As technology continues to change the way people experience art, hoteliers are finding new opportunities to bring a wider range of artwork to their properties' public spaces.
Dynamic
Eugene, Ore.-based Harmonic Laboratory installed a digital art wall of 21 55-inch synchronized screens—called the Great Wall—at the city’s Gordon Hotel. Nicole Roselio, VP of marketing and design for Obie Hospitality, the hotel’s owner, said a mural would be too static for the hotel. “We wanted something more dynamic,” she said. Digital art, she said, is “always evolving” and lets guests engage with artists.
Fun Displacement
The 42 Hotel recently opened in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, N.Y., as the first branch of a new hotel chain designed by Lemay + Escobar Architecture. One wall of the hotel is an LED backdrop that can display digital art or play movies. “The insertion of a full-wall LED screen helped create a sense of fun displacement and a sense of eclecticism and glamour that echoes the free spirit of the neighborhood,” said Andres Escobar, lead designer and principal at Lemay + Escobar.
Digital Canvases
Artist Refik Anadol created the Dataland: Linq exhibit at the Linq Hotel in Las Vegas, an art exhibit on “digital canvases” throughout the property. The installation changes as people enter the spaces, allowing visitors to be an active part of the art experience.
Five Rules
Chanan Averbuch, EVP of Primeview Americas, which handled the LED technology for the 42 Hotel, said hoteliers must consider five things when developing video walls:
- The variety of pixel density for indoor and outdoor displays;
- How to handle the video content that will go on the display and who will provide it;
- What the mounting and installation needs are;
- How to network the wall for flexibility and control of content; and
- Buying from a quality provider with U.S. support.