Art Series Hotels has officially announced its eighth property at Howard Smith Wharves, Brisbane will be named after acclaimed Australian painterVincent Fantauzzo. 
The first new Art Series property under the AccorHotels banner, The Fantauzzo is scheduled to open in March 2019 with bookings now available.
Born in Birmingham in 1977, Fantauzzo moved from England to Australia as a child. A graduate of RMIT University, he has exhibited worldwide with shows in India, Vietnam, New York, Los Angeles, Hong Kong and Australia.
Drawing on techniques from other mediums such as photography and film to create a narrative, Fantauzzo uses contrasting elements of light and dark, shadows and colours to create depth and heighten the realism and theatrical effect.
Renowned for his portraits of notable people including Heath Ledger, Matt Moran, Brandon Walters and Julia Gillard, he has won the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize, the Archibald Packing Room Prize, and the Archibald People’s Choice Award four times, including in 2012 for his portrait of now-wife, actress Asher Keddie.
Carved into the cliff under Story Bridge, the $100million luxury hotel will feature 166 guest rooms, with custom contemporary furnishings, featuring both original artworks and up to 500 reproductions of Fantauzzo’s most recognised works. A seamless combination of art, design and functionality, the hotel will be a powerful representation of contemporary creativity, with connected and inspiring spaces for guests to discover.
“To have an Art Series hotel dedicated to showcasing my work is truly an honour and I cannot wait for the doors to open in March,” Fantauzzo said. “I’m strongly passionate about accessibility to the arts, and what excites me most about the collaboration is that this hotel will give all guests the opportunity to connect with art, and immerse themselves in a really creative experience.”
Fantauzzo’s take on photorealism inspired architects SJB to create a counterpoint, a contrasting backdrop to his work through dark tones and glossy finishes that challenge the traditional ‘white gallery’ space. The scheme utilises polished concrete and contrasting tones against a highly reflective black glass.
Natural rock and timber take cues from the cliff face and external facade, acting as an earthy installation. The angular forms found on both the facade of the building and interior elements, provide further clarity and distinction between Fantauzzo’s artworks and the hotel’s design.
AccorHotels Chief Operating Officer Pacific, Simon McGrath, said: “Vincent is a charismatic artist with so much raw talent he was a natural fit to be the namesake artist of the first Art Series hotel under our management. His mission is to make art accessible so he is a perfect match for the brand and The Fantauzzo’s design will clearly reflect his individual sense of style and sophistication.”
The six-storey hotel will also offer four distinct food and beverage outlets as well as an impressive rooftop pool boasting spectacular views of the Brisbane River and CBD, bar, gym and three conference rooms, fully equipped with state-of-the-art audio-visual technology.
Arts Series Hotels transformed the Australian market when it launched in 2009. Signature art experiences at The Fantauzzo will include the infamous art tours, in-room art channels and art libraries. Branded Smart Cars and Lekker bicycles will be available to explore all that Brisbane has to offer and further afield.
The Fantauzzo is scheduled to open in March 2019 with Art Series now taking bookings online at https://www.artserieshotels.com.au/fantauzzo/.Room rates start from $309 per room per night.
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