Inside the Frank Gehry-imagined Conrad Los Angeles, interior design by Tara Bernerd & Partners shines. Past the paint and expertly-positioned decor, a bounty of artwork catches attention, too, curated by the founder of Tatar Art Projects (TAP), Judith Tatar. Here, a collection of artworks by prominent local artists—such as Mimi Jung, Ben Medansky, and Brian Wills—are seen. Additionally, Casper Brindle celebrates the theme of California culture with bright and inviting portal-glyph paintings, and artist Jon Krawczyk brings his reflective sculpture work to life on the property’s event lawn, placing guests into the scene.
Whitewall spoke with the Canadian, Los Angeles-based curator behind TAP about her role in where art and hospitality mix, balancing a brand and boundaries, and working with clients like the Waldorf Astoria, Rosewood, and Four Seasons.
Curating Art from a Place of Immersion
Courtesy of Conrad Los Angeles.
Judith Tatar, portrait by Pixie Vision Photography.
WHITEWALL: Judith, you make your job look easy, but I can imagine it’s not. Can you tell us more about your approach to curating art for hotels and more?
JUDITH TATAR: To an untrained eye, the art direction of a luxury hotel may appear effortlessly integrated into its stylish interiors. However, exceptional curation relies on the uncredited specialized work of hospitality art consultants, without whom the guest experience would ring hollow. Fusing brand values, interior design, and an owner’s fixed budget, creating an art program into a singular visual language takes special skills that includes acute aesthetic discernment and a global network of artists and suppliers.
The years art consultants devote to sourcing and nurturing creative talents and commissioning them would need to resonate with the luxury client globally is underestimated and opaque and telling a local story is essential in today’s travelers that are demanding an authentic experience. I’m winking as I say this…. We aren’t like doctors who receive ten minutes of education on nutrition and think they know better. We are fully immersed 24/7.
Courtesy of Conrad Los Angeles.
DS: How is this different to, say, interior design or decorating?
JT: Unlike interior designers who focus chiefly on creating environments enriched with style and a unique identity, a successful hospitality art program demands mastering disparate domains – historical fluency and jigsaw puzzle logistics to make a hotel’s art program visually seamless. By illuminating the art consultant’s central role in skillfully turning hotels into living cultural canvases, properties benefit by demonstrating their commitment to artistic excellence and storytelling across their properties and brand worldwide. Collaboration from all stakeholders is the key to a successful art program.
“We are fully immersed 24/7,”
—Judith Tatar
Judith Tatar’s Expert Approach
Courtesy of Conrad Los Angeles.
DS: Can you share some examples of how you do this?
JT: First, we listen with two ears, one mouth, and five talking heads—often more. We distill the vision laid out before us and then begin our excavation. I’d argue we are like cultural anthropologists—digging into a site’s history, good or bad. From there, we develop a narrative that supports the three legs of our stool: brand, budget, and boundaries of the place where the hotel is being built or renovated. It’s the key to telling local stories through an authentic art program. Much like an interior designer, we develop mood boards of precedent artworks to show the look and feel of what evolves to eventually become the hotel’s story. We have designers and architects on staff because much of what we do involves structural knowledge, logistics and project management. It has nothing to do with using my finely manicured nails and pointing at art.
“Much like an interior designer, we develop mood boards of precedent artworks to show the look and feel,”
–Judith TatarCourtesy of Conrad Los Angeles.
DS: Let’s go back to the beginning. How did you get into this and what informed all this magical good taste you have?
JT: I was a former contemporary art dealer. After 15 years of being tethered to my gallery, I felt I needed to do something that nurtured my love of travel, art, and design. I closed the gallery and the rest, as they say, is history.
Courtesy of Conrad Los Angeles.
DS: You cover all aspects of art consultancy. This includes public art projects, corporate headquarters, condo residences, and amenity spaces, but the big focus is on major hotel projects. Tell me how these differ and what thrills you most about them.
JT: Nothing excites me more than discovering a new culture or languages. I taught myself Spanish to complement my French and I’ve found that the world opens up to you in unexpected ways through linguistic bridges. Being a nonconformist all my life has shaped my perspective profoundly. I love how you found dinner with a 90-year woman so enriching as this aligns with my mission to reach local, underrepresented artists and amplify voices that would otherwise be lost in a crowded market. Through this cultural lens, we bring our narratives to life in hotel’s art programs. We weave together verbal histories, local perspectives, books, film, galleries and countless other things, while not immediately apparent to viewers, harmoniously align with the whole host of other factors that aren’t obvious to the viewer but align with brand identity, budget constraints and an authentic guest experience.
An Art Program for the Conrad Hotel in L.A.
Courtesy of Conrad Los Angeles.
DS: It’s great what you did with the Conrad Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, especially curating art by local artists. Can you share more about this project?
JT: I think the art program here is outstanding in standing out. Our curation began by examining the seminal artists of the Light and Space movement, which started here in Los Angeles. After World War ll, when the U.S. Army declassified materials previously used for torpedo manufacturing, artists began creating ethereal and atmospheric works using these experimental materials. These pioneers found inspiration in popular notions associated with Los Angeles: sun, surf, cars, and technology. Think James Turrell. The throughline for the artists commissioned for the Conrad Hotel stems from these foundational ideas and materials. Mimi Jung’s billowing cloud piece at the check-in desk, crafted from resin rope, featuring a striking neon that invites closer examination. It stands as one of the most stunning pieces in the collection.
Courtesy of Conrad Los Angeles.
DS: When we met in Las Vegas, the business card you handed me said “Judith Tatar, Problem Solver.” Tell me more about this.
JT: [Laughs] When people tell me that business cards are a thing of the past, I laugh. One look at my card and they never forget me. It consistently leaves an impression. People ask me what I do for a living. Sure, curating art might sound glamorous, but the reality involves working closely with my team to solve complex problems we face in each one of our projects. The public only sees the polished surface—the lipstick and rouge—but is unaware of the essential work required for its close-up.
“The reality involves working closely with my team to solve complex problems,”
—Judith Tatar
Courtesy of Conrad Los Angeles.
