Looking for a rustic vacation this summer? How about a beach gettaway? Can’t decide? Well, Estancia Vik Jose Ignacio in Uruguay might be the place for you. And if you like to be surrounded by contemporary art, even better. Alex and Carrie Vik fell in love with Jose Ignacio, Uruguay over two decades ago and decided to create a destination that would bring together it’s rustic and oceanside location, as well as local and international contemporary artists. We spoke with Alex Vik about the architecture, design, and art collection at the estancia.
WHITEWALL: When did you get the idea for Estancia Vik Jose Ignacio? What made you choose the location of Jose Ignacio, rather than a place more well-known for architecture like Punta Del Este?
ALEX VIK: We have been coming to Uruguay for over 20 years and had wanted to build an estancia for some time. Initially, the idea was to build a home for ourselves, but as the project evolved, it grew in scale and ambition and we realized we wanted to share it with others. We fell in love with Jose Ignacio and its surrounding areas, the cool, bohemian atmosphere and rare combination of gently rolling hills and pristine, endless beaches. With Estancia Vik we wanted to make the area more accessible to the world beyond South America by adding new dimensions to the experience.
WW: Why did you want to incorporate local contemporary artists and designers? Were they given a blank canvas or was there an overall theme you wanted to stick to?
AV: We’re very interested in art, architecture, and design so we wanted to create a destination where art, architecture and nature work in dialogue with one another. There is such a wealth of talented artists in Uruguay and we wanted to give them a platform. The working process among myself and Carrie, the architect Marcelo Daglio, our curator Enrique Badaró Nadal, and the over 20 artists was very collaborative with the central idea being to celebrate nature, stay connected to the land, and pay tribute to the romantic, rustic feel of it. The artist Clever Lara created an immense Google Earth-inspired oil painting for the living room ceiling. He continued with a frieze that depicts views of cardinal points stretching from Montevideo to Brazil along the coast on one side and along the interior on the other.
WW: Playa Vik Jose Ignacio will feature artworks by Anselm Kiefer, James Turrell, and furniture by Zaha Hadid – what made you want to bring an international, contemporary art flare to Playa Vik? Do you think contemporary art collections are now standard for a high-end, unique destination?
AV: The idea for Playa Vik was to do something completely different and create a very modern aesthetic as a counterpoint to Estancia Vik and to bring 21st Century design, the latest building techniques, and technological innovations in architecture to Jose Ignacio. A number of South American artists will be represented at the Playa as well like artist Pablo Atchugarry who is making a large sculpted bronze front door.
Carlos Ott was the ideal architect to bring that vision to life being Uruguayan and working in the greater international community. The central building, conceived as a dramatic sculpture, is being built using double curved titanium and glass and features sharp angles and inclined walls so elements of the building appear suspended. A cantilevered pool suspended off the front of the central building will add to the drama. We like to think of the six surrounding beach homes, which are made of cement, stone, glass, and earth as the sculpture’s supporting cast.
In terms of the artwork at Estancia Vik, we wanted our project to incorporate art into the resort at a new level not seen before. Our guests not only see site-specific artwork in the public spaces and courtyards, but experience it privately in their suites and live with it in a sense. Each suite is envisioned by a different artist so no one space is the same. Today’s design-forward, informed traveler is always seeking out the most unique and authentic experiences, and incorporating art is certainly becoming the standard for high-end international destinations.
WW: The art collection is curated by Enrique Badaró Nadal. How did you work with Nadal to incorporate international and South American artists’ artwork? Are you hoping that international guests will get a better understanding of contemporary South American artists by putting their work in dialogue with known European and American artists?
AV: Being both an artist and curator, Enrique was a great person to collaborate with on Estancia Vik. We worked closely together on the concept and to chose our group of artists. He was the person on the ground, meeting with the artists on a regular basis and coordinating the installation. He is very sensitive to how the artwork interacts with the architecture of the building and was invaluable in bringing the project to life. Our guests are bound to gain a better understanding of South American artists when they see how wonderfully their works of art hang beside some of the leading international contemporary art.
