Solstice class art collections

[marinearchit]

I've been trying to get a good picture of the art collections on board the Solstice class ships and was wondering if there was any sort of database showing a good portion of these collections, such as some past cruisers who photographed a good amount of the works?

 

Also, I was wondering if those who have sailed on some of the Solstice class ships could offer their opinions on which ships had the most extensive collections. From what I can tell, Eclipse seems to have quite a substantial collection on board.

 

I have yet to be fortunate enough to sail any of these ships, but I really find them very intriguing, so any input would be great!

[cruisestitch]

Search this site and you'll find quite a bit of info, including this press release from 2007:

 

MIAMI, July 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Celebrity Cruises' guests now can enjoy museum-quality audio equipment and commentary while viewing the fleet's permanent onboard art collection. Seven of the line's ships now offer complimentary use of handheld audio devices featuring self-guided art tours that provide education and insight into the works.

 

 

"We're thrilled to be the only cruise line to offer equipment of such high quality to guests interested in art," Celebrity Vice President of Entertainment Lisa Lutoff-Perlo said. "Whether someone is new to the world of art or an art historian, our self-guided art tour will give them new insight into the works on display, ultimately enhancing their cruise experience."

 

To take an audio tour, a guest can simply visit the Guest Relations desk and sign out an audio tour device. The easy-to-use devices - the same equipment used in the Louvre and the Metropolitan Museum of Art - allow guests to explore works of art at their own pace and in whatever order they choose. Each device offers the highest available sound quality.

 

Written by an art historian, each tour has been created to appeal to a broad range of tastes. Featuring points of interest that will appeal to the novice art enthusiast or an art historian, the tours offer a combination of academic information and lighter knowledge as they introduce the listener to thought-provoking concepts such as what the artist may have been thinking when he or she created the piece, or whether an artist's intent is more important than a viewer's perception.

 

The line implemented the new self-guided audio art tour on Celebrity Century in April. By the end of October 2007, Celebrity will complete installation on Celebrity Constellation, Celebrity Galaxy, Celebrity Infinity, Celebrity Mercury, Celebrity Millennium and Celebrity Summit.

 

Each ship's collection is valued at more than $1.5 million, and features modern and contemporary 20th century works by artists such as Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Rauschenberg and Pablo Picasso, in a variety of media, including sculpture, oil on canvas and photography. Each collection offers a balance of serious and whimsical art; this mixture is reflective of the comfortable sophistication guests experience on a Celebrity vacation.

 

 

 

And this one from 2009

 

 

Celebrity Cruises Artfully Presents 'The Essence of Equinox'

--Art collection on new Celebrity Equinox includes pieces from Celebrity Galaxy

MIAMI, July 24, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- An industry trendsetter in presenting permanent, seagoing collections of museum-quality contemporary art, Celebrity Cruises continues its tradition aboard the new Celebrity Equinox with "The Essence of Equinox," a collection of nearly 500 original works.

"We are thrilled to continue Celebrity's tradition of offering our guests the opportunity to experience and appreciate art of a caliber rarely seen outside of museums, art galleries and rare private collections," said Celebrity's President and CEO Dan Hanrahan. "This incredible series beautifully and impactfully complements the ship's inspiring style and design."

 

Together with International Corporate Art - an art consultancy based in Miami, London and Oslo - Celebrity developed a curatorial concept for Celebrity Equinox embodied in "the essence of equinox," where balance, harmony and the principle of "yin-yang" (the existence of opposing elements to create equilibrium) were the driving force behind the selection. With an eye to both quality and beauty, Celebrity's platform for the concept is evident from the varied blend of media, artists and images juxtaposed throughout the ship.

 

Comprised of new acquisitions from a combination of internationally established, mid-career and emerging artists, the art collection on Celebrity Equinox also features a selection of works from the lauded collection that graced Celebrity Galaxy prior to the ship's transition to the TUI Cruises fleet earlier this year.

 

In its entirety, the collection on Celebrity Equinox represents a scope of work created by some of the world's most iconic artists, with many hailing from Europe and Latin America. Within the collection are abstract expressionist works by Joan Mitchell and John Chamberlain; pop art masterpieces by Roy Lichtenstein; humorous urban life observations by Red Groom; colorful geometric designs by Sol LeWitt; organic abstractions by Terry Winter; abstract, cartoon images by Carroll Dunham and Donald Baechler; landscape photography by Andreas Gursky; comical arrangements of figurines by Liliana Porter; digitally-manipulated photographic images by Grazia Tolderi; collaged portraits by John Stezaker and Jack Pierson; sculptures by Johan Creten and Marina Abramovic; and works by Parisian Louise Bourgeois, influential German painter Gerard Richter, and the provocative Young British Artist (YBA) Damien Hirst.

 

Celebrity also commissioned two bold, site-specific installations on Celebrity Equinox. The installation by Argentinean duo Roberto Behar and Rosario Marquardt consists of an enormous, suspended vase - dotted with more than 500,000 Swarovski crystals - holding a live, 18-foot-tall tree in the upper portion of the ship's sweeping Grand Foyer. The stunning creation is paired with a sparkling display of the maxim "Here Comes the Sun" spanning four decks.

 

In "Still Life for Leisure," the second commissioned installation, Los Angeles-based Jose Pardo, known for emphasizing social interaction as art, transforms Celebrity Equinox's Ensemble Lounge vestibule into a site for relaxation, with a minimal cushioned bench and other furnishings set amidst a blend of color and light.

 

"The entire collection on Celebrity Equinox is yet another vivid example of our dedication to enhancing the onboard experience for our guests with unique and stimulating works of art," said Hanrahan.

[Sloop-JohnB]

Hi MarineArchit,

 

The art that we saw on the Solstice was stunning... in the magnitude of the colletion, the diversity of the pieces... and in some ya just wish you could take home with you.

 

Makes me want to see more of Celebrity's Ships !! (and they in their own rights are works of art).

 

Like many others we enjoyed the "Ante Room"... very fun and whimiscal... a nice touch on the way to dinner.

 

The one disappointment for us was the current Artist in Residence onboard The Solstice... Graham Denison. He was personable enough to talk to... I just can't say I was wowed over by his "curent" style or the pieces he had on offer... a little too fantasy for my tastes (he was a Walt Disney Artist for 25 Years)

 

Mind you, I thought the paintings were nice... especially the Landscape ones... just not many of those on view... so the Venice (Carnival / Mardi-Gras) set were just not something I'd be looking to bring home even if I could afford them... ($ 15,000 and more in some cases)

 

That said, I wonder if The Solstice will buy and install one of his works (if they haven't already... the ship is sooo BIG that I can't say I got everywhere) when his tenure is through.

 

Anyone wanting a further peek... check out Graham Denison = http://denisonart.com/

 

Cheers!

[bighairtexan]

When I was first on the Solstice, I went to guest relations and they leant me an iPad that had the art tour on it. I believe I could have spent the entire day doing the tour, because after about an hour I hadn't even finished 1 deck. I gave up.

[happy cruzer]

The Solstice IPad art tour sounds great. If two people are doing the tour, do you think we would need two Ipads or do you think sharing would work out?