Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts worldwide commemorated World Kindness Day this year with a series of initiatives focusing on community engagement, local collaborations, and volunteerism. Art served as a centrepiece, endeavouring to forge kindness and empathy among guests through vibrant and warm paintings.
Four Seasons commissions artist Camilla Engstrom in honour of World Kindness Day
River of Stars, 2023, by Camilla Engstrom
Los Angeles-based artist Camilla Engstrom took centre stage in launching the campaign, creating artworks that feel like a warm hug. A large-scale piece, currently on display at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, is set to be auctioned, with proceeds supporting the International Child Art Foundation (ICAF). This non-profit organisation implements peace through art programmes, tapping into children's creativity to nurture empathy.
'The ICAF was the perfect choice for us. [It] has a 25-plus year history of providing free school art programmes and educational events for children, and [its] mission is one that we are proud to support as we continue to inspire the world to lead with genuine heart,' shares Marc Speichert, executive vice president, chief commercial officer at Four Seasons.
Engstrom also crafted smaller, digitised artworks showcasing her interpretations of true guest stories depicting acts of care and kindness at Four Seasons locations. These animated works will be shared on Four Seasons' social channels in the coming weeks and months to inspire and connect with audiences globally.
In the following interview, Engstrom delves into her ongoing partnership with Four Seasons, shedding light on the therapeutic power of art and the importance of kindness in the world.
Interview: Camilla Engstrom on the therapeutic power of art
Wallpaper*: How do you believe that art can contribute towards creating a more compassionate and kinder world?
Camilla Engstrom: As an artist, I think that creating art invites you to think in a less linear way, you can be more expansive. Working on a creative project can also be very therapeutic, a time to process feelings and the subconscious. Doing that kind of inner work can help make space for more empathy.
The best part of what I do is hearing of the impact that my work has on its audiences, and my hope is that my art instils a greater sense of positivity, calm and as a result kindness, for those viewing it.
W*: How did you establish the partnership with Four Seasons, and what was the creative process like?
CE: Four Seasons reached out to me about visualising aspects of kindness, and of course, I thought that was a lovely idea. For the hero artwork inspired by my own interpretation of kindness, I was also very supportive and excited that the proceeds of its auction would go to such a beautiful charity, the International Child Art Foundation and I was excited by the opportunity to contribute to the art community. I was also able to creatively adapt five true stories of kindness that occurred at various Four Seasons hotels and resorts around the world for the brand’s digital channels. It has been very enjoyable collaborating with them and developing visuals that aim to spread greater kindness in the world.
Earth Dreamer, 2023, by Camilla Engstrom
W*: Which primary colours have been used in the paintings, and what emotions do they convey?
CE: I chose colours that played up emotions within the specific stories. For example, one of the stories is about how the team at Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul found a relic lost at sea for a guest, so I wanted to play up the beautiful ocean and the bright clear sunshine.
W*: What type of emotion would you like guests at Four Seasons to experience when in the presence of your commissioned artwork?
CE: The River of Stars work is a meditation on the passing of seasons and the essential interconnection of art and kindness. I hope it invites a moment of pause and a chance to reflect on the power of nature.
W*: Why was it important to engage with the ICAF?
CE: As someone who works as a painter and has been creative since I was a child, I know how valuable access to the arts can be. I love that the ICAF is helping to make art accessible to children and giving them a space to explore their emotions.
Lotus Island, 2023, by Camilla Engstrom
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