Few aspects of a hotel’s interior design create a sense of place as profoundly as its art collection; a belief shared by the team at The St. Regis Amman when they commissioned UK-based art consultancy Artlink to curate a collection of work produced entirely by Levantine artists for the hotel. The company scoured the region for emerging and established artistic talent whose work captures the sense of old-meets-new evident in St. Regis hotels around the world, which celebrate the brand’s New York roots while immersing guests in the culture and heritage of each destination.
The result is a collection of 754 artworks created by 162 artists from across Jordan and the wider Levant, including sculptures, glassworks, paintings, photographs, mosaics and embroidery, all referencing cultural ties and traditional crafts.
Taking centre stage is the large-scale mosaic mural Drinkers of the Wind, which hangs behind the bar. Inspired by Jordanian Princess Alia Al Hussein’s book The Story of Jordan’s Arab Horses, the piece celebrates the noble steeds that have played an important role in the lives of the Bedouin since the 18th century.
Artlink teamed up with local design studio Aperçu to create a collection of works made by fusing wood, stone and metal with more contemporary materials like resin to produce striking, artworks that are now on display in the soaring lobby and elsewhere around the ground floor. The company also collaborated with non-profit organisation Jordan River Foundation to work with female artists in the production of a series of works depicting Jordan’s national flower, the Black Iris, and artist Julia Ibbini pays tribute to Islamic architecture and symbolism in her collection of works, which combine digital patterns with traditional patterns and craftsmanship.
By working with the local community and artists to tell the story of Jordan’s heritage through art and design, Artlink has infused The St. Regis Amman with a genuine sense of place that delivers a flavour of Jordanian culture from the moment guests arrive.