Ultra-luxury cruise line Seabourn has unveiled a unique collection of custom art aboard Seabourn Pursuit, its newly launched, purpose-built expedition vessel.
The permanent installation on Seabourn Pursuit includes more than 700 artworks and takes guests on a curated journey across the seven seas.
Seabourn’s two expedition vessels, Pursuit and Seabourn Venture, are sister ships that share the same design DNA. However, one of the most obvious and character-defining areas of distinction between them is their respective approaches to art.
To create a sophisticated bespoke art collection exclusively for Seabourn Pursuit, Seabourn design partner Tihany Design commissioned London-based curatorial studio Double Decker. The collection serves as a unique expression of the designers’ vision: “an expedition of discoveries.”
The original artwork, inspired by geography, honors the wonders of Earth and the great explorers of our time. Contrasting sharply with the subtler storytelling of Venture‘s art program by French studio Atelier 27, Pursuit‘s art is playful, bold, and more colorful.
Co-directors of Double Decker Wilhelm Finger and Melita Skamnaki sought out elegant yet courageous works that foster a sense of connection with those who have sailed before to enhance cruisers’ own sense of discovery in the present.
The duo collaborated with artists, designers, and fabricators across the globe to conjure the vision and tell these stories. The hundreds of works of art on board urge guests to be curious—and treat them to powerful and unforgettable visuals aboard the ship. Each piece was designed to evoke a distinct experience and connection with its surroundings.
“We had a vision to deliver a dynamic and harmonious experience of exploration by creating a unique synergy to unite the masterful interior design by Tihany Design and the bespoke art collection with the powerful, state-of-the-art capabilities on this purpose-built luxury expedition ship,” said Seabourn president Natalya Leahy in a press release.
“As a result, our guests will experience an unexpected layer of imaginative discoveries and be inspired by the smallest details, symbols, (and) hidden messages in every corner to provoke a deep sense of personal exploration and appreciation. Seabourn Pursuit’s art collection will elevate the onboard experience as guests embark on their own journey to interact with new environments that in some cases no humans have seen before,” Leahy continued.
Highlights of Seabourn Pursuit’s art collection
Art pieces aboard the new Seabourn Pursuit include:
Magical Sky (Deck 4 – Main Atrium)
A sculpture installation exclusively commissioned for Seabourn Pursuit, this captivating piece was inspired by the sky’s alluring shapes and colors visible along the ship’s journeys. The concave dome atop a plinth invites passengers to look inside and discover multiple layers and reflections within—connecting them in an abstract yet moving way to the sky under which they travel. Produced by custom fabricator Cory Barr.
Water Drops (Deck 9 – Forward Stairs)
These newly commissioned pieces in a series featuring Murano blown glass from Milan-based 6:AM Glassworks convey the feelings of water, sea, and ice.
0° SERIES (Deck 4 – The Restaurant)
A photographic collection showcasing tropical flowers in ice to create an unexpected, enchanting dialogue between Amazonian flora and polar ice. Together with artist Tharien Smith, Bruce Boyd‘s elaborate technique freezes flower arrangements in blocks of ice. After several days, they are placed into rivers or lakes, and the process causes cracks and bubbles to form inside the ice blocks, the flowers becoming part of an active transformation.
Oscillation (Deck 5 – Colonnade)
Renowned South African artist Chris Soal created the wall sculpture Oscillation as a sustainable work comprised of metal bottle tops coiled in a rope-like pattern and expanding out from a central point. From afar, this work has a strong luxury and design aesthetic, which becomes tactile as the viewer moves closer to discover its surprising details.
Harvest (Deck 5 – Colonnade)
Italian painter Gabriel Carucci encourages more discovery with seemingly simple, geometric block patterns, revealing on closer inspection carefully selected sections of intricate embroidery and other whimsical textile elements, creating subtle tonal shifts. Tessellations of flat tints of color occupy the surface of the paintings, merging with forms of intertwined threads giving rise to abstract motions. The labor-intensive nature of this practice deliberately evokes visual cues that direct the painted surface and subsequently the viewer’s perception.
Amazônia (Deck 6 – Seabourn Square)
Exclusively commissioned for Seabourn Pursuit, the acrylic paintings of celebrated Brazilian artist James Kudo depict architectural spaces, animals, flora, and fauna, in a vivid palette. Composed of cleanly delineated forms, from a distance these pieces appear graphic, yet on closer inspection they unveil a painterly texture.
Canyon Fall II (Deck 6 – Seabourn Square)
Celebrated London-based sculptor Joseph Harrington created this cast glass sculpture to evoke an iceberg with brilliant intricacies within to delight and intrigue the viewer—allowing texture, light, and sense of mass to play continuously.
Blue & Green Anthropophora (Deck 9 – Sky Bar)
Created by artist Maxwell Mustardo from glazed stoneware with a PVC rubber coating, this artwork presents a bold color and bulbous, textural style that grounds us back in the world of contemporary art. It plays its own game—mimicking the forms of ancient artifacts, such as a Greek amphora.
Beyond the Sky (Deck 9 – Constellation Lounge)
Up-and-coming artist Sogon Kim created the twin glass pieces Beyond the Sky to reflect both the sea and sky. Incorporating silver leaf and metal oxides, this work explores glass as a conduit for color and light.
Artifacts Collection (Seabourn Square and Suites)
An eclectic, mesmerizing collection that evokes unique wondrous wildlife and natural phenomena unearthed by pioneering expeditions.
Etched Glass Mural Partitions (Expedition Lounge)
This set of commissioned glass installations, Amazonian Moon and Arctic Moon, celebrates the moon’s resonating beauty, magic, and enduring presence in night skies from the Amazon to the Arctic. Panels feature etched glass textures, colored glass, special gold and silver leaf finishes, and the moon depicted in 3D with flower and silver-infused glass.
Graphic Glass Panels (Atrium Staircase)
Inspired by the winding coastlines of Seabourn destinations, these panels were commissioned to re-interpret the natural coastal geography seen on the vessel’s voyages.
About Tihany Design
Led by founder Adam D. Tihany and Alessia Genova, Tihany Design is a multidisciplinary design studio with a focus on luxury hospitality, cruise, retail, residences, private clubs, yachting, spa, and leisure.
Creating custom interiors since 1978, the NYC-based firm aims to elevate the luxury lifestyle and travel experience with elevated personalization, timeless elegance, and an authentic sense of place.
More news about Seabourn
- Seabourn’s Entire Fleet Now Equipped With Starlink Wi-Fi
- New Expedition Ship Seabourn Pursuit Features Custom Art Collection
- Seabourn Announces Powerhouse Lineup of Speakers for Onboard Enrichment Program
- Seabourn Sells Seabourn Odyssey to MOL
- Seabourn Venture Makes First Visit to Antarctica for Naming Ceremony
Are you planning a journey aboard Seabourn Pursuit? Which of the art pieces do you most want to see in person? Let me know in the comments below!
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