Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

Night at the museum

Sicilian billionaire Antonio Presti spent years fighting the mafia and local politicians before he managed to realise his dream: to build Europe’s largest open air hotel-museum

IMAGE ERIC VANDEVILLE/LIGHTMEDIATION

1 Located in Castel di Tusa on the northern coast of Sicily, halfway between Palermo and Messina, design hotel Atelier sul Mare (Workshop on Sea) offers guests the chance to become part of a living museum. Each room is designed by a renowned contemporary artist, plus nearby is Presti’s Fiumara d’arte (Torrent of Art), featuring gigantic works. On the beach you’ll find the imposing Window on the Sea (pictured) by Tano Festa, a monumental 20-metre blue frame that echoes the work of surrealist master Magritte. Further down, on a hill, Arianna’s Labyrinth appears: a work by Italo Lanfredini that invites a kilometre-long walk. Mediterranean Energy, meanwhile, is a gigantic blue wave designed by Antonio di Palma. And in the valley, a huge black-and-white statue by Pietro Consagra, The Matter Could Have Not Existed, symbolises the duplicity of life. Now turn over to discover the Atelier sul Mare’s fantastic rooms…

2 The Earth and Fire Room by Luigi Mainolfiis an explosion of terracotta fragments whose colours vary according to the time of the day. At the centre, there’s a bed that seems to be suspended above the ground; in front, a metal chair with an endless back, covers part of the ceiling in an amazing entanglement of shapes.

3 Antonio Presti in the Prophet’s Room, which is probably the hotel’s most spectacular dwelling. Designed by the poet Dario Bellazza, actress Adele Cambria and Presti himself, and dedicated to Pier Paolo Pasolini, it represents a vibrant tribute to the work, prophecies and life of the Italian intellectual. The room is made in mud and straw, in a Yemeni style, and covered in Arab writings. An evocation of A Thousand and One Nights, the huge window overlooking the sea also reminds us of a cinema screen. By the window, under glass, lies some sand from the beach where Pasolini was murdered, near Rome.

4 In tribute to utopia, the Dreams Between Signs Room is designed by Renato Curcio, former leader of Italian militant left-wing organisation - the Red Brigades. It’s a celebration of the power of writing and signs – whether ancient or modern – as the codes of communication, religions and ideologies.

5 Designed by Antonio Presti in collaboration with Agnese Purgatorio, Cristina Bertelli and Danielle Mitterrand (the wife of late French president), the Water Carriers’ Room is actually composed of two rooms. The first room is dark, covered in aluminium, with cold, metallic tones that remind one of dryness and the desert – a sensation that’s increased by the presence of large blocks of salt. The other room is covered in brass, full of energy. Lit up by the sun, the brass walls gleam with heat, the strength of life. Facing the bed, there’s an immense window overlooking the sea.

6 The gorgeous Hammam Room, by Kosovo Albanian contemporary artist Sislej Xhafa. Featuring a Star of David-shaped bathtub, stained glass and an open dome ceiling, this space reminds its guests of Sicily’s diverse cultural roots.

NEED TO KNOW

Atelier sul Mare is located on the coast, about 100km from Palermo – take the A20 highway and exit Tusa. (4 Via Cesare Battisti, Castel di Tusa, , www.ateliersulmare.it, art rooms from €80 per person with breakfast)

FR Nuit au musée

Le milliardaire sicilien Antonio Presti a passé des années à lutter contre la mafia et les politiciens locaux avant de réaliser son rêve : construire le plus grand hôtel-musée d’Europe

1 L’hôtel design Atelier sul Mare offre au visiteur une chance inouïe : loger dans un musée vivant où chaque chambre est conçue par un artiste. À quelques kilomètres de là se trouve la Fiumara d’arte de Presti. Un parc de sculptures où la Fenêtre sur mer de Tano Festa, un cadre bleu de 20 mètres, fait écho à l’œuvre de Magritte.

2 La chambre Terre et feu de Luigi Mainolfiest une explosion de terracotta. Le lit semble être suspendu au dessus du sol, tandis qu’une chaise couvre le plafond dans un enchevêtrement de nœuds.

3 La chambre des Prophètes est la plus spectaculaire. Création de Dario Bellazza, Adele Cambria et Presti, elle constitue un tribut à Paolo Pasolini et aux Mille et Une Nuits.

4 La chambre Rêves entre les Signes est une réalisation de Renato Curcio, ancien leader des Brigades Rouge. Un hommage retentissant au pouvoir de l’écriture.

5 Aménagée par Presti, avec le concours d’Agnese Purgatorio, de Cristina Bertelli et de Danielle Mitterrand, la chambre Porteurs d‘eau se compose de deux parties ; la première aux tons froids évoque la sécheresse, tandis que l’autre déborde de couleurs et d’énergie.

6 La sublime chambre Hammam de Sislej Xhafa nous rappelle que la Sicile a aussi de puissantes racines arabes.

Informations utiles Atelier sul Mare, 4 Via Cesare Battisti, Castel di Tusa, tél. 5, ateliersulmare.it, chambres d’art à partir de 80 € par personne, petit-déjeuner inclus.

NL Een nachtje in het museum

De Siciliaanse miljardair Antonio Presti vocht jarenlang tegen de maffia en plaatselijke politici alvorens zijn droom te verwezenlijken: de bouw van Europa’s grootste openlucht hotel-museum

1 Designhotel Atelier sul Mare (Workshop op Zee) biedt u de kans deel uit te maken van een levend museum. Elke kamer werd ontworpen door een artiest. Enkele kilometers hiervandaan vindt u Presti’s Fiumara d’arte. Hier is het raam naar de zee, van de hand van Tano Festa, een grote blauwe kader die doen denken aan Magritte.

2 In de Vuur en Aarde Kamer van Luigi Mainolfiontdekt u een weldaad aan terracotta.

3 De Kamer van de Profeet, ontworpen door Dario Bellazza, Adele Cambria en Presti, is de meest spectaculaire van alle kamers. De kamer is een eerbetuiging aan Paolo Pasolini en Duizend-en- één-nacht.

4 De Dromen tussen Tekens Kamer werd ontworpen door Renato Curcio, voormalig leider van de Rode Brigades: een levendige ode aan de kracht van het schrijversschap.

5 De Waterdragers kamer, ontworpen door Presti, met de hulp van Agnese Purgatorio, Cristina Bertelli en Danielle Mitterrand, bestaat uit twee kamers. De eerste beschikt over koude tonen die droogte oproepen, de andere is koperkleurig.

6 De prachtige Hammam Kamer door Sislej Xhafa herinnert ons aan de Arabische roots van Sicilië.

Informatie Atelier sul Mare, 4 Via Cesare Battisti, Castel di Tusa, , ateliersulmare.it, kunstkamers vanaf €80 per persoon, inclusief ontbijt.

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