2 June will see the launch of an exclusive exhibition of painted bronze sculptures by French artist Julien Marinetti at Dorchester Collection's contemporary Mayfair hotel, 45 Park Lane. The installation, on display until 30 August, is an exciting preview to Marinetti's gallery exhibition launching in September at the new Galeries Bartoux on New Bond Street in London.

The signature pieces of this exhibition will be a 2-metre-high “Popy”, a “Doggy John” measuring 2.4 metres, and two giant “Kwaks” which will surround the fountain in front of The Dorchester. Across the road, two “Doggy John” sculptures will stand sphinx-like in front of 45 Park Lane, either side of the entrance. In the lobby a menagerie of smaller “Doggy John” and “Bâ” panda sculptures will be joined by a large “Kwak” in homage to 45 Park Lane's mascot, the rubber duck. Up the black central staircase a large “Skull” sculpture will sit alongside the Bar 45.

Each of these unique eye-popping sculptures is made using centuries-old techniques of bronze casting before being painted by Marinetti. The artwork will be located both inside and outside the hotel and will include original works of art including “Doggy John” (a bulldog, the first in the series and still the most popular), “Popy” (a teddy bear), “Kwak” (a rubber duck) and Bâ (a panda).

Marinetti sees his sculptures as three-dimensional canvases for his Neo-Expressionist paintings, an approach he calls “syncretism,” inspired by the ancient Greek vases he collects. A classically trained artist who has been painting since he was four years old, he uses only traditional, “noble” materials and methods. Each piece is sculpted in clay by hand before being cast in bronze. After it is painted in the explosive colours he is known for, each sculpture is carefully varnished and polished, giving it a beautiful porcelain-like sheen.

A great friend to The Dorchester Collection, Marinetti's work has also been exhibited at Plaza Athenée in Paris. Marinetti's sculptures are sought after by collectors the world over and have been extensively exhibited in public spaces in Singapore, on the elegant Avenue Montaigne in Paris, on New York's Madison Avenue, in Miami, and even on the summit of the ski slopes in Courchevel, France.

45 Park Lane was a natural choice in London for Marinetti due to its strong ties to the art world. The luxury hotel is within walking distance of Mayfair's buzzing art scene, including independent art galleries and some of the city's top art museums, regularly attracting established names from the worlds of fashion, film, art and design. At 45 Park Lane, art features strongly throughout the hotel, including original art by ten leading, living British artists displayed on every floor and in guest rooms and suites with Sir Peter Blake's “Dancing Girls over Rotten Row” adorning the fireplace in The Penthouse Suite. Julien Marinetti's exhibition is next in a series of exhibitions hosted at the hotel, which have included “Staying Alive” by Christian Furr and Christian Bracey. CUT, Wolfgang Puck's first venture in Europe, features all 16 of Damien Hirst's limited edition 'Diamond Dust Psalms' and is also the meeting ground each month for a convivial lunch attended by all artists that have exhibited their work at the hotel and which guests are welcome to join.

Marinetti's work will be on display at 45 Park Lane from June 2 to August 30. Prices on request.

Editor's Notes

45 Park Lane

Dorchester Collection's second London hotel 45 Park Lane opened on 1st September 2011 just opposite The Dorchester with Wolfgang Puck's first venture in Europe, CUT at 45 Park Lane. Throughout the intimate-sized hotel, luxurious and contemporary interiors by New York based designer, Thierry Despont, provide a club-like feel offering international guests a smart, central environment from which to explore London. Each of the spacious 45 rooms and suites offer views of Hyde Park, as does a spectacular Penthouse Suite with wrap around terrace offering panoramic views across London. A striking central staircase leads to a mezzanine featuring Bar 45, a resident's Library, and high tech Media Room offering private dining.

High resolution images can be downloaded from:leonardo.com/dorchestercollection 

Dorchester Collection

Dorchester Collection is a portfolio of the world's foremost luxury hotels in Europe and the USA, each of which reflects the distinctive culture of its destination. By applying its unrivalled experience and capability in owning and operating some of the greatest individual hotels, the company's mission is to develop an impeccable group of the finest landmark hotels through acquisition as well as management of wholly-owned and part-owned hotels, and to enter into management agreements.

The current portfolio includes the following hotels (in order of them joining the group): The Dorchester, London; The Beverly Hills Hotel, Beverly Hills; Le Meurice, Paris; Hôtel Plaza Athénée, Paris; Hotel Principe di Savoia, Milan; Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles; Coworth Park, Ascot, UK; 45 Park Lane, London; Le Richemond, Geneva; and Hotel Eden, Rome.

dorchestercollection.com

For further press information, please contact: 

Olivia Johnson or Calum Donoghue at Peretti Communications

Telephone: 020 7244 1930

Email: olivia.j@peretti.com  calum.d@peretti.com