Seabourn Pursuit, New Ultra-Luxury Expedition Ship, Unveils Masterfully Curated Art Collection

WHY IT RATES: the ultra-luxury cruise line’s second-ever expedition ship will boast a vast collection of custom artworks inspired by the spirit of global exploration and discovery, along with found objects evoke connections to wondrous wildlife and natural phenomena. — Laurie Baratti, TravelPulse Associate Writer

Seabourn, the leader in ultra-luxury ocean voyages and expedition travel, and renowned for creating exquisitely designed spaces aboard its ships that exemplify themes of exploration and adventure, has unveiled an extraordinary collection of custom art on board Seabourn Pursuit, its newly launched, purpose-built expedition vessel. The extensive, permanent installation includes more than 700 artworks and takes guests on a curated journey across the seven seas.

Seabourn's expedition vessels, Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit, bear strong resemblance as sister ships that share the same DNA in design. However, art stands out as one of the most prominent and character-defining points of differentiation between them. Commissioned by Seabourn design partner, Tihany Design, led by Founder & Principal Adam D. Tihany and Partner Alessia Genova, the atelier engaged London-based curatorial studio Double Decker to develop a sophisticated, thoughtful and bespoke art collection exclusively for Seabourn Pursuit, as a completely unique, curatorial expression of the designers' vision: "an expedition of discoveries." It features custom art that masterfully celebrates the wonders of our planet and the great explorers of our time, infused with geographic inspiration. By intention, the result—bold, more colorful and playful with a modern attitude—markedly contrasts with the more subtle, sophisticated storytelling of Seabourn Venture's art program by French studio Atelier 27.

Working with artists, designers and fabricators globally to conjure the vision and tell these stories, Double Decker co-directors Wilhelm Finger and Melita Skamnaki pursued elegant yet brave works that create a sense of connection with those who sailed before, to enhance the guests' own sense of discovery in the present moment. With hundreds of pieces on board, each conjuring a unique experience and connection with its surroundings, art invites passengers to be curious and treats them to powerful and unforgettable visual adventures along Seabourn Pursuit's dramatic routes. The ship itself has emerged as a new frontier of appreciation for art enthusiasts at sea.

"We had a vision to deliver a dynamic and harmonious experience of exploration by creating a unique synergy to unite the masterful interior design by Tihany Design and the bespoke art collection with the powerful, state-of-the-art capabilities on this purpose-built luxury expedition ship," said Natalya Leahy, president of Seabourn. "As a result, our guests will experience an unexpected layer of imaginative discoveries and be inspired by the smallest details, symbols, hidden messages in every corner to provoke a deep sense of personal exploration and appreciation. Seabourn Pursuit's art collection will elevate the onboard experience as guests embark on their own journey to interact with new environments that in some cases no humans have seen before."

Magical Sky Sculpture in the main atrium of Seabourn Pursuit. (Photo Credit: Seabourn)

Among the many works and themes to captivate and catch the eyes of Seabourn Pursuit guests:

• Magical Sky (Deck 4 – Main Atrium) – Sculpture installation exclusively commissioned for Seabourn Pursuit, this captivating piece was envisioned and designed by curator Double Decker. inspired by their impression of the sky's alluring shapes and colors visible along the ship's journeys. The concave dome atop a plinth invites passengers to look inside and discover multiple layers and reflections within, connecting them in an abstract yet moving way to the sky under which they travel. Produced by custom fabricator Cory Barr.
  DOUBLE DECKER 2023
• Water Drops (Deck 9 – Forward Stairs) – Newly commissioned pieces in a series featuring Murano blown glass from Milan-based 6:AM Glassworks bear the feelings of water, sea and ice.
  6:AM GLASSWORKS 2023
• 0° SERIES (Deck 4 – The Restaurant) – Stunning photographic collection showcases tropical flowers in ice to create unexpected, enchanting dialogue between Amazonian flora and Polar ice. Together with artist Tharien Smith, Boyd's extremely elaborate technique freezes flower arrangements in blocks of ice; after several days, they are put into rivers or lakes, and the process causes cracks and bubbles to form inside the ice blocks, the flowers part of an active transformation. Only then do Boyd and Smith begin taking photos. Randomness, intention, enchanting beauty and dynamic unpredictability are at play.
  BRUCE BOYD 2023
• Oscillation (Deck 5 – Colonnade) - Renowned South African artist Chris Soal created the wall sculpture Oscillation as a sustainable work comprised of metal bottle tops, coiled in a rope-like pattern, and expanding out from a central point. From afar, this work has a strong luxury and design aesthetic, which becomes tactile as the viewer moves closer to discover its surprising details.
  CHRIS SOAL 2023
• Harvest (Deck 5 – Colonnade) - Italian painter Gabriel Carucci encourages more discovery with seemingly simple, geometric block patterns, revealing on closer inspection carefully selected sections of intricate embroidery and other whimsical textile elements, creating subtle tonal shifts. Tessellations of flat tints of color occupy the surface of the paintings, merging with forms of intertwined threads giving rise to abstract motions. The labor-intensive nature of this practice deliberately evokes visual cues that direct the painted surface and subsequently the viewer's perception.
  GABRIEL CARUCCI 2023
• Amazônia (Deck 6 – Seabourn Square) – Exclusively commissioned for Seabourn Pursuit, the acrylic paintings of celebrated Brazilian artist James Kudo depict architectural spaces, animals, flora and fauna, in a vivid palette of acrylic paint. Composed of cleanly delineated forms, from a distance these pieces appear graphic, yet on closer inspection they unveil a painterly texture.
  JAMES KUDO 2023
• Canyon Fall II (Deck 6 – Seabourn Square) – Celebrated London-based sculptor Joseph Harrington, created this cast glass sculpture to evoke an iceberg with brilliant intricacies within, to delight and intrigue the viewer, allowing texture, light and sense of mass to continuously play.
  JOSEPH HARRINGTON 2022 
• Blue & Green Anthropophora (Deck 9 – Sky Bar) – Created from glazed stoneware with PVC rubber coating, this artwork presents a bold color and bulbous, textural style that grounds us back in the world of contemporary art. It plays its own game, mimicking the forms of ancient artefacts, such as a Greek amphora.
  MAXWELL MUSTARDO 2022
• Beyond the Sky (Deck 9 – Constellation Lounge) -- Up-and-coming artist Sogon Kim created twin glass pieces Beyond the Sky to reflect sea and sky. Incorporating silver leaf and metal oxides, this work explores glass as a conduit for color and light.
  SOGON KIM 2022
• Artifacts Collection (Seabourn Square and Suites) – An eclectic, mesmerizing collection that evokes unique wondrous wildlife and natural phenomena unearthed by pioneering expeditions.
• Etched Glass Mural Partitions (Expedition Lounge) – This set of commissioned glass installations – Amazonian Moon and Arctic Moon – celebrates the moon's resonating beauty, magic and enduring presence in night skies from the Amazon to the Arctic. Panels feature etched glass textures, colored glass, special finishes of gold and silver leaf, and the moon depicted in 3D with flower and silver-infused glass.
• Graphic Glass Panels (Atrium Staircase) – Inspired by the winding coastlines of Seabourn destinations. Commissioned to re-interpret the natural coastal geography seen on the vessel's voyages.

SOURCE: Seabourn press release.

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