BOUNDLESS: ART ON THE ROCKS
Travel journalist, David Duran, shares an extraordinary ‘road less traveled’ experience to Canada’s Fogo Island.
Fogo Island 2021 - Journal Entry
After my transcontinental flight from the Western United States landed in Newfoundland and Labrador, my journey from its small town of Gander to the far ends of the Earth was still a short drive and ferry ride away.
Standingonthebowoftheshipwhileocean mist gently sprayed my face, I reflected on my journey to this point. It began a year ago, afterwatchingaNetflixseriesaboutlegendary hotels. An episode about the exceptionally bold Fogo Island Inn left me speechless. Designed by local architect Todd Saunders, the sleek, Nordic-style hotel is perched on stilts that sit on the North Atlantic coastline, each of the 29 suites boasting dramatic floor-to-ceiling views of the wildest, most powerful ocean on the planet.
One of the inn’s most iconic spots is its formal dining room. I sat at a table watching icebergs bob in the waves and whales breach offshore feeling as though I was sailing into the unknown. While chatting with the lovely, knowledgeable staff, I learned that all the things in Fogo—from its furniture to food—is handcrafted or sourced locally. And as I settled into bed that first night, I was comforted knowing that someone on this tiny island had taken the time to craft the beautiful blanket keeping me warm.
Saunders was also tasked with creating four equally impressive studios as part of the Fogo Island Arts international residency program, which encourages artists from a range of disciplines to live and work on the island. Upon learning about them, I set out to explore.
After locating the third studio, I saw someone else and waved her over, thinking shewasonthesamehunt.Itturnedoutshe was in fact the artist-in-residence. I was excited to talk about her art, but before I could muster up the courage, she asked, “Aren’t the locals here just amazing?” And just like that, I found myself engaged in a lengthy conversation about the warmth and friendliness of the folks living on Fogo Island. Case in point.
The takeaway? The island’s traditional yet modern architecture juxtaposed with its natural landscape is undeniably profound. The inn will spoil you and its surroundings will move your soul. The journey to one of the most exclusive and remote parts of the world took time and patience, but it’s one I’d make again (and again) without hesitation.