Hello,
Member status:
Reward points:
Contact
Raffles 1887
RAFFLES COLLECTION
Art and a dream of Istanbul
IN the lobby of Raffles Istanbul is an abstract figurative bronze. You can’t miss it. Named after the Turkish poet Ozdemir Asaf’s well-loved poem Lavinia, the sculpture measures an impressive 16 metres by five metres. The mystery is how it got there at all, given the relatively diminutive proportions of the lobby doors. Says Mete Unalan, the hotel’s Art & Head Concierge, “I often joke that we placed the sculpture first and then built the hotel around it.”
Which isn’t so very far from the truth. Art is an integral part of the fabric of every Raffles Hotel, seamlessly incorporated into the overall design. However at Raffles Istanbul art is front and centre, the magnificent bronze one of more than 200 contemporary artworks, ranging from murals, photographs and mosaics to chandeliers and sculptures, that use the public spaces as a giant canvas.
"The overarching design of the hotel reflects the rich history and diverse cultures of the city in a way that gives both a profound sense of Istanbul and an air of timeless dynamism"
The overarching design of the hotel reflects the rich history and diverse cultures of the city in a way that gives both a profound sense of Istanbul and an air of timeless dynamism, a concept interior designers HBA called ‘The Dream of Istanbul’. The art collection, painstakingly put together by US art curators Canvas Atlanta and Istanbul artist Meray Akmut some 12 years ago, echoes the theme.
Around one third of the artworks in the collection are by leading Turkish artists, including Refik Anadol, Oylum Öktem, Ardan Özmenoğlu, Yasemin Aslan Bakiri, Şahin Paksoy, İrfan Öürmen and Meray Akmut herself whose piece is to be found in the hotel’s Presidential Suite. The result, as Mete Unalan puts it, is “a living tapestry of creativity, weaving together diverse mediums, styles and periods into a cohesive narrative.”
Ardan Özmenoğlu, for example, widely celebrated for using post-it notes in her work, has created a four-part series depicting the founding father of the Republic of Turkey, Atatürk, Afife Jale, the country’s first Muslim theatre actress, Ahmet Ertegün, the co-founder of Atlantic Records, and the 15th-century Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror.
Yasemin Aslan Bakiri’s three intricate kaftans, which hang outside the ballroom, are made from cast glass and woven metal; while two works by İrfan Önürmen, known for his collage technique using everyday materials, are crafted from thin strips of tulle.
Reflecting the international outlook of Raffles Istanbul, two thirds of the collection’s artworks are by artists working outside Turkey, among them French hyperrealist Jean-François Rauzier, New York photographer Monica Stevenson, Italian mosaic artists Sicis, and Atlanta-based sculptor Martin Dawe, creator of the Lavinia sculpture
Like all of the artists, Dawe was commissioned while the hotel was still under construction. He says: “We saw the space; we saw the design of the building and we thought we’d like to do something long and reclining and Henry Moore-esque. We came up with eight or 10 different studies, one of which was selected. Then we had to think of a suitable name for it and actually it was the Turkish consulate here in Atlanta who suggested we call it after Ozdemir Asaf’s poem, Lavinia. Getting it to Istanbul was a complicated process. We made the clays and the moulds in Atlanta and then shipped them to a foundry in Shanghai to be cast. I went out to Shanghai several times to check on progress. Then, when the sculpture was finished and had been transported to Istanbul, I met up with an art installer at the hotel and watched the crane hoist it into position in the lobby.”
Says Mete, who leads tours of the collection, “Martin Dawe’s sculpture is one of the standout pieces in the hotel, never failing to captivate guests. The artwork by Jean-François Rauzier – an enormous hyperrealistic depiction of Dolmabahçe Palace which hangs in the lobby – is equally entrancing. Rauzier took over 2,000 photographs with special permission from the government, meticulously combining them to create this masterpiece. What makes it even more attractive are the exotic animals – parrots, leopards, tigers – hidden within the piece. Inspired by the Ottoman Empire, the animals are only visible when viewed from a distance of less than five metres, adding an interactive and mysterious element that guests love.”
"Guests can admire the pieces at their own pace, or take one of Mete’s tours which offer a deeper connection to the artworks and the stories they tell"
The artworks are strategically placed throughout the hotel, from the lobby to the guest rooms and public spaces, each contributing to the overall aesthetic and cultural narrative of the hotel. Guests can admire the pieces at their own pace or take one of Mete’s tours which offer a deeper connection to the artworks and the stories they tell, allowing guests to discover the inspirations behind each artwork and how traditional elements have been reimagined in contemporary forms.
“Some guests are deeply engaged with the art pieces, intrigued by their details and stories; some appreciate the aesthetic harmony and spatial integration of the artworks, while others are fascinated by the craftsmanship and structural elements,” says Mete.
So how did they get Martin Dawe’s giant bronze into the lobby? Mete might not be telling, but Dawe is happy to oblige. “We were told when we were first commissioned that the giant sculpture would have to fit through the lobby doors. The doors had already been designed, so it was up to us to figure out a way to make it happen,” says Dawe. “After much thought we decided to split the bronze in two, putting the underneath piece and the head in one crate and the raised leg in another. The crates then slid through the doors with millimetres to spare and the piece was put together in situ.”
As Mete points out, the art collection at Raffles Istanbul is not just about preserving art; it’s about safeguarding the essence of human expression for future generations, allowing them to connect with history and culture in a tangible way. “The collection transforms spaces, infusing them with beauty, depth, and character,” he says. “The artworks make the hotel more than just a place to stay – they create an experience.”
Raffles Hotels & Resorts
GET THE APP
The best trip is the one we haven't taken yet... Find it on Accor ALL App on Apple store and Google Play.
