Hotels are hiring curators, following prominent artists and decorating their spaces with expansive art collections. They’re getting serious about art, and it’s not just art for art’s sake. A recent article in The Wall Street Journal looks at why, but as a hotel connoisseur I can tell you that it boils down to emotions.
Art elicits emotion and hotels want to sell an emotional experience. It’s only natural the two have come together. If you’ve been on the road all day in meetings and are 10,000 miles away from your family, you want a place that could feel like home. If you’re on holiday, you’re looking for adventure, discovery and escape. Sometimes people want to be comforted. Sometimes people want to be spoilt.
It’s admirable to see hotels masquerading as art museums and galleries (and vice versa). Accessible art, too – if you’re staying at the hotel, you can consume at your leisure. You can check out The Telegraph’s stunning round-up of masterpieces on show in hotels aiming for the creative cognoscenti here.