-designed St. Regis Mexico City. The 358 pieces of fine Bohemain glass gather on a table in the hotel’s ground floor foyer, creating a dramatic lighting installation inspired by the way water flows through Mexico’s cenotes—sinkholes that were sacred to the ancient Mayans and now are popular tourist destinations. “I intended to bring life and movement to the space,” says LASVIT designer Katarína Kudějová Fulínová. “This waterfall of glass refreshes the weary traveler and lets them bask in a pool of light.”

Project: NEMA Chicago
The details: Creating public spaces for residents that upend expectations has become a signature of lifestyle apartment brand NEMA. Take the boxing ring that occupies the gym in its Chicago tower, which was conceived by New York real estate firm Crescent Heights. To enhance the space, Kevin Barry Art Advisory (KBAA) was tasked with curating a gallery wall surrounding the ring that translates classic fight posters through a modern lens, such as a photo of a female athlete in a dancer’s pose. “Our goal is for the art to motivate the viewer to take their workout to the next level,” says KBAA president Allison Barry. “Having a boxing ring in your gym is a high-end amenity, and we wanted to keep that feel while also emphasizing the clean, industrial look of the rest of the property.”
Project: NEMA Chicago
The details: Creating public spaces for residents that upend expectations has become a signature of lifestyle apartment brand NEMA. Take the boxing ring that occupies the gym in its Chicago tower, which was conceived by New York real estate firm Crescent Heights. To enhance the space, Kevin Barry Art Advisory (KBAA) was tasked with curating a gallery wall surrounding the ring that translates classic fight posters through a modern lens, such as a photo of a female athlete in a dancer’s pose. “Our goal is for the art to motivate the viewer to take their workout to the next level,” says KBAA president Allison Barry. “Having a boxing ring in your gym is a high-end amenity, and we wanted to keep that feel while also emphasizing the clean, industrial look of the rest of the property.”

Project: Stable Road Capital, Venice, California
The details: Stable Road Capital founder and chairman Ed Freedman reached out to Katrien Van der Schueren of Voila! Creative Studio to create an art installation in the early months of the pandemic for the investment company’s Venice, California office, which was designed by Los Angeles-based Martyn Lawrence Bullard. “I wanted to bring something bold and happy to the interior,” she says of designing the piece for the reception area. The sculpted panels nod to natural forms and puzzles—that ubiquitous lockdown activity—thanks to their interlocking shapes. Because soft natural light filters in throughout the day, Van der Schueren chose to work with Venetian plaster so the shifting light would complement the piece’s textured layers. “The color combo has always been one of my favorites to play with,” she explains, “but in this space, the scale and proportions allow them to pop.”
Project: Stable Road Capital, Venice, California
The details: Stable Road Capital founder and chairman Ed Freedman reached out to Katrien Van der Schueren of Voila! Creative Studio to create an art installation in the early months of the pandemic for the investment company’s Venice, California office, which was designed by Los Angeles-based Martyn Lawrence Bullard. “I wanted to bring something bold and happy to the interior,” she says of designing the piece for the reception area. The sculpted panels nod to natural forms and puzzles—that ubiquitous lockdown activity—thanks to their interlocking shapes. Because soft natural light filters in throughout the day, Van der Schueren chose to work with Venetian plaster so the shifting light would complement the piece’s textured layers. “The color combo has always been one of my favorites to play with,” she explains, “but in this space, the scale and proportions allow them to pop.”

Project: Canopy by Hilton DC Embassy Row
The details: In designing the interiors for the capital city hotel, EoA Group sought to define who we are as a global society at a basic yet visceral level. Collaborating with DAC Art Consulting, the firm created a powerful piece behind the hotel’s reception desk by printing a photograph on raw canvas that depicts the most fundamental representation of humanity: a young child. Characterized by their racial and gender ambiguity, “this child blurs the boundaries of identifiable features in order to delegitimize conventional preconception,” says EoA president Malcolm Berg. After printing, the canvas was cut into various strips, and then layered and sewn together as a way to represent all people, “showcasing the spirit of our universal humanity,” adds Cheryl Heisterberg, partner at DAC Art Consulting.
Project: Canopy by Hilton DC Embassy Row
The details: In designing the interiors for the capital city hotel, EoA Group sought to define who we are as a global society at a basic yet visceral level. Collaborating with DAC Art Consulting, the firm created a powerful piece behind the hotel’s reception desk by printing a photograph on raw canvas that depicts the most fundamental representation of humanity: a young child. Characterized by their racial and gender ambiguity, “this child blurs the boundaries of identifiable features in order to delegitimize conventional preconception,” says EoA president Malcolm Berg. After printing, the canvas was cut into various strips, and then layered and sewn together as a way to represent all people, “showcasing the spirit of our universal humanity,” adds Cheryl Heisterberg, partner at DAC Art Consulting.

Project: Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel
The details: Locally based design firm Johnson Nathan Strohe was inspired by the 1950s—when the building was originally constructed during the Beat Generation period in the city—as it worked with Daniel Fine Art Services to commission pieces for the hotel’s lobby. “With the scale of the space, we wanted something that made an impact without being visually overpowering,” says interior designer Ryan Richards. Artist Windy Chien’s “Circuit Boards” rope installation was selected for the lounge, paying homage to both electronics and transit maps. Also aiding in sound absorption, the piece provides dimension and tactility. “I invite every viewer to choose one rope end and follow it through the work,” Chien says. “Each line’s journey is unique and provides a visual pleasure that is a metaphor for the viewer’s experience at that moment.”
Project: Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel
The details: Locally based design firm Johnson Nathan Strohe was inspired by the 1950s—when the building was originally constructed during the Beat Generation period in the city—as it worked with Daniel Fine Art Services to commission pieces for the hotel’s lobby. “With the scale of the space, we wanted something that made an impact without being visually overpowering,” says interior designer Ryan Richards. Artist Windy Chien’s “Circuit Boards” rope installation was selected for the lounge, paying homage to both electronics and transit maps. Also aiding in sound absorption, the piece provides dimension and tactility. “I invite every viewer to choose one rope end and follow it through the work,” Chien says. “Each line’s journey is unique and provides a visual pleasure that is a metaphor for the viewer’s experience at that moment.”

Project: Hard Rock Hotel Dublin
The details: Behind the reception desk at Dublin’s Hard Rock outpost, artist Glenn Wolk, hired by art consultancy Kalisher, melds two Irish cultural mainstays: rock ’n’ roll and the Book of Kells. Here, he juxtaposes “the twisting geometry, color, and religious devotion” of the latter with images of performers like Van Morrison, Bono, and Dolores O’Riordan. But beyond picking musicians “who bent the rock genre in unique ways,” Wolk says, “they are also socially and culturally conscious.” The piece, adds Hard Rock International director of design Maria Carillo, “perfectly captures the essence of the hotel while paying homage to the legendary artists that shaped Ireland’s rich music history.”
Project: Hard Rock Hotel Dublin
The details: Behind the reception desk at Dublin’s Hard Rock outpost, artist Glenn Wolk, hired by art consultancy Kalisher, melds two Irish cultural mainstays: rock ’n’ roll and the Book of Kells. Here, he juxtaposes “the twisting geometry, color, and religious devotion” of the latter with images of performers like Van Morrison, Bono, and Dolores O’Riordan. But beyond picking musicians “who bent the rock genre in unique ways,” Wolk says, “they are also socially and culturally conscious.” The piece, adds Hard Rock International director of design Maria Carillo, “perfectly captures the essence of the hotel while paying homage to the legendary artists that shaped Ireland’s rich music history.”

Project: Viceroy Washington DC
The details: For the renovation of the Viceroy Washington DC, Novato, California-based EDG Interior Architecture + Design teamed up with Julie Coyle Art Associates to create a dynamic mixed-media mural behind the hotel’s registration desk that references the brand’s monarch butterfly logo. Handpainted 3D metal butterflies applied to the faux-finished wall appear to carry silver lines to the outer edges of the mural, where the insects transform into gold and pearlescent abstract shapes. “The butterflies symbolize a metamorphosis, as in the rebirth of this property,” says Coyle. “It captures the creative spirit of the neighborhood, which is full of restaurants, galleries, and theaters.”
Project: Viceroy Washington DC
The details: For the renovation of the Viceroy Washington DC, Novato, California-based EDG Interior Architecture + Design teamed up with Julie Coyle Art Associates to create a dynamic mixed-media mural behind the hotel’s registration desk that references the brand’s monarch butterfly logo. Handpainted 3D metal butterflies applied to the faux-finished wall appear to carry silver lines to the outer edges of the mural, where the insects transform into gold and pearlescent abstract shapes. “The butterflies symbolize a metamorphosis, as in the rebirth of this property,” says Coyle. “It captures the creative spirit of the neighborhood, which is full of restaurants, galleries, and theaters.”

Project: Deca at Camperdown Greenville, South Carolina
The details: Located in the former home of The Greenville News, the luxury multifamily development was crafted by Banko Design as a sleek space enhanced by thoughtful details, including artist Emily Mann’s Folded Friends mural. Inspired by the site’s print and paper heritage, DAC Art Consulting worked with the design firm and the artist on the 3D sculptural piece that is created from hundreds of repurposed books. “It was like a massive game of book Tetris, with [our studio crew] picking their favorites and incorporating their own flair into how they all worked together,” Mann says. Adds Melissa Bank, principal at Marietta, Georgia-based Banko Design: “This large-scale assemblage of color and texture accentuates the volume of the room while also adding warmth and softness to create an intimate gathering area.”
Project: Deca at Camperdown Greenville, South Carolina
The details: Located in the former home of The Greenville News, the luxury multifamily development was crafted by Banko Design as a sleek space enhanced by thoughtful details, including artist Emily Mann’s Folded Friends mural. Inspired by the site’s print and paper heritage, DAC Art Consulting worked with the design firm and the artist on the 3D sculptural piece that is created from hundreds of repurposed books. “It was like a massive game of book Tetris, with [our studio crew] picking their favorites and incorporating their own flair into how they all worked together,” Mann says. Adds Melissa Bank, principal at Marietta, Georgia-based Banko Design: “This large-scale assemblage of color and texture accentuates the volume of the room while also adding warmth and softness to create an intimate gathering area.”

Project: Live! By Loews, Arlington, Texas
The details: The Dallas office of HKS designed the hotel at the heart of Arlington’s entertainment district, and in close proximity to the Texas Rangers’ Globe Life Park, with the sports fanatic in mind. For an attention-grabbing reminder of America’s most storied pastime, the firm hired Kevin Barry Fine Art to create massive pieces for the corridor walls that deconstruct baseball players in motion—from manipulating historical photos to more abstract representations. “People often think of art and sports as being on opposite sides of the spectrum, maybe even at odds with one another,” says John Barry, principal at Kevin Barry Art Advisory, which constructed the works in-house. “Having the opportunity to show how one complements and reflects the other was a fun experience.”
Project: Live! By Loews, Arlington, Texas
The details: The Dallas office of HKS designed the hotel at the heart of Arlington’s entertainment district, and in close proximity to the Texas Rangers’ Globe Life Park, with the sports fanatic in mind. For an attention-grabbing reminder of America’s most storied pastime, the firm hired Kevin Barry Fine Art to create massive pieces for the corridor walls that deconstruct baseball players in motion—from manipulating historical photos to more abstract representations. “People often think of art and sports as being on opposite sides of the spectrum, maybe even at odds with one another,” says John Barry, principal at Kevin Barry Art Advisory, which constructed the works in-house. “Having the opportunity to show how one complements and reflects the other was a fun experience.”