It’s true when they say that a picture – or indeed, a piece of art – is worth a thousand words, as an Art Walk hosted by Carmen Chua, CEO of ONE IFC, proved recently. Offering a fascinating insider’s look at The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur’s private art collection, Chua led guests through the hotel as she shared behind-the-scenes stories about her selection of each piece and her own interactions with every artist.
Grace Thunders, two enormous hand-etched leather murals by British artist Mark Evans, was highlighted as the centrepiece of the grand lobby, depicting a powerful polo charge in action. Chua explained that the piece reflected The St. Regis’ affiliation with polo as the ‘Game of Kings’, placing guests at the epicentre of the game with horses charging towards them from the left and right. In the nearby Drawing Room stood Fernando Botero’s monumental Horse sculpture – the Colombian maestro’s largest-ever creation – standing an enthralling 3.6 metres tall and weighing two-and-a-half tonnes.
The Art Walk concluded at Birds and Butterflies by Barnaby Hosking, a three-dimensional installation of 300 birds and butterflies spiralling across a 20-metre wall in honour of the numerous species that populate the nearby Lake Gardens. “The monumental art pieces by highly sought after and widely acclaimed artists such as Fernando Botero have put Malaysia on the international map for art and art tourism as Kuala Lumpur joins global major cities such as New York, Paris, Dubai and Barcelona,” said Chua. “We hope this Art Walk will help in further promoting the arts and education in the arts.”
Guests proceeded to The Brasserie, where they were served a six-course dinner by Spanish chef Pere Planaguma, formerly of the two-starred Michelin restaurant Les Cols d’Olot, as part of The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur’s Guest Star Chef Series. The art-inspired menu was a nod to the special commissions displayed throughout the property, as well as to Chef Planaguma’s passion for horses, Catalan farming traditions and foraging for truffles.
