It’s ages since I did an “hotel art” post, but the Palacio Nazarenes in Cuzco inspired me to post a few photographs which may inspire you, too.
Now, I like to see original work in hotels rather than “art by the yard”, but for this once, I’ll make an exception!
(The Palacio Nazarenes is possibly the first hotel we’ve visited with an “artist in residence”. This gentleman was sitting at his loom in a corner of the cloistered courtyard, weaving a tapestry from a photograph of the original.)
He had no English and I had only a few words of Spanish, so details are sketchy. I know he’s using cotton, dyed with natural plantstuffs but what I don’t know is if he created the smaller version which hung along the wall from his loom. Anyway, it was fascinating to watch him work, even if he did seem slightly uncomfortable with me looking over his shoulder!
Most of the art around the hotel was original in every sense of the word. I loved the spontaneity of this border, the life and energy of those curves and the slight irregularity of the pattern.
I left this photograph uncropped to illustrate how high on the wall this little cupboard was hung and the asymmetric painted detail on each side. I wonder what was kept in there?
Because, the hotel has been created by the renovation of a 16th century Carmelite convent and although I am sure that their faith and devotion was fulfilling enough, I can’t help but think that these beautiful wall paintings must have been as much of a delight to them as they were to us.
The details continued throughout the hotel and, in this case, into the adjoining lobby.
Though I don’t think the Carmelites would have had much use for decorative sugar swirlers, do you? Perhaps a small piece of soap or a reel of thread may have been of more practical use.
There were some corners we didn’t discover until it was almost time to leave.
But there were others which we noticed the minute we stepped inside!
I approved of the choice of reading material in the gift shop, too!
But my favourite picture hung in our room. I was so desperate to get a good photograph of it and failed miserably – all ten pictures that I took have dreadful reflections and sad to say, this is the best. I loved the shape of the figures in the watercolour, the postures and the spirit of the little band, making its way across the fields. Somehow, they look so Peruvian.
It was a wrench to leave, even though we really were ready for home. I hope we’ll be able to return there someday and that, when we do, we find the same warm and friendly people waiting for us.
Still, it was so good to climb into our own bed last night!
