At the front, they are greeted by an imposing 6m-tall Kaws What Party bronze sculpture, weighing over 4 tonnes, that guards the hotel. The Chum figure is the ultimate expression of Kaws’ appropriation of seminal characters from popular culture, expressed as hybridised figures that mirror our collective spirit. This statement piece is part of the growing Mondrian Singapore Duxton Art Collection, forged through an exclusive collaboration between Mondrian Singapore Duxton and The Artling, Singapore’s premier art and design consultancy.
Mondrian Singapore Duxton general manager Robert C Hauck says: “I believe we are breaking new ground in hospitality in the region in assembling such a diverse collection of artists at the top of their games and in terms of incorporating the pieces into the fabric of the hotel design process.”
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The Artling’s founders, Talenia Phua Gajardo and Kim Tay, share that the collection features young emerging artists and established artists who are collected by museums and have done international shows. “We believe the collection will become a destination in its own right; we want to draw people in to explore and look at the spaces and experience the hotel through the art and the artists,” says Gajardo.
She continues: “Things have evolved a lot in the past four or five years regarding how hospitality groups value art. It’s not just filling a blank space on a wall; there is a real, deeper understanding of artists and their practices to create relevant and engaging narratives. We see this as extremely positive and great for the art scene in Singapore and beyond.
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SOFTlab’s Crystallized, located in Christina’s Restaurant, is made up of dichromatic film and acrylic that emits different qualities of light throughout the day
“We’re not just decoration; we’re an integral part of the guest experience, journey and narrative. Hotels generally cover a huge amount of floor area, so there are always amazing opportunities for art. Allocating more space to art is only a good thing!”
A partnership more than two years in the making has seen a permanent collection designed in and around the hotel, showcasing the cream of international and local talent, both emerging and established. According to Gajardo, the vision for this project was “to create a collection and experience that was fresh, lively and engaging”.
She explains her process for Mondrian’s Art Collection: “The first part of the process is to understand what the brand is about and represents. The second part, which is equally crucial, is understanding who the customer is and who the hotel brand is catering to.”
Lines of acrylic paint poured from the top of the painting onto the floor, where they pool and spread out, in Ian Davenport’s Deep Magenta, Mirrored (2022)
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Digitally-created André Wee, Rojak (2021) is a physical painting that comes to life through augmented reality activated with animation
Waterfall IV by Singaporean artist Dawn Ng showcases a fascinating journey into entropy as the time lapse film charts the decay of a large block of ice coloured with various pigments
Other artists represented in the Mondrian Singapore Duxton Art Collection include the legendary Tracey Emin’s neon work, I Longed for You, on display at Bottega di Carna, along with Ian Davenport, best known for his “puddle” paintings in major galleries around the world, US installation specialists SOFTlab, American photographer Tyler Shields, and Singaporeans Dawn Ng and André Wee, and more.
Mondrian and The Artling will have an ongoing relationship to expand on the collection’s possibilities with programming in the pipeline to bring artists, gallerists and collectors together. They will connect with the local and regional art community through events, talks with artists, and making the collection accessible to the public. The hotel also has an art map for the collection, so guests can tour it and learn about the artists. An appointed curator who will also offer tours and talks.
Beyond art, Hauck promises guests an ever-inspiring series of community-based events, including live performances, DJ residencies and creative collaborations in line with its progressive nature. He adds: “I see Mondrian as the beating heart of this extraordinary city, a catalyst to forge connections with like-minded people, innovators and the wild at heart. It’s all about gathering a true community of creatives and free-thinkers and provoking conversations, imaginations and culture.”
