While centuries-old Wabi-Sabi design embraces imperfection and character, mid-century modern opts for clean lines and sleek finishes. At a glance, the styles sound like they’d live at odds with one another, but they both have timelessness and functionality at their core. When they’re brought together, an eclectic, elegant aesthetic is achieved. Our Hospitality Art Advisors aimed to realize this ambiance while working with the Brooklyn-based design firm, Crème / Jun Aizaki Architecture & Design, to create a bespoke art collection for the Kimpton Hotel Theta.
Situated in Manhattan, the boutique hotel, and winner of the 2024 HD Award for Best Midscale Hotel Public Area, provides a serene sanctuary for travelers roaming the bustling concrete streets by day. At the entry, a bas-relief wall installation inspired by artist Isamu Noguchi and specially commissioned by our art advisors greets guests.
The organic sculptural forms set the tone for what’s to come: 15 floors and 364 guest rooms featuring natural textures, soothing accents, and pieces commissioned to embody Theta’s ethos of respite.
In the public lounge area, Saatchi Art’s advisory team curated a mix of modernist-inspired dimensional works and paintings that conjure Japanese sensibilities of nuance and complement the lounge’s plush seating, geometric privacy screens, and sculptural archways.
Photography by Regan Wood
Photography by Regan Wood
Abstract paintings in mid-century hues of pink and blue by Cat Huss elevate the communal lobby walls, in contrast to a pair of carved wall sculptures by Liam Hennessy. The sculptures’ natural wood and mix of organic and hard-edged lines find balance with Cat’s soft curved shapes, evoking a sense of tranquility.
Photography by Regan Wood
Our team’s expertise extends beyond the public spaces, having delivered over 1,200 framed artworks for the guestrooms. The art collection for the rooms spans a selection of minimalist and geometric abstract works aligned with the principle of refined simplicity. Additionally, our advisors specially commission bespoke wabi-sabi wallcoverings, which adorn every room, continuing the tactile comfort found throughout the hotel.
In all, the collaborative vision of Saatchi Art’s hospitality art advisors and Crème has resulted in a harmonious fusion of styles, from the hotel’s design to the one-a-kind art collection.
Please contact us at trade@saatchiart.com if you’d like to work with our advisory team for any hospitality, luxury residential, commercial, and healthcare projects—we’d love to hear from you!