Art Hotel Gran Paradiso: 100 Rooms, 100 Artists in Sorrento

Mario Colonna directs the Art Hotel Gran Paradiso in Sorrento, continuing a 50-year tradition of patronage and hospitality. Since 2008, he has pursued the project '1003': 100 rooms, 100 artists, and 100 years. Each room features a site-specific installation by a different artist. The hotel's collection includes works by Claudio Parmiggiani (Torri di Bologna, Delocazioni), Hundertwasser, Fabio Mauri (Apocalittico, 1976), Serse, Giulia Piscitelli, Imma Indaco, Dino Izzo, Gastone Novelli, Marco Tirelli, Vedovamazzei, and Takeo Hanazawa. Room 121 features interventions by Lello Lopez of Shazar Gallery (directed by Giuseppe Compare), incorporating traditional maiolica tiles from Sorrento and Amalfi. Julia Krahn installed a large piece of lava from the 1944 Vesuvius eruption with fused ceramic. Carla Viparelli created an immersive marine environment using mural painting, string, and plastic. Nanni Valentini's room 219 uses earthy tones. Martin Maloney painted family portraits for the Colonna family. The hotel also offers newsletters: Incanti (art market), Render (urban regeneration), and PAX (cultural tourism).