The new Radisson Red hotel in Glasgow, Scotland, has partnered with legendary local comic artist Frank Quitely.
The $40 million property will be the first purpose-built Radisson Red hotel in Europe and is set to open this April. Each of the hotel’s 174 rooms will feature wall designs by Quitely that reflect the culture of Glasgow and depict surreal party scenes.
Glasgow artist Quitely – whose real name is Vincent Deighan – is best known for his work on “Superman,” “Batman” and the “X-Men” comics. His involvement with the project came about after Jim Hamilton of Graven Images, Radisson Red’s design contractor, saw his work at an exhibition in Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.
“He was looking for a local artist to work with for parts of what he had planned for the Radisson Red Glasgow, and he felt that my work fitted the bill,” says Quitely. “Graven were already part way through the overall design process with both the Forrest Group and Radisson Red so I think everyone was on the same page before I got involved.
“Jim and I talked about the Red themes, which are art, music, fashion, and the kind of images that could reflect this, but with a local flavor and a little bit of humor. I hope the guests will find it interesting enough to look as a piece of art, and unobtrusive enough that they can treat it simply as wallpaper.”
The 10-storey hotel is situated on the River Clyde in easy walking distance of the SECC, Clyde Auditorium and The SSE Hydro, making it an ideal option for business travel. It will feature a rooftop sky bar and function room with views over the city, as well as a restaurant, 24-7 deli and event spaces on the ground floor. The hotel’s exterior will appear to change color in reaction to natural light and will feature two digital screens promoting events at local venues.
“Art is very much part of the DNA of the hotel brand,” says Donald Stewart, director of Forrest Hotels, the company behind Glasgow’s Radisson Red. “So, having some bespoke art that reflects Glasgow’s culture, and finding the right artist to communicate that to people, was very important to us.”
