It takes an experienced eye to create an atmosphere on a yacht that exudes personality, comfort and impact. Chris Cecil-Wright looks to Tom Craig for exquisite art and collectibles that transcend both time and fashion.
It takes an experienced eye to create an atmosphere on a yacht that exudes personality, comfort and impact. Chris Cecil-Wright looks to Tom Craig for exquisite art and collectibles that transcend both time and fashion.
Truly beautiful objects – be it a silver Fabergé box or a Hockney Painting – can have a profoundly seductive effect on the psyche. ‘There’s more to yachting than just the boat,’ says Chris, ‘art, photography, film – they are all in close periphery and vitally important’. Chris’s good friend Tom Craig works with clients from all over the world – both on land and at sea – with a bespoke approach that is highly effective: ‘When we took it upon ourselves to hang art on Issana for the Monaco Yacht Show last year, I watched Tom completely revolutionise the yacht interior’.
CREATING DRAMA
What worked like a charm on Issana was a series of 1960’s photographs of St Tropez. The trend for contemporary art on boats is understandable given the modern aesthetic of many of the boats themselves, however, Tom emphasises that the work must complement the light and landscape without trying to compete – and that the framing and presentation is critical: ‘You have a captive audience on a yacht,’ he explains, ‘family, friends and owners have time to admire the objects, particularly at night when the light goes down and the theatre of art starts.’
PERSONAL TOUCH
New buyers have recently buoyed the powerful growth of the art market but not all clients have a developed knowledge or taste for art. Tom helps collectors negotiate the complex art world – both contemporary and antique – and avoid its pitfalls: ‘You can be impulsive and buy like it’s a retail experience’ says Tom, ‘but I also encourage clients to think proactively about future sales as well as acquisitions in order to develop and improve a collection over decades.’
