From Picasso to Warhol, Matisse, Chagall and Dufy, you may now experience the “Guideless Tour” at the Ritz Carlton in Marina del Rey using your iOS mobile device or iPad you can check out at the hotel’s Concierge Desk. This new beacon technology, designed by Salon D’Art, allows guests to download the free “Curator’s Club” Application (compatible for Apple devices) which will enable information to be fed through the device. Activated by movement, the beacon will reveal facts as well as purchasing details specific to each work of art when standing in front of it. All the information is available on the free app.
According to Suleyman Cooke, President, Chief Curator: “The Art piece has all the information, the history and content. This new application technology has the ability for the tour to be guideless. Media is the message. What’s unique about our organization is its content origination. Each piece is content rich.” The concept of the Guideless tour is to “go at your own pace”. You get the history of the piece, you get inspiration and the life story of the artist. Once you launch the app and begin walking through the exhibit you can start with any art piece you wish.
My daughter Natalie who is an Art History Major in college was impressed with the details of exhibit. She comments: “You see the hidden beauty, the amazement behind it all. That time in history influenced their lives. I like Art. People normally don’t see the history or the meaning of the piece. They sometimes just walk right by it without even noticing its beauty.”
The two pieces that impressed me are “How Wine Affects the Morale” 1936 Dufy..a colorful portrayal of two women relaxing in the afternoon, and Andy Warhol’s iconic & psychedelic “Marilyn Monroe” headshot.
“We’re thrilled and excited and had anticipated this exhibit for a long time. This new technology is more engaging to the clients. We wish to attract more local guests to this new technology which allows flexibility during the guideless tours” states ¬Lauren Lynch, Communications Coordinator at the Ritz Carlton, which will be celebrating its 25th anniversary with a large reception later this year.
Salon D’Art, which was founded in 2002, “ has the distinction of combining intimate yet elegant exhibition programs with extensive education and informative collecting advice…thereby leading conversation about art, where passion promotes learning and sharing and collecting.” www.salondart.org (415) 362-3906
Also at the exhibit was Alan Maeda, who helped with the startup company Salon D’Art, focusing on the Beacon, which is a promotional concept. Alan explained that the Curators Club App allows people to have a Display Gallery Concept, which uses an Interface platform; a tool to utilize on your iOS device. He states “You enhance the experience and get information and a sales experience. It’s the best way to view and collect art.”
Salon D’Art has exclusively chosen The Ritz-Carlton, Marin del Rey as the first hotel in North America to premier this exciting and enhanced art experience. www.ritzcarlton.com (310) 574-4271
