Art for purchase on Holland America Line ships will be
supplied by London-based ArtLink, which has been working with designer Adam Tihany
on decorating several HAL and Seabourn vessels.
The move displaces Park West Gallery, the dominant art
auction operator in the cruise industry.
HAL said ArtLink will offer a number of "interactive
art events," and eventually stock art related to the regions where ships
sail.
"The program will be centered in an onboard gallery space
exhibiting works by emerging artists curated from the destinations visited by
the ships," HAL said.
The partnership will begin this summer and be on all ships
except the Prinsendam by the end of 2018.
On its website, ArtLink is soliciting artists to put works
on exclusive consignment for display with HAL. It is pitching the cruise ships as
14 art galleries and said that artists would be exposed to 1 million potential
buyers a year.
During a launch period, the galleries will feature works by
a select group of emerging international artists. The general collection will
gradually be replaced by changing exhibitions curated to reflect the regions where
ships sail.
Art displayed will only be available to HAL guests, who will
be invited to view the pieces at cocktail parties, attend talks, meet visiting
artists and browse the galleries independently.
Future plans with ArtLink include an onboard residency
program where guests will have the opportunity to attend live demonstrations and
hands-on workshops with visiting artists and curators. HAL said it also plans
to develop shore excursions that visit emerging artists in their workshops and
galleries ashore.
HAL president Orlando Ashford said, "As with many
aspects of our onboard experience that have been elevated successfully over the
past few years, we wanted to enhance the way art was presented onboard and
reflected throughout the cruises in a way that was meaningful to our guests."