Artistic Pursuits

The newly opened Solaire Resort North houses over 2,000 pieces of artwork-both acquired and commissioned-that highlight Philippine contemporary art's dynamism and vibrancy

- Franz Sorilla IV.

The recently unveiled Solaire Resort North along the northern stretch of Edsa offers a multi sensorial experience in its impressive collection of Philippine contemporary art, carefully curated to offer a personal touch. Many may assume that this collection is a lifetime's work by a private collector; but no, it was meticulously assembled over five years by a team of five from the Manila-based gallery and creative production group Tarzeer Pictures.

It showcases contemporary explorations in painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture and textiles. "There are paintings that start from photographs or thread works that imitate the act of painting... The collection brings together a range of works by Filipino artists to celebrate how our past, present, and future are expressed through art," explained the team.

The curation process for the Solaire North collection, adds the Tarzeer team, began in 2019 after being approached by Habitus Design Group, the interior design team led by Samantha Drummond that worked on the latest branch of the well-known luxury integrated resort in Metro Manila. The latter worked closely with Tarzeer to identify the spaces that required artwork, the desired aesthetic of the walls, flooring, ceiling and the overall ambience of each space. This collaborative approach ensured that the selected pieces harmonised with the resort's design to enhance the guest experience.

"Because Solaire is a hotel resort and casino, a lot of the finishings are in brown, natural, and neutral colours; so, the brief for the artworks was really 'colour, scale and texture," shares Dinesh Mohnani, Tarzeer Pictures' executive producer and co-founder.