500 original artworks for new hotel and hospital

IN what is the single largest art commission of its kind in Singapore, the Farrer Park Company has commissioned more than 500 original artworks for its 250-room hotel and 145-room hospital. The iconic commissions will be the monumental Apollo and Artemis apple sculptures by Kumari Nahappan, but visitors can expect to encounter art in practically every corner of the complex which will see three hotel concepts in one, medical clinics and a hospital.

Kumari was the first artist the Farrer Park Company commissioned, even before a space had been found for her works, says Richard Helfer, a board member and the man steering the hotel project. From there, the company went on to commission a number of artists from Singapore and Asia - with 60 per cent of the works from Singapore - to build up a corporate collection.

"As an owner-operated, independent hotel, we just saw the opportunity to build an art collection into the hotel at its design stage rather than as an after-thought," says Dr Helfer. "It's also a chance for us to support the art community in Singapore and the region, and work with them directly."