Artist in Residence Part II
‘Why do we create?’ The Belize Collection’s Marketing Coordinator Diomne Habet asked at the soft launch of The Rainforest Lodge at Sleeping Giant’s first outdoor art installation. The question curled through the air, mingling with the rainforest’s sweet humidity as a collection of Belizean artists and tastemakers gathered in the green of the Lodge and mulled it over. On that warm Wednesday afternoon, the reception to the art gave one resounding reply.
To play.
All through the tour to visit the three art installations, a giddiness abounded the groups traveling across The Rainforest Lodge at Sleeping Giant’s grounds. As the group prepared to depart for their adventure, Habet braced them, saying ‘You’re going to see pieces influenced by nature, by this Lodge, by people who already had something to say.’ On seeing the pieces, this writer would add that these pieces were influenced by the spirit of play, cooperation, and growth. They open the grounds of the Lodge, inviting all guests to perceive the Lodge in a distinct way, inspiring conversation and collective reflection.
You only have to see Lucia Meyers’ ‘Pajaritos Que Vuelan’, alternatively titled ‘Las Tres Marias’ once to observe the themes of play, cooperation, and growth at work. ‘Las Tres Marias’ features three statues carved from purple heart wood with chainsaws and finer tools. Each humanoid statue shares a few features including a bird companion hence the piece’s second name, and differs in size, giving the impression of a person growing over time.
Originally sculpted in a nearby woodworking area, the sculptures were later placed in their current location after Meyers scouted the grounds for their perfect home. Nestled in the heart of the grounds surrounded by trees and moss-covered rocks, they impressed on me a sense of a ritual in progress, or a triad admiring the natural world. One visitor said that the sculpture resonated with him because of the ‘Creativity of relating to the environment’ the Marias conveyed. Zyania Alonzo, well-known designer also connected with ‘Las Tres Marias’ and, as a Mom to a toddler herself, considered it a touching depiction of motherhood.
While the classic mountain formation Sleeping Giant rests near the namesake lodge, artists Marcelo Patiño and Gabriella Giusti, along with a team of Belizean apprentices, have developed their own interpretation of the Belizean myth with the piece ‘Qawa Ki’ché.’ Embedded directly into the base of the mountain under the Lodge’s signature outlook, ‘Qawa Ki’ché’ rests with its arm tucked under its head as though undisturbed by the slow accumulation of minerals over millennia.
Patiño and Giusti developed the concept for ‘Qawa Ki’ché’ before starting their artist residency, but once the build began much of the original construction had to be altered. This was because of difficulty sourcing the materials the artists have more readily available in their native nation, Uruguay. In spite of that obstacle, however, Patiño, Gisuti and their team managed to construct an impressive piece of concrete and rosewood sculpture measuring 11 feet high and 11 feet wide that invites visitors to interact with it, and give their best attempt at waking the sculpture.
Of course, for sheer scale, the final piece, ‘Ah Puka’an Garrobo,’ is the one that takes the cake. Comprising 45 beams of purple heartwood of lengths up to 12 feet, the piece resides in the middle of the Sleeping Giant Rainforest Estates known as The Banks, currently in development. Mimicking the spindled back of an iguana, ‘Ah Puka’an Garrobo’ is also the most interactive piece of the collection.
9 year old Adrianna Paz, the youngest person at the soft launch said ‘Ah Puka’an Garrobo’ was her ‘favorite part’ since ‘you can climb [it], and do gymnastics jumps.’ Evidence of its potential interactivity was on full display during the tour as several people bounded along the top of the beams. The piece by Diego Haretche took 60 days to complete to secure the beams’ concrete foundation to make them storm resilient, so they’re easily able to sustain the movement of visitors looking to snap a pic.
Director of the Belize Museum Ilona Smiling called the sculptures ‘fantastic’ works that had ‘never been seen before’ in Belize. All three pieces were the product of the first-ever Artist in Residence hosted by The Belize Collection and curated by the project coordinator Evelyn Novick. The Belize Collection promises it’s just the start with Habet confidently assuring those at the soft launch ‘We’ve done it. Now we know how to do it.’
At the cocktail reception that concluded the launch, Sales and Marketing Director Julie Kee said that the installation intends to reinforce to guests that ‘Sleeping Giant is your playground’ and help them get out of their comfort zone by offering them a reward for exploring the grounds.
With each sculpture inviting interpretation, Kee said that their presence also mirrors the resort collection’s commitment to customer satisfaction and that ‘for every guest, there is a unique Rainforest Lodge’ experience. The Belize Collection will continue the artist residency program next year, offering artists from Belize and the world over an opportunity to produce a unique piece that’ll be appreciated for years to come.
Plan a trip to The Rainforest Lodge at Sleeping Giant today to view our newest installations or submit your application to participate in the 2024 residency.
