Nowadays, yachts are not just a boat meant for travelling through waters, but a moving symbol of wealth, and they frequently also act as a personal museum exhibiting some of the most valuable works of art in the world. When these floating mansions sail through blue seas they display masterpieces aboard, and one wonders how the worlds of high art and lifestyles are blended. To the modern super-wealthy, a yacht is more than a status symbol, it is more of a gallery, with each interior being custom-crafted to display the passions, interests, and life story of a collector.
Art on the High Seas
Art exhibitions on superyachts have become an aspect of prestige, with owners being very keen in choosing those pieces of art that reflect their image and enhance the atmosphere of the yacht. Only having high-value art on board can offer something more than prestige–a yacht turned into a living and breathing cultural institution, with each canvas and sculpture serving as a window into the owner. Owners of yachts tend to order custom work or even buy blue-chip art to hang on the walls, and they tie the experience of sailing on the sea with the classical experience of art. This has led to co-operations between the yacht designers and art consultants. The interiors have become artistically captivating to the point of equalizing the collections themselves.
Owner Profiles
Dakis Joannou
Greek industrialist and patron of art, Joannou is the owner of the 35 meters yacht Guilty, easily recognizable by the exterior designed by Jeff Koons. Joannou is also passionate about contemporary art which is the subject of his DESTE Foundation of Contemporary Art in Athens. The interior of the Guilty is furnished with the works of talents such as Francesco Vezzoli and Sarah Morris, selected to provoke thinking and stimulate a conversation. Once Joannou said: “Art makes energy… and my boat is my moving gallery.”
Anita and Poju Zabludowicz
As the leading global collectors, the Zabludowiczs are running one of the adventurous art collections in the world, located in London, New York, and Finland and, more often, in their personal yacht. Their seaborne gatherings on occasions such as Venice Biennale combine the glamour of art world as well as the elegance of the sea. Its onboard selection usually changes regularly, with contemporary state-of-the-art pieces by Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin and Anish Kapoor, their devotion to art philanthropy and innovation.
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Owner of the 147-meter yacht Topaz, Sheikh Mansour is a member of the royal family of Abu Dhabi, and is known to carry hundreds of pieces on board. His collection is comparable to some national museums. The collection consists of contemporary Arab and international art, which is well preserved and displayed considering the yacht’s climatic conditions. Their value of art in Topaz could, according to sources, even exceed the high cost of building the vessel- a judgment of how much the Sheikh is loyal to culture and legacy.
Joe Lewis
The yacht of British billionaire Joe Lewis, Aviva, has a Triptych 1974-1977 by Francis Bacon, and a collection of modern art, all illuminated by custom-designed lighting in a way that emphasizes the paintings as an exhibition would do in a special gallery.
The Experience of Art at Sea
Experiencing art on a yacht is unlike any visit to a traditional gallery. The exclusivity and the closeness on the sea increases the sensory pleasure of watching masterpieces of the world without crowds or the pressures of public areas. Numerous yacht owners also create their own viewings, artist residencies, and pop-up shows at high-profile events such as Art Basel and the Venice Biennale, further erasing the distinction between collector, curator, and connoisseur. The close contact between residential areas and paintings creates a close and personal contact with art making each experience an exploration of culture.
Conclusion
The superyacht and fine art environment is a niche market, in which luxury and culture go hand in hand. With the increased numbers of collectors being drawn to the beauty of floating galleries, they will continue to play an increasingly important role in the art patronage sector, fostering an appreciation and demonstrating the creativity of humanity upon the open sea.