Fantasy meets technology in ocean resorts’ underwater art show
Where does one go to see an art exhibition in the Maldives? Under the sea, of course — the Indian Ocean, to be exact. Two of the island nation’s luxury resorts will be showcasing underwater works from photo artist Andreas Franke’s “Phantasy Fairytale” through May.
The sites, Huvafen Fushi and Niyama, are sister properties in the posh Per Aquum collection, where rooms start at about $600 a night. Rather than in some stuffy gallery, the “Phantasy Fairytale” showings are in Subsix, Niyama’s underwater music club, and Huvafen Fushi’s Lime spa, also below sea level.
Two photo shoots were necessary to create each fantasy-themed piece, one using an underwater backdrop and the other taken in a studio with real-life models. The superimposed images are encased in Plexiglas and stainless-steel frames, and divers put each piece — priced from $15,000 to $12,000 — in place per Franke’s specifications.
What will visitors see in the “Phantasy Fairytale” galleries? Some familiar faces are captured in a combination of photography, nautical exploration and digital mastery: fairytale characters such as Snow White, Little Red Riding Hood, Star Money, The Snow Queen and The Last Unicorn. The two spaces have four identical Franke images, with the exception of The Snow Queen, only at Niyama, and The Last Unicorn at Huvafen Fushi.
Franke, an award-winning Austria-based photo artist and avid scuba diver, has said of the series: “With my photographs, I want to pull the spectators into unreal and strange worlds. Mystified scenes of a fairytale play within a fictional space. Dream worlds you can get lost in, or that you can identify with. This creates a new and unexpected atmosphere. This work shows very much of myself, since I am always on the lookout for stunning themes to create new images that have never been seen before.”
Adding to the story each image tells: salt and algae that collect on the frames, along with the ever-changing world of marine life around them. “The underwater scenery is beautiful, coral reefs surround both Subsix and Lime Spa. You can see all sorts of coral from finger coral to brain coral, hard coral and soft coral,” Stacey Dean, Per Aquum’s director of marketing and communications, told Yahoo Travel in an email. “There are also many fish that live in the coral reef such as parrotfish and clown fish. We even have the odd turtle, stingray and reef shark that swim past.”
“Phantasy Fairytale” packages come with additional experiences such as spa treatments and snorkeling. Niyama’s, which requires a minimum four-night stay, starts at $883 per room, per night (outside the package, rates start at $608 per night). Huvafen Fushi’s four-night Phantasy Fairytale package starts at $1,157 per room, per night. Otherwise, starting rates for the resort are $780 per night.
Gazing at “Phantasy Fairytale” may be the way to go during a manicure or pedicure at Lime spa. Another option: a night visit during one of the bi-weekly occasions when Lime becomes a SpaQuarium and a marine biologist weighs in on both the art and the sea creatures passing through. “The lights outside the spa attract big fish that feed at night, so it’s a completely different experience,” Dean said.
Unique glasses and UV lights are given to participants that “enable guests to see the coral fluoresce neon green, pink and yellow,” Dean said. “The light also attracts plankton.”
At Niyama, champagne, canapés and dancing are on tap, with “Phantasy Fairytale” providing ambience. A marine biologist is available during mornings to educate guests about Franke’s art and the ecosystem. Among extra touches that can be added to the mix: snorkeling to the resorts’ nursery beds, where baby corals are being nurtured, to choose a coral for adoption. “Over the course of the year, the guest will receive pictures as the coral grows,” says Dean. “After about a year, the coral is then transplanted.”
Luminaries who’ve taken in Per Aquum properties’ underwater views include Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes (on their honeymoon), Naomi Campbell, Roger Federer, Kate Moss, Elizabeth Hurley and Stefano Gabanna.
Franke’s projects are often submerged in the ocean, where submarine topography serves as a backdrop. On his website, The Sinking World, Franke says, “To me, it’s important to exploit the technical advances of photography in order to reach the borders of photographic visualization. Today, we have new options that we may not have even thought of a few years ago. This opens the way for imagination and creativity.”
Nick Downing, vice president of Per Aquum, says the resorts installed the art to enhance guests’ experiences. “We want our guests to feel they are in a waking dream during their visit to the Maldives. The Phantasy Fairytale Andreas Franke photography exhibit at Huvafen Fushi and Niyama blurs the line between reality and fantasy, and the reaction from guests has been tremendous."
Those who are enchanted by “Phantasy Fairytale” but can’t invest in Franke’s five-figure originals can buy reprints for $4,800. A percentage of proceeds from all sales benefit Per Aquum’s Coral Regeneration Program.
When May concludes, the resorts’ Dream Calendar — a series of events that kicked off during Niyama’s 2012 opening with an underwater concert from Tinie Tempah — continues with German artist Jasmin Kherzi of IRMA fame, who’ll be on-site to create personalized avatars during private sittings in October. The price tag for this once-in-a-lifetime experience: $599.
