What would hotels be without art? finews.ch presents eight Swiss establishments that are likely to astonish art enthusiasts.
By Sarah C. Sidler, freelance contributor
1. Villa Pineta, Fusio, TI
At the Art Hotel Villa Pineta in the Tessin village of Fusio, the artist of the year, Caroline Schenk, exhibited her works this season. She was granted a «Carte Blanche» for this purpose. The video performances, explicitly created for Hotel Villa Pineta, were realized in Valle Maggia and Val Lavizarra.
The focal point of this artistic work, composed of various images, photos, and video installations, revolves around the relationship between humans and nature, starting from the element of water. A catalog crowns this exhibition. Various ideas are being considered for the next year, potentially involving the theme of art in musical or written form at Villa Pineta.
2. Villa Castagnola, Lugano
In the spacious park of the five-star superior Grand Hotel Villa Castagnola on Lake Lugano, guests encounter impressive sculptures by various artists such as Markus Daum, Ivo Soldini, Gottfried Honegger, and Miguela Tamo. The ground-floor rooms, for example, are adorned with finely crafted tapestries (Gobelin d'Aubusson) from the 17th century, works by Italian masters, and art from Flemish masters.
The gourmet restaurant Galerie Arté al Lago, belonging to the five-star hotel, houses the Art Gallery Arté. Every year, two local and internationally renowned artists exhibit their works in this location directly on the lake. The Art Gallery Arté can be visited during the opening hours of the restaurant and by appointment.
3. Castell Zuoz, GR
At Hotel Castell in Zuoz (GR), guests immerse themselves in the art collection of a hotelier. After a renovation in 2004, the historic hotel was reopened as an alpine art hotel. Art accompanies guests at every step in this four-star superior hotel: whether in the Red Bar designed by Pipilotti Rist and architect Gabrielle Hächler, on the sun terrace and the Reflecting Pool by Japanese artist Tadashi Kawamata, or the Skyspace by U.S. Land Art artist James Turrell.
The collection includes paintings, objects, permanent installations, actions, and Art Weekends by renowned, internationally known artists such as Roman Signer, Fischli-Weiss, Pipilotti Rist, Carsten Höller, Steiner-Lenzlinger, Martin Kippenberger, and James Turrell. The hotel owner, Ruedi Bechtler, personally selects the artworks or collaborates closely with the artists. Art tours take place on Thursdays.
4. Volkshaus Basel, BS
Art in the four-star Volkshaus Basel hotel in Kleinbasel becomes tangible through collaborations with galleries, the integration of artists into event formats, and the owners' art collection. This could be large sculptures or atmospherically effective paintings in unexpected places.
The permanent exhibition in the form of glass windows by German artist Imi Knoebel in the Imi Bar proves to be exciting. Additionally, the von Bartha gallery from Basel exhibits works by artists four to five times a year at Volkshaus. The Basel hotel is also worth a visit for its architecture: The Basel-based firm Herzog & de Meuron renovated the building from the 1920s. Interested individuals have the opportunity to view the hotel's artworks through a virtual tour.
5. Widder Hotel Zurich
The five-star superior boutique hotel Widder on Zurich's Rennweg includes an intriguing art collection. It was curated by architect Tilla Theus, who was also responsible for the design of the Widder Hotel. Works by Hans Arp, Sophie Taeuber-Arp, Max Bill, Serge Poliakoff, Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, and Alberto Giacometti can be found there.
The Widder, the hotel's emblem, shapes the art selection as a guiding motif: Guests, for example, find Andy Warhol's Widder portrait «Ram» and the Widder sculpture «Homme» by Roberto Benazzi in the bar. Sophie Taeuber-Arp is represented with an abstract Widder reference.
6. Pensiun Aldier Sent, GR
Pensiun Aldier in Unterengadin is also a museum. It is publicly accessible and contains 200 exhibits, including the graphic works of Alberto Giacometti. The hotel also houses a photo collection compiled by the hotel owner in collaboration with Ernst Scheidegger. Bronze works and a tapestry by Diego Giacometti are also part of the exhibition.
Two original litho stones from the Atelier Mourlot, Paris, are displayed in the hotel lobby as a rare treasure. The 16 rooms feature originals by Giacometti, Miro, Arp, Braque, Chillida, Le Corbusier, Scheidegger, and Doisneau. The museum is open in the afternoons from Tuesday to Sunday.
7. Art Boutique Hotel Monopol, St. Moritz, GR
The four-star boutique hotel Monopol in St. Moritz is listed as a museum. Avant-garde Pop and Modern Art works by artists like Hunt Slonem or Rainer Lagemann can be found in the St. Moritz Sky Bar, the lounge, and the 67 individually decorated rooms and suites.
Each floor of the hotel is dedicated to an artist. The paintings and sculptures of contemporary artists on the ground floor, basement, and the sixth floor are originals. Original lithographs are found on the intervening floors.
8. The Dolder Grand, Zurich
When it comes to art hotels, the five-star The Dolder Grand hotel high above Zurich cannot be ignored. Over 100 artworks by 90 renowned artists from various epochs enrich the spaces of the luxury hotel. The majority of the artworks are in public areas, while others are reserved for guests on their respective floors. The Schwarzenbach family, the hoteliers, are responsible for curating the collection.
In addition to works by Swiss greats such as Ferdinand Hodler, Urs Fischer, and Max Bill, the Dolder Grand features exhibits by artists from around the world, including Fernando Botero, Niki de Saint Phalle, Joan Miró, Max Ernst, and Anselm Kiefer. Interested individuals can use QR codes to obtain in-depth information about the artworks, their creation, and the artists.
