The Art Series hotels, originating in Melbourne, are a group of six hotels with an expansion programme underway. Each hotel showcases an individual contemporary Australian artist, and the presentation of the hotel is themed around the work of the artist. One of the first hotels of this group to be built outside of Melbourne is in the Victorian gold rush town of Bendigo (the second outside Melbourne is the newly opened Watson, using the art of the outstanding Aboriginal artist Yannima Pirkarli Tommy Watson). The artist featured in the Bendigo property is Melbourne artist Mark Schaller one of the founding members of Roar Studios, a studio and gallery space started in 1982 to help emerging young artists with a perceived bias against them in the Victorian art scene, particularly the minorities, i.e. women and Koories (Indigenous Australians of Victoria).
This hotel brings a more boutique feel than most hotels that I have encountered in Australia. The contemporary building itself is rather austere architecturally, aside from addition of colour at the balconies. Upon approach, you are greeted by one of Schaller’s large sculptures standing adjacent to the main entrance, like a kind of giant wooden doorman waiting to greet you. The presence of a smart car and colourful bicycles is also apparent, which are all hireable from the hotel.
