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Friday, March 29, 2024

The Slate Phuket Showcases Creative Talent with its Relaunched “Artist in Residence” Programme

The Slate, the whimsical, art-inspired resort on Phuket’s secluded northwest shore, has always been a haven of creativity where guests are immersed in a world of art and design.

From Bill Bensley’s eclectic interiors to its original installations and onsite gallery, this Design Hotels member property is proud to showcase artistic talent in all its forms.

Now, following a two-year hiatus due to the global pandemic, The Slate is restarting its “Artist in Residence” programme – an exclusive collaboration with Central Saint Martins, the prestigious British institute that forms part of the University of the Arts London. Under this ground-breaking partnership, the resort will sponsor one of the college’s top graduates, who will serve as its official onsite artist for three months.

The successful student, who will be selected later this year, will live at The Slate and work at an interactive studio within the hotel. In-house guests, curious visitors and local residents will be able to watch the artist in action, view their finished works, and even purchase original pieces at Shades Gallery, the resort’s collaborative art space which promotes artistic creativity and cultural exchange. To further enhance this interactive experience, regular cocktail evenings and talks there will allow travellers to chat to the artist and learn more about their life, inspirations and influences.

The Slate’s first Artist in Residence, Vincent Hart, has become an ambassador of the programme and will help Central Saint Martins and The Slate to choose his successor. Vincent, who graduated in 2018 with a BA (Hons) degree in Fine Art, delighted the resort’s guests in early 2020 with his contemporary paintings, which focus on light, colour and texture. The new Artist in Residence will not necessarily be a painter or sculptor however; Central Saint Martins’ courses include fine art, fashion and jewellery design, graphic communication, textiles, ceramics, product design and more, so the programme is open to students in any discipline.

The next Artist in Residence will be selected later this year and flown to Phuket before the end of 2022 to start a three-month residency at The Slate. This represents an outstanding opportunity for the chosen candidate, who will be able to display their work to a highly appreciative audience of savvy, sophisticated travellers who appreciate great art and may wish to invest in the work of a talented young artist.

“Our commitment to creativity is woven into The Slate’s DNA. Ever since we started welcoming the world to Phuket, we have strived to provide a stage for local and international artists to demonstrate their skills. Our Artist in Residence programme is an integral part of this. Central Saint Martins is one of the world’s most acclaimed art colleges with a long list of alumni that includes Turner Prize winners and famous fashion designers such as Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen, and I look forward to working alongside Vincent Hart to select our next Artist in Residence and then welcoming them to Phuket later this year. This will elevate our guest experience and give us a unique point-of-difference, while helping to inspire visitors and break down cultural boundaries,” said The Slate’s co-founder and owner, Krystal Prakaikaew Na-Ranong (or “Khun Moo” as she is known to her friends).

Every element of The Slate is designed to inspire the imagination and stimulate the senses, from its avant-garde interiors and artworks, which can be explored in a QR code-enabled Art Journey, to authentic southern Thai cuisine, which is available at Black Ginger, the mesmerising Michelin-rated restaurant that appears to float above a lagoon and is only accessible by raft. Traditional Thai wellness is practiced at Coqoon Spa, natural aromatic oils can be discovered at the new Scent Corner, and a regular series of “Vibrations” events showcase culture in all its forms, including music, dance, art and fashion. The resort’s previous collaborations included an exclusive residency with Arjan Boo Bangphra, one of Thailand’s leading “Sak Yant” tattoo artists, and a partnership with This Is Fred, the edgy clothing label from London which developed a unisex streetwear collection for the hotel.

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