Cruise and Ferry Review - Summer/Spring 2020

2 1 0 CS IE HIGHL IGHTS: INTERV IEW Art strategies Jon Ingleton caught up with ArtLink’s Tal Danai at CSIE to learn about the two main approaches for curating artwork collections onboard passenger ships I nvesting in art is a complex business, but what are the essential components of an art strategy for passenger shipping companies? “In the first instance, we have to decide if we’re looking at art on a brand level where it serves as an instrument to convey corporate values, or on a ship level where it may be seen as one element in the overall making of a vessel,” said Tal Danai, CEO of ArtLink, which curates artwork collections for passenger ship operators and other hospitality clients. After determining this, Danai and his team establish who should take ownership of the art strategy. “We need to know whether the ship operator’s executive leadership team will be managing the art strategy as part of their calculated brand decision making, or whether it will be left to those who are responsible for designing the brand’s vessels,” he explained. If we focus on art strategy at an individual ship level, how is it a separate entity from design? “On one side of the spectrum is art as decoration and this is where the brand would expect the art to complement and enhance the design and feel of the ship,” commented Danai. “On the other side, art is used to add significant value to the overall guest experience.” Elaborating, Danai added: “Beyond the aesthetics, art delivers brand values, moments of reflection, cultural affinity with the destinations the ship visits and “In every art strategy it’s prudent to explore the wider impact of a well- curated programme”