Celebrity Cruises, USA / Celebrity Equinox

Celebrity Equinox

Celebrity Cruises, one of the Royal Caribbean Cuises family of cruise lines, introduced a new concept of cruise experience with the Celebrity Solstice. Celebrity Equinox, delivered in July 2009, is the second newbuilding of the Solstice class. Characterized by comfortable, sophisticated design, the ship represents beautiful surroundings highlighted by an important art collection, the Celebrity Art Collection on Equinox.

Celebrity Cruises has a long tradition of featuring significant art collections onboard. The Celebrity Art Collection represents years of investing in numerous emerging and established artists and acquiring artwork spanning generations. The Celebrity Art Collection on Equinox carries on this important tradition, with a fresh, new approach reflecting the ship's contemporary personality.

The origin of the Celebrity Art Collection is the artwork assembled for the three ships of the Century class by fine arts curator Christina Chandris in 1995-1997. Continuing the concept on subsequent ships, Celebrity Cruises has compiled an important collection of modern art. ICArt maintains the tradition in delveoping the artistic direction or 'red thread' for the Celebrity Art Collection on the Solstice class ships. The Collection is considered as a unit, independent of each piece's value or function as decoration. Each piece of art has been chosen according to its particular autonomous qualities.

Comprised of selected artworks from the Celebrity Art Collection on Galaxy, as well as new acquisitions from a combination of internationally established, mid-career and emerging artists, the Celebrity Art Collection on Equinox offers a scope of work that represents some of the most iconic artists in the world. Serving as a point of departure for Celebrity Equinox, the Galaxy artwork includes pieces by renowned artists Louise Bourgeois, Sol LeWitt, Roy Lichtenstein, John Chamberlain, Joan Mitchell and Jack Pierson, among others. Adding to this exclusive roster of artists, the Collection on Equinox includes new works by Anselm Reyle, Sandra Cinto, Johan Creten, Damien Hirst and Erwin Wurm, in addition to two unique and site-specific installations by Miami-based Rosario Marquardt and Roberto Behar, and renowned Cuban-American artist Jorge Pardo.

The curatorial concept for the Celebrity Art Collection on Equinox is embodied in 'The Essence of Equinox' where balance, harmony and the principle of 'yin-yang' (the existence of opposing elements to create equilibrium) are the driving force for the artistic selection. Focusing on quality and beauty, the platform for this narrative begins with the selection for the Forward and Aft Stairs where a mix of media, artists and images are juxtaposed to create a visual journey of opposing forces.

The Celebrity Art Collection of Equinox consists of work by 97 artists from 25 countries. It is the result of over two years of curating, creative planning, purchasing, production and installation.