Drawing is really the first form of art any of us undertake, yet it is often an overlooked medium on the world stage. The contemporary art scene lauds conceptual installations, sculptures and video art; leaving the simple sketch as the poor forgotten cousin. Yet in the hub of the creative world that is Paris, one contemporary art fair director turned hotelier, Carine Tissot, has given the art form a new setting in the shape of the Drawing Hotel.
Giving six artists a carte blanche to create over six floors, Tissot has conceived a hotel space that also serves as a gallery, a workshop, and a champion of drawing. As well as an avant garde design concept, the hotel also houses France’s first private centre devoted uniquely to drawing. The ‘Drawing Lab’ is a 150 m2 ground floor space where artists can reconnect with the medium and hotel guests and the public can attend regular exhibitions to discover more about it through the lab’s mediators. National and international artists will host projects and curate exclusive workshops and tours, aimed at younger audiences to disseminate the message of the Drawing Lab and instil passion for the humblest of arts.
The art also flows to the outside of the hotel with a piece by Stephane Perraud on the façacde. The forty-eight rooms and two suites have unique artworks alongside contemporary furniture and finishings by Cassina and DCW Editions. Pastel hues create a calming yet contemporary atmosphere, with each corridor’s art reflected in the headboard above the bed. If inspiration hits, head to the D bar or the rooftop terrace to sketch away, drink in hand with the rooftops of Paris as an unbeatable subject.
