Art Contact was engaged by One Aldwych Hotel to undertake a full art collection audit to include condition reports of the hotel’s wonderful art collection amassed over thirty years. We managed to carry out the audit just before the lockdown was put in place.
The Audit was carried out as part of our Art Collection Management Service.We spent several days at the hotel collating and photographing 280 artwork hung throughout the hotel corridors and rooms including several sculptures displayed in the public areas which included works by Emily Young (limestone carved head of Dionysus), Andre Wallace (The Boatman with Oars) and Justine Smith (two pop-art paper mâché dog’s one decorated with Beano cartoons and the other with English Pound Notes).
The collection extended to number of works by the pioneer Czech avant-garde photographer Jaroslav Rossler, who was a member of the association of Czech avant-garde artists – Devětsil and was influenced by cubism during his period in Prague and Paris. Right through to abstract paintings by Philip Diggle, who’s work was influenced by Jackson Pollock, as well as works by Pol Bury, 1922-2005, Belgium born sculptor, works constructed of painted cut plywood wall sculpture which adorns the hotel spa poolside. Bury was influenced by Magritte and Alexander Calder resulting in Bury turning towards sculpture and incorporating motion in his work.
The list of established and lesser known artist’s artwork adorns the hotel which continues to expand its collection. Art Contact were delighted to be engaged to start the process of bringing the artwork back to life by reviewing each artwork with a full audit to include replacement value and condition report with associated maintenance programme to ensure that th collection is kept to a good standard and will last for many years to come.
Whether in the leisure industry, with more and more boutique hotels collecting fine art, to Corporate Art Collections, we at Art Contact believe that annual housekeeping of a collection reaps considerable rewards. An annual inspection enables early detection of problems allowing minor damage to be dealt with before it turns into something more significant. We encourage our clients to keep good records of their collections with occasional audits and an annual inspection so that any issues can be found and dealt with before they develop into more significant problems. These inspections are also the cornerstone of any maintenance programme. The early detection of issues allows conservation work to be fully costed and scheduled well in advance. It is also important that good records are kept of any work carried out. This is important as part of the Provenance of the artwork as well as enabling issues to be monitored.