You're reading: Browsing artwork in Kyiv’s upscale hotels

People don't choose a hotel based on the artwork in the lobby.

But once there, the choice of art inside hotels can enhance the stay for guests and visitors alike.

The Kyiv Post took a tour of some of the capital’s leading hotels to explore the paintings, sculptures, photos and other artworks on display.

Radisson Blu

International chain Radisson Blu has two hotels in Kyiv’s downtown. Despite sharing the same brand, they have distinct decors. The older Radisson Blu on Yaroslaviv Val Street was built in 2005 and maintains the atmosphere of that era. Original paintings, reproductions and photos are divided by themes such as, Italian, Scandinavian and marine.

Italian Carlo Borlenghi’s pictures taken of yachts in stormy seas, reproductions of paintings by French artist Andre Brasilier and photographs by Martin Hill from New Zealand embellish the hotel’s corridors and rooms.

The walls in the lobby of the newer Radisson Blu Podil on Bratska Street feature large black and white pictures including historical shots of famous Kyiv landmarks such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Opera House and numerous bridges over the Dnipro River.

InterContinental

The InterContinental hotel pays a lot of attention to the beauty of its rich interior, opening a gallery in its lobby to promote modern art. The lobby exhibits paintings in bright abstract styles by Ukrainian Oleksandr Klymenko, photography and paintings from French artist Alain Rodier, paintings of jazz performances by Viacheslav Breish, and amber jewelry and sculptures by Iryna Karpova.

Corridors are decorated with retrospective photos of the Ukrainian capital, taken around 50 years ago. “These items are not for sale, because this is primarily an exhibition of Ukrainian art,” says Illia Kmetiuk, a public relations manager at the InterContinental.

Premier Palace

Premier Palace displays 273 original art works on its walls. The hotel exhibits paintings from Ukrainian Sergiy Shyshko, city and nature landscapes from Matvii Kohan-Shats, and lyrical landscapes by Ivan Hvorostetskyi. According to the hotel’s brand manager Oksana Tolkachova, paintings aren’t changed often.

The largest wall-size picture by Henri Yagodkin looks out over the swimming pool and features a mystic celebration of Kupala Night, a holiday with pagan origins.

All the paintings are the property of the hotel and cannot be bought, according to Tolkachova. “Only a few large museums can boast such a heritage,” she says.

“Silver Rain,” a plastic sculpture by Antony Rotar, decorates the lobby of Hyatt Regency hotel.

Hilton

The Hilton hotel prefers to exhibit photos. Kyiv streetscapes adorn five floors, with the snapshots having been taken especially for Hilton by Ihor Karpenko.

The hotel lobby also serves as a showroom for paintings from the Mironova Gallery. The works of two Ukrainian artists are currently on display – bright, abstract paintings from artist, photographer and filmmaker Tanya Voitovych, and a consummate flower composition from Petro Bevza, who has enjoyed success in the U.S., Canada, France, and the U.K.

“We carefully ensure that the works we select organically match the interiors of our partners,” director of Mironova Gallery Anastasia Platonova says.

Hyatt Regency

One more lodging exhibiting paintings from the Mironova Gallery is the five-star Hyatt hotel. Three paintings symbolizing femininity currently decorate the lobby.

Designers also hung artworks by Yuri Solomko in the hotel’s more high-end guest rooms. Solomko paints people embedded in old and contemporary maps of Ukraine and the world.

Olesya Galik-Dvorak’s “Twins in the Boat” sculpture beautifies the lobby of Opera Hotel.

Opera Hotel

Opera Hotel purchased its paintings, mirrors, sculptures, and clocks in the Four Seasons Ramesh Gallery in Dubai, creating a boutique atmosphere in the lobby, restaurant, and guest rooms. Antiques adorn the lobby, including handmade Ukrainian painted ceramic sculptures.

“Tree of Life” and “Twins in the Boat” sculptures combine natural materials and painted ceramics by Uzhgorod-born artist Olesya Galik-Dvorak. She prices her wooden composition “Tree of Life” at Hr 35,000 which can be bought in the hotel.

Kyiv Post staff writer Yuliana Romanyshyn can be reached at [email protected].