Belmond Presents Artistic Series ‘Mitico’

BELMOND PRESENTS ARTISTIC SERIES ‘MITICO’, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GALLERIA CONTINUA

Milan, 19 May 2022 - For the 2022 season, Belmond has launched a partnership with internationally acclaimed art gallery - Galleria Continua - entitled MITICO, which celebrates the talents of four prominent artists, as they take the spotlight in some of Belmond's captivating landmark gardens across Italy.

Evoking a feeling of inclusivity and community, MITICO embodies a new art philosophy: it is the reinterpretation of universal customs shared amongst different societies, such as cooking, painting, observing, and appreciating, and how these are consumed in their environments. MITICO is a moment in time and history where cultures interact - ultimately it is a celebration of art de vivre.

Deepening its long-standing connection to the arts, through MITICO, Galleria Continua and Belmond invite guests to see cultures through a different lens, tapping into each individual destination’s essence and beauty.

INTRODUCING - A NEW ERA OF ARTISTIC COLLABORATIONS COOKING THE WORLD

The 59th International Art Exhibition La Biennale di Venezia marks the inception of MITICO, in the Casanova gardens at Cipriani, A Belmond Hotel, Venice, with globally renowned Indian artist, Subodh Gupta presenting his work “Cooking the world”, curated by art consultant Hervé Mikaeloff, from 23 April to 19 November 2022.

The artist has installed a large house fashioned from thousands of pots, pans, and utensils, discarded by their previous users, bearing witness to individual histories and narratives of past utility. Inside a fully working kitchen will be home to Subodh for the inaugural week, here he’ll be captivating observers with a culinary performance, preparing and serving food.

In Cipriani’s gardens on Giudecca Island, where 18th century city dwellers would come to enjoy fresh air and Giacomo Casanova once wooed his lovers, guests will champion the notions of sharing and imparting cultural values. In this hidden away yet naturally beautiful meeting place visitors can gather to celebrate contemporary and ancient customs alike.

VIEWING THE WORLD

In Florence, at Villa San Michele, A Belmond Hotel, Florence, Argentinian artist Leandro Erlich installed “Window & Ladder”, paying homage to its exceptional location overlooking the city of Renaissance, open from 17 May to 7 November 2022. Perception is a key element of the artists’ work, the large-scale piece, depicting a ladder leading to a real window, challenges and manipulates viewers’ concept of reality. The piece is hidden amidst the beautiful Italian gardens, a particularly alienating spot which further draws one’s eye towards it. It embraces ideas of universal beauty through differing points of view.

Another key to Erlich’s work is architecture, where he focuses his efforts on making art and history attainable for all. “The Cloud”, consisting of multiple panes of glass, lives within the historical refectory of Villa San Michele’s walls. The hotel, a work of art itself, was once a 15th century monastery, still home to preserved ancient frescos, cutting-edge street art, and a facade attributed to Michelangelo. When seen from various angles the unique floating work of art appears as a three-dimensional structure, again making the observer question - what is reality and what is illusion.

LOVING THE WORLD

Immersed in the Tuscan countryside, Castello di Casole, A Belmond Hotel, Tuscany, plays home to Italian artist Michelangelo Pistoletto’s four Etruscan bronze sculptures from 18 May to 14 November 2022.

Standing by ancient trees around the estate’s expansive 4,200 acre grounds, the sculptures accentuate the intrinsic connection between this property and its surrounding land. Named

“Accarezzare gli alberi (l’Etrusco)” meaning “caress the trees”, these have been conceived with the beautifully restored 10th century castle in mind, the grounds where Etruscan civilization first took root. As the birthplace of this historical society, this collaboration emphasises the importance of humankind’s impact on nature and the inherent need to protect it.

The hotel land is perfect for the exploration of nature; instilled with movement as hare, pheasant, and deer roam the fields; home to over 25 acres of organic vineyards; groves of olive trees; and hives of industrious bees. Scenic footpaths link the artist’s regal statues, inviting guests to uncover more of the fascinating history behind the Etruscan society. The abundance of life and nature plays a crucial role in the sculptures’ existence, as well as in the everyday life cycle of the hotel and its ecosystem.

COLOURING THE WORLD

Perched in the mountains of Taormina, with sweeping views of Mount Etna and beyond, Grand Hotel Timeo, A Belmond Hotel, Taormina, welcomes Cameroonian artist Pascale Marthine Tayou who is colouring the world with two renewned installations from 25 May to 31 December.

The artist reinstates “Les Routes du Paradis”, meaning the path of happiness, a coloured path from the hotel’s grand entrance, through six acres of property gardens to the magnificent 3rd century Greek Theatre, beckoning guests to discover the enchanted outdoor spaces. Dotted around the path are four crystal sculptures entitled “Totem Cristal”, human-sized totems, each with unique characteristics and personalities. Dressed with elements of various origins, these embody the process of creolisation - the mixing together of different people and cultures.

On the hotel grounds Tayou explores movement, the significance of individuals moving through time and space, and how this impacts upon the convergence of identities. Through colour he celebrates life, culture, and the understanding of one’s self.

A MEETING OF THE MINDS

This inaugural partnership engages all the senses - from cooking at the Cipriani in Venice to delighting in the Florentine views at Villa San Michele, admiring the natural earthly beauties at Castello di Casole, or engaging in captivating vistas at Grand Hotel Timeo - Belmond seeks to create environments where visitors can enjoy art, culture, and nature; dismantling barriers; and opening their doors to all art-lovers alike.

About Belmond

Belmond has been a pioneer of exceptional luxury travel for over 46 years, building a passion for authentic escapes into a portfolio of one-of-a-kind experiences in some of the world’s most inspiring destinations. Since the acquisition of the iconic Hotel Cipriani in Venice in 1976, Belmond has continued to perpetuate the legendary art of travel, taking discerning global travellers on breathtaking journeys. Its portfolio extends across 24 countries with 45 remarkable properties that include the illustrious Venice Simplon-Orient-Express train, remote beach retreats like Cap Juluca in Anguilla, Italian hideaways such as Splendido in Portofino, or unrivalled gateways to world natural wonders such as Hotel das Cataratas inside Brazil’s Iguassu National Park. From trains to river barges, safari lodges to hotels, each unique property offers an incomparable experience with its own story to tell. The essence of the Belmond brand is built upon its heritage, craftsmanship and genuine, authentic service. Belmond sees its role as custodians of timeless heritage, dedicated to preserving its assets through sensitive ongoing restoration plans. Belmond is part of the world’s leading luxury group LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. www.belmond.com 

About Galleria Continua

Galleria Continua opened in San Gimignano in 1990, on the initiative of three friends: Mario Cristiani, Lorenzo Fiaschi and Maurizio Rigillo. Finding its headquarters in the spaces of a former cinema, Galleria Continua has established itself and thrived in a completely unexpected position, far from the big cities and ultramodern urban centers, in a village - San Gimignano - timeless and rich in history. This choice of location has allowed the development of new forms of dialogue and symbiosis between unexpected geographies: rural and industrial, local and global, the art of the past and the art of today, both famous and emerging artists. Remaining faithful to a spirit of perpetual evolution and committed to engaging the widest possible audience in contemporary art, over the course of nearly thirty years Galleria Continua has built a strong identity through its bonds and experiences. This identity is founded on two values: generosity and altruism, which are at the center of all relationships with the artists, the general public and its development as a whole. Galleria Continua was the first foreign gallery with an international program to open in China in 2004 and three years later, in 2007, it inaugurated a unique new site for large creations - Les Moulins - in the Parisian countryside. In 2015, the gallery embarked on new paths, opening a space in Havana, Cuba, dedicated to cultural projects aimed at overcoming all borders. Galleria Continua means a desire for continuity between the centuries, the aspiration to have a part in the writing of the history of the present, a history that’s sensitive to contemporary creative practices and which preserves the link between past and future, and between different and unusual individuals and geographies. In 2020, the year marking thirty years of activity, it opened a new exhibition venue in Rome, within The St. Regis Rome, with a calendar of exhibitions, educational activities and artist residencies. In the same year, a space in Brazil, Galleria Continua São Paulo, within the Pacaembu sports complex, opened. In January 2021, it inaugurated a new exhibition space in Paris, in the Le Marais district. In November 2021, a space inside the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, Dubai opened with a solo exhibition by Anish Kapoor.