“Amarta” by James Turrell at Patina Maldives, Fari Islands

ARCHIPELAGO OF ARTISTRY: PATINA MALDIVES, FARI ISLANDSEVOKES DEEPER CONNECTIONS THROUGH A CURATED COLLECTION
OF IMMERSIVE AND EXPRESSIVE ARTWORKSInteractive sculpture. Large-scale photography. Textural Mingei Undouweaving. Architecture as Art. Patina Maldives, Fari Islands’ curation ofplayful, symbolic, ethereal works form a connected path of discovery thatasks questions, provokes new behaviours and invites reflection and wonder.
Opened on 18 May 2021, Patina Maldives has partnered with Singaporebased contemporary art consultancy The Artling to curate a collection of
specially commissioned artworks that call to socially and environmentallyconscious travellers craving deeper connections from their travel
experiences. Conceived by Talenia Phua Gajardo, Head Art & Design
Hunter and Founder/CEO of The Artling, as a series of artistic encounterswith which guests can directly interact, each bespoke piece forms anintegral part of the island landscape. (Learn more about The Artling on ourIGTV here.)
Maps empower guests to discover the collection of outdoor sculptures in theirown time, giving them agency over their cultural stimulation and facilitating
independent interaction with the island environment. “The discovery processadds another layer to the guests’ experiences,” says Gajardo, who worked
with both the interior designers and the landscape architects to install the art
programme. “Everything is bespoke. Every single piece is a different story, adifferent journey, a different materiality.”
On arrival, guests are greeted by Home Deep Blue, a six-metre-wide
tapestry by New York-based artist Hiroko Takeda, whose work celebrates
the traditions of Mingei Undou, the Japanese folk craft movement. Using
blue and green cotton linen yarn, Takeda has created a heavy textural
fabric of abundant movement and rhythm, light and shadow. “I wascertainly thinking of the colours and fragile ecology of the island setting,”
she says, “and I approached the wide canvas as a horizon between thedepth of ocean and sky.”
info.maldives@patinahotels.com
www.patinahotels.com/maldives@patinamaldives@patinamaldives“Home Deep Blue” by Hiroko Takeda“Synthesis Monoliths” by Hongjie Yang

In a palm-fringed clearing, a series of eight mirrored columns standdirectly onto the white sand, drawing viewers in and immersing them inreflections of themselves and their surroundings. Created by Netherlandsbased Chinese artist Hongjie Yang from marine-grade stainless steel,
Synthesis Monoliths juxtaposes pristine mirror-polished surfaces withrugged, seemingly igneous formations. “They’re arranged in a waythat causes them to appear as some sort of archaeological discovery,”
Yang says. “The installation is physically and symbolically like a ‘middle
ground’ that serves as the connecting point between the viewer and theirown deeper connection to the environment, nature, and ultimately thelarger universe.”
Close to the water’s edge, self-taught Mexican sculptor Jose Dávila also
reveals a relation of contrasts with Los Limites de lo Posible IX, a series ofstone sculptures in which perfect geometric shapes hewn from volcanic
recinto interact with the capricious natural forms of unaltered sandstoneboulders. Further along the beach, Porto-based studio FAHR 021.3
has installed Momento, an arrestingly large yet simple swoop of white
concrete, “Almost like a sail, or a sheet of paper,” according to studioco-founder Hugo Reis. “It’s like a small stage that offers as much a senseof freedom as the rest of the island, and at the same time allows people
to somehow relate themselves to the surroundings.” Guests are invited
to interact with the piece: to sit or lie down in its curved embrace or walkthrough it.

“Los Limites de lo posible IX” by Jose Dávila

“Momento” by FAHR 021.3

Arguably the centrepiece of the island’s art collection, Amarta is thelatest in the long-running series of ‘Skyspaces’ by renowned US artist andinfluential member of the California Light and Space movement, JamesTurrell. Turrell has been experimenting with these extraordinary sanctuaries
since the 1970s, playing with light and the idea of the ethereal as atangible material in some of the farthest corners of the world. From theinside, the Skyspace pavilion’s open ceiling appears to flatten and frame
the sky, while concealed lighting subtly shifts the viewer’s perception ofcolour, distance, shape, and density.
For further press information or images
on Patina Maldives, please contact:
Luann Alphonso
Director of Marketing & Communications
luann.alphonso@patinahotels.com
Zainab ShihabMarketing Communications Manager
zainab.shihab@patinahotels.com
Patina Maldives, Fari Islands
Fari Veli Huraa

The unique thing about creating a Skyspace in the Maldives is that if there
were ever a Skyspace at sea, the Maldives is perfectly that in the Indianocean. I look at water as spirit, and light as that spirit which unites thevision with the eyes closed (vision in the dream state) with the light thatis in the physical world. This is something that is uniquely done here inthe Maldives and why I entitled the piece Amarta. Amarta is the immortal
elixir, which I feel to be light.
- James Turrell, on Amarta at Patina Maldives
Turrell worked directly with architects Studio MK27 to achieve the exacting
specifications and razor-thin edges required for the ceiling to create thesestriking effects, while imbuing the structure with the same look and feelof the island’s other buildings; the Brazilian studio’s DNA is evident in thevertical wooden slats of the Skyspace exterior, which conjure a continuous
dance of light and shadow throughout the day.
The shared artistic experience of Patina Maldives’ communal spaces iscomplemented in the privacy of its accommodation. Renowned Brazilian
photographer Cássio Vasconcellos was commissioned to capture images ofMaldivian flora and fauna for each of the villas. The resulting series of ninelarge-scale photographic prints imbue the interiors with a tropical senseof place, drawing the outside in and further accentuating the architecturaldialogue with nature.

“Palms” Framed Photography Prints on Wood by Cássio Vasconcellos

Future plans include the creation of a dedicated space at Patina Maldiveswhich would host a rolling programme of artist residencies, exhibitions andexclusive events curated by The Artling, with a particular focus on themes
such as sustainability, renewal, community, balance and transformation.
For more information about Patina Hotels and Resorts,
please visit https://patinahotels.com
ENDS

ABOUT PATINA MALDIVES, FARI ISLANDS
Patina Maldives, Fari Islands is the inaugural flagship property fromsophisticated new lifestyle brand Patina Hotels & Resorts, the latest
hospitality concept by Capella Hotel Group. Designed by renowned
Brazilian architect Marcio Kogan, Patina Maldives offers 90 contemporary
one- to three-bedroom Beach and Water Pool Villas, alongside 20 FariStudios, all of which embody a harmony of sanctuary and stimulation. Setin the Fari Islands archipelago in North Malé Atoll, guests can immersethemselves in a new expression of island life through thoughtful tailormade wellness journeys, interactive music programmes, captivating
culinary experiences, and bask in the light-filled James Turrell Skyspace
Amarta pavilion — all while embracing the vibrant social scene thatemanates from the destination’s communal heart: the Fari Marina Village
and Fari Beach Club.

Website: www.patinahotels.com/maldivesHigh-resolution images here.
ABOUT PATINA HOTELS & RESORTS
Patina Hotels & Resorts is the latest hospitality concept from Capella
Hotel Group. Born out of guests’ desire to honour individuality, Patina
appeals to a new generation of travellers who seek deeper connections
with themselves and the world around them. The human-centred design
flows with the natural modes people are in, gently and intuitively providing
for each guest’s individual needs, ensuring that no two stays are exactly
the same. A five-star, sophisticated lifestyle brand, Patina Maldives, Fari
Islands will be the first launch, with a property in development in Ubud,
Bali and opportunities in China, Japan and Southeast Asia also being
pursued.
ABOUT FARI ISLANDS
Fari Islands is an elevated Maldivian resort experience that celebrates
nature, craft and connection. A Pontiac Land Group development
anchored by three world-class hospitality brands, Fari Islands is locatedin the North Malé Atoll within the Maldives, a 45-minute luxury boattransfer from Malé International Airport. The archipelago also features
the picturesque Fari Marina Village, built around a vibrant Beach Club,
charming boutiques and a selection of handpicked, upscale food andbeverage options. Spaces have been masterfully designed by renowned
architects from Studio MK27 (by Marcio Kogan), Kengo Kuma & Associates,
and Kerry Hill Architects, to bring about a delicate balance of serene andsocial. One of the islands is home to a thoughtful hospitality campus;
Fari Campus is a dedicated island for staff with a focus on community,education, and engagement, and is the first of its kind in the Maldives.
ABOUT THE ARTLINGThe Artling offers end-to-end consultancy and sourcing services for bothprivate and corporate clients, from developing art themes and narratives,
guiding the concept design process, to sourcing and commissioning
artworks to project specifications. As a full-service firm, The Artling
also handles delivery, installation, logistics and insurance, offering all
our clients a seamless and streamlined experience. The Artling works
internationally and is headquartered in Singapore, with a private viewing
space and China HQ in Shanghai.