The first Picasso exhibition ever organised in the Indian Ocean was held at the Blue Penny Museum in Port Louis, ending in January this year. To prolong this unprecedented adventure, the Beachcomber group, one of the exhibition’s sponsors, has now invited the Andalusian master to the Royal Palm Beachcomber Luxury.
A tête-à-tête with Picasso
Initiated by the Blue Penny Museum and the art dealer Steve Sowamy, the hugely successful exhibition is continuing for a further six months at the Royal Palm Beachcomber Luxury: ten art works – ceramics, drawings and sculptures – have been selected and are now on display in showcases in the reception hall. ‘In welcoming these works, the Royal Palm is not only hosting an amazing exhibition (and yes, the works are for sale!), but we’re also offering guests the privilege of being able to actually live with them, to admire them at any time of day. It is a priceless gift,’ says Steve Sowamy.
Paving the way
Although born in the island, the art dealer has always lived in Europe where he has built up a solid reputation. It was not until 2008 that he discovered the island of his birth. Shortly after that, he met Emmanuel Richon, director of the Blue Penny Museum, and together they set out to organise a Picasso exhibition. ‘We opened a doorway through this initiative. Mauritians are very curious to discover new cultures. There are existing financial and consulting structures to insure, transport and keep the works safe. Also, the island enjoys a select type of tourism and there are plenty of local enthusiasts. We have all we need to ramp up the island’s cultural scene.’
A cultural hotspot
To prolong the dream, and also to raise the island to the rank of ‘cultural pearl,’ Beachcomber stepped right into the adventure by offering to partner the exhibition. ‘We supported the project right from the start. Steve Sowamy is after all a client of the Royal Palm and the Trou aux Biches Beachcomber. We got to know each other and it was therefore quite natural that we should go along with the idea of prolonging the exhibition in our hotels. Picasso’s works are a perfect match for our iconic hotel, the Royal Palm,’ says Koogen Vythelingum, PR & Promotion Manager of the hotel group. This unique collaboration is a first for a Mauritian hotel, and we are already considering other exhibitions of other great art masters of the 20th century.
