By
Rebecca Gibson |
Costa Cruises’ new 132,500gt flagship is to feature 7,671 pieces of specially commissioned modern art when she is delivered on 20 October 2014.
Costa Diadema, which has been dubbed as the Regina del Mediterraneo (Queen of the Mediterranean), will exhibit a range of original artwork, reproductions, digital media, sculptures, photographs and silk-screen prints that interpret the theme of regality.
“We are trying to evoke different feelings through the ambiance of the interiors on Costa Diadema,” said architect Joseph Farcus, who has worked on Costa newbuild since he designed Costa Atlantica in 2000. “The art and design elements are essential to achieving the emotional dimension we want guests to experience.”
Among the art pieces are 190 original works, including paintings that will be featured in suites and in the stairwells, and other mixed-media works placed at the entrance to the theatre. Public areas such as the Corona Blu Restaurant, Costa Diadema Club Restaurant, Eliodoro Atrium and Lido Diana will feature 260 works of digital art and 26 sculptures. The open-air promenade will display Roberto Bixios’ two large glass mosaics titled ‘Riviera Ligure’, which showcase imagery from the Mediterranean coasts on both port and starboard sides, covering a total area of 1,442 sq ft.
Curator and artistic duo Casagrande & Recalcati selected 41 artists, including 38 Italians, to create artwork for the ship. Among them are well-known artists Sam Havadtoy and Mario Donizetti, as well as rising Italian artists Vanni Cuoghi, Resi Girardello, Andy, Roberta Savelli and Claudio Prestinari. French artists Roger de Montebello and Nathalie du Pasquier and Hungarian-American artist Havadtoy will also supply artwork for the ship.
Costa Diadema is currently under construction at Fincantieri’ Marghera shipyard in Italy at a cost of US$745 million. Following her delivery on 30 October, Costa Diadema will sail a preview cruise from Trieste, Italy, and will be christened in Genoa on 7 November. The ship will then sail a trio of seven-night inaugural cruises on 8, 15 and 22 November.
Starting her 2014-2015 winter season on 29 November, Costa Diadema will offer seven-night western Mediterranean cruises from Savona, Italy. The itineraries, which will also be available in summer 2015, include calls at Marseille, France; Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca, Spain; and Naples and La Spezia, Italy.