Delivered in 2022, M/Y Lusine (60m) is a landmark yacht by renowned yard Heesen Yachts. Artelier commissioned a complete art collection – working closely with artists who are leaders in their mediums to create fully bespoke pieces.
The interior is finished to an exquisitely high calibre, and this sophistication was integral to the curation on board. Heesen Yachts describe how "Lusine is one of the most complex interiors ever crafted by the artisans of Heesen Yachts Interiors, who enjoyed the challenge of working with rare woods, precious fabrics and exquisite leathers" (quoted from Heesen Yachts). Each artwork was therefore uniquely created by artists specifically for the yacht, coming together into a coherent and collectable art selection.
We step onboard for a look inside M/Y Lusine, with highlights from the bespoke art collection.
Working with leading British glass artists, our curators commissioned two pairs of glass sculptures for the Main Salon. This included a pair of hand-blown glass vessels, with a unique 'jewelled' effect created from sculpted glass.
Flanking each side of the salon are a pair of contemporary wave sculptures, which are hand-made from optical glass.
This gives the glass a great depth and an extraordinarily multi-dimensional, enhanced by the vivid aqua and ultramarine hues.
The stairwell's sweeping curves are accentuated by a gold leaf triptych, with a swirling fish composition. The artwork was executed by a master gilding artist, who worked with a variety of precious metals to achieve a shimmering, complex surface.
The artwork is particularly enchanting through its sensitivity to light, where the intensity of its gold and silver glow varies depending on its surroundings.
The motif of swirling water and fish was explored again in a salon's glass wall installation. Each individual glass element was fixed onto a back panel, giving the wall a striking, three-dimensional presence, and allowing light to stream through the glass.
The artist works with fused glass, trapping bubbles of air inside. The result is reminiscent of glassy waters, revealing rocks and marine life underneath the sea's surface. Each glass element therefore becomes like a microcosm, that captures the experience of staring into the depths of the sea.
In the Main Cabin, an exquisite embroidery artwork becomes a key feature of the space. The piece has been intricately made by a textile artist from France who is innovating her field, bringing a distinctly contemporary edge to embroidery.
Individual threads and feather details have been embroidered into fine, shimmering silk, giving the piece a mesmerising quality.
In the Guest Cabins, artworks continued the theme of responses to the elemental environment of being at sea. In a twin cabin, for instance, a bespoke ink and shell gold painting captured the drama of billowing clouds in an abstract composition.
A unique wall artwork is this porcelain piece, created from hand-dyed leaves of porcelain that are only a couple of millimetres thick. These are layered onto one another to create a serene artwork, that attracts the eye through beautiful textures. This piece was made by a highly accomplished ceramic artist, who is in a league of her own in the execution of this technique.
Sculptural works provided further accents throughout the space, such as this bronze sculpture with sea-green and verdigris blue patinas. It reflects a key inspiration behind the exterior yacht design – the bird's wing – bringing the interior and exterior together through subtle visual language.
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