Art in the MidwestArt in the South
By Chadd ScottOctober 4, 20240 Comments
21c Museum Hotelshas unveiledNightwatch, a captivating sleep-in, site-specific art installation by renowned artist Chris Doyle, curated by 21c Museum Director and Chief Curator Alice Gray Stites. Launching in Cincinnati and Bentonville, AR first, with Lexington following later in the fall, the groundbreaking concept reimagines the traditional hotel stay, providing guests with an extraordinary journey into the heart of multi-media contemporary art.
Nightwatchtransports guests into a realm where art and technology blend seamlessly, creating a distinctive visual and sensory experience. During the day, the suite takes its cue from the enchanting mystery of the forest at night, surrounding guests with a whimsical scene that evokes both a surreal landscape painting and the enchantment ofFantasia, the famous 1940 Americananimated musical anthology film.The suite’s custom-designed wall coverings, carpets, and curtains contribute to this magical atmosphere.
As night falls,Nightwatchreveals its true magic. The suite becomes a dynamic canvas where projected light brings the walls to animated life. In the living space, a searchlight casts geometric shapes that dance across the room, while theguest room showcases ethereal forms of flying birds. This enchanting interplay of light, color, and shadow highlights the vibrant, pulsating life of the forest at night, creating an immersive experience that engages and delights.
“We are excited to presentNightwatchby Chris Doyle, an extraordinary fusion of art and hospitality that embodies 21c Museum Hotels’ commitment to innovative, immersive experiences,” 21c Museum’s Chief Curator and Museum Director Alice Gray Stites, said. “This sleep-in installation transforms the hotel suite into a dynamic, living artwork, offering guests a unique opportunity to engage with contemporary art in a deeply personal and sensory way. Chris Doyle’s visionary approach highlights the magic and vitality of the natural world, creating an unforgettable stay that is both thought-provoking and enchanting.”
Chris Doyle’s work explores themes of interconnectivity and the delicate balance between nature and human progress. His animation-based practice reconsiders E.M. Forster’s epigraph, “Only Connect,” for the digital age, emphasizing our precarious moment in caring for the natural world.
“Nightwatchis designed to immerse guests in the unseen wonders of the natural world,” Doyle said. “The moving light uncovers the animated magic hidden within the forest, reminding us of the vibrant life that continues while we sleep.”
Explaining the technology that bringsNightwatchto life, Doyle says, “A few years ago, I became interested in mixing digital tools with simple, traditional animation techniques. Barrier-grid animation is an effect first applied in the late 19thcentury. Typically used to animate images on paper, the effect is created by moving a striped transparent overlay across an interlaced image. WithNightwatch, the striped overlay is provided by the projector, which is employed like a searchlight, scanning the woods, illuminating and exposing the secrets of the forest at night.”
Chris Doyle’s work has been exhibited widely across the United States and internationally, including notable venues such as the Brooklyn Museum of Art, and The San Jose Museum of Art, with a current exhibition,The Coast of Industry, on display at Mass MoCa, which features his largest video animation to date titledChris Doyle: The Coast of Industry.
21c Museum Hotels’ unique artistic experience is now available at 21c Cincinnati and 21c Bentonville. Guests are welcome to book the suite for an extraordinary and immersive art journey. In addition, $21 from each stay booked in the suite at 21c Cincinnati will be donated toArtsWave,a nonprofit organization based in Cincinnati that is dedicated to supporting and promoting the arts in the Greater Cincinnati region. Another immersive art suite by Chris Doyle will be unveiled at 21c Lexington in November, redefining the blend of art and hospitality and inviting guests to interact with art during every moment of their 21c stay.
For more information or to book a stay at Nightwatch 2024, please visit www.21cMuseumHotels.com.
About 21c Museum Hotels
21c Museum Hotels, an award-winning hospitality company based in Louisville, Kentucky, is pushing the boundaries of both the museum and hotel worlds to create a new kind of travel experience. The company was founded as a single property by contemporary art collectors and preservationists Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson, whose mission was to share innovative contemporary art with the public and participate in the revitalization of downtown Louisville.
The couple opened the first 21c in 2006 along downtown’s West MainStreet, rehabilitating a series of 19th century warehouses to create a union of genuine hospitality, thoughtful design, and culinary creativity—all anchored by a contemporary art museum. Today, guests can enjoy eight 21c Museum Hotels in Louisville, Kentucky; Cincinnati, Ohio; Bentonville, Arkansas; Durham, North Carolina; Lexington, Kentucky; Kansas City, Missouri; Chicago, Illinois, and St. Louis, Missouri.
