Embark on an adventure through these storied creations, hidden in plain sight across our resort. Each piece carries a message from the artist, best received experienced through the artwork itself.
The journey begins in your villa, where you will find Glass Works by Feleksan Onar, a Turkish artist who makes magic with glass. The intricate, pink-tinged decanter by your minibar has its own tale to tell, originating in Istanbul and concluding right here in the Maldives. “JOALI is a dreamlike place, where transformations come out right out of my soul.” Notice the playful shape of the glass creation, a nod to our island’s tropical vibe.
Continue on to Maison de JOALI, our boutique. Turn your gaze upwards to see Light Shades, capturing the flowing beauty of the waters all around us. “In creating these pieces for JOALI, I wanted to draw guests into an immersive experience in which they can relax and feel the waves and textures of the island.” Hear Doug Johnston’s message and embrace the luminous joy shining down on you…
Then, let the story carry you forward to Mura Bar. Take a sunlit seat on the Ceramic Mini Stools by Venezuelan artist Reinaldo Sanguino, and feel an instant, tactile connection to South America. “These works at JOALI are vessels that carry my past. They now breathe the air of the Maldives, and their surfaces will absorb the heat of this wonderful island. They will now befriend the guests.” Shaped with clay from the Guiana Highlands, these stools are inspired by the fabled tabletop Tepuis mountains of Venezuela.
Go a little further, out on the soft sands of Mura Bar, for the next chapter in the tale. Discover the vibrant spirit of Antoni Gaudi around the Tropicana Table, where we host sparkling sundowners and lingering Spanish-style lunches. “The best works always have little surprises that reveal themselves over time,” whispers artist Misha Kahn, known as a crafter of “delusional objects”. What tucked-away treasures will you find, we wonder?
Next, make your way to the Art House Garden for Contingencies, an augmented reality installation. Walk through an immersive landscape that reflects not just the perfection of our stunning surroundings but also their fragility. “In the generated worlds of my collages and augmented realities, the realities are ephemeral and fleeting, like nature itself. The Maldives is a place of longing, almost too beautiful to be true and threatened precisely because of this.” Artist Maja Rohwetter’s unique visual language invites you to become a participant, thereby closing the gap between art and viewer.
The final destination takes you inside your own mind. At our Museum awaits Day Dreams, a virtual reality exploration of the brain. “JOALI island, best natural dopamine?” asks artist Jeanne Susplugas, as she brings you into an intimate, personalised encounter inside a brain box.
Experience your very own psychological journey in an enchanted world filled with joy, beauty and nature!
