GRAND HYATT MUMBAI

Hyatt International's flagship property in South Asia, the Grand Hyatt Mumbai houses one of the finest collections of commissioned art in a public space. Together with curator Rajeev Sethi who is noted internationally for his innovative contribution to preserving and celebrating South Asia's rich cultural heritage, Grand Hyatt Mumbai brings together Mumbai's known artistes and upcoming talent with crafts people from around the country, to celebrate and reinterpret the Shiva myth. The art is conceived as homage to the mythic and contemporary presence of Shiva. The complex showcases over 100 commissioned artworks by both established and upcoming artists such as Jitish Kallat, Hema Upadhyay, Chintan Upadhyay, Nalini Malani, Atul and Anju Dodiya, Tanuja Rane, Krishnamachari Bose, Sudershan Shetty, Prabhakar and JyoteeKolte, Yogesh Rawal, Jaideep Mehrotra, Sunil Gawde, Riyas Komu, Daroz, Bhupinder and Mohan Malviya amongst others. Sunjae Sharma, Area Vice President & General Manager, Grand Hyatt Mumbai, says that art at the hotel is not a mere object of admiration but a part of its origin. “Each of the distinct art installations have a story to tell, a story that brings to life the legacy of Mumbai and India in an array of forms. Art has been an intrinsic element of the design philosophy and origin of the hotel,” he says. From the unique portrayal of Bollywood to the magnificent Shiva Shakti structures, the pièce de résistance at the lobby level to the enchanting yoga dakshinas, they all lend grandeur. “The dabbawala installations and the basti are a beautiful depiction of Mumbai and are much admired by our guests. It is our endeavor to bring to the guests the extraordinary spirit of Mumbai. These thoughtfully curated artworks are synonymous with our philosophy of living grand and therefore imbibed in the DNA of the hotel,” adds Sharma. The art at the hotel is inspired by the three great archaeological sites of Mumbai, dedicated to Lord Shiva. The art also reflects the mythological and everyday life of the metropolis through a contemporary prism, reinterpreting the sacred and the profane, resonating with the timeless and the ephemeral. Sharma reveals, “We are extremely careful about their upkeep. Our deep-cleaning specialists from the housekeeping team make it look like an easy task. However, this does warrant for use of special equipments and products to maintain our state-of-art installations. My favourite piece is the 'Basti – The urban landscape', dedicated to the diverse culture of Mumbai.”

Art has been an intrinsic element of the design philosophy and origin of the hotel SUNJAE SHARMA Area Vice President & General Manager Grand Hyatt Mumbai