A hotel guest in New York City noticed something “weird” when she lay down on her bed late at night. She pointed her phone’s camera to the TV wall, calling out a black‑and‑white/greyscale photograph that is mounted extremely close to the TV and partly hidden behind it. She asks “Why is this picture so close to the TV? ..it’s partially behind the TV.”
She describes the scene of a man “touching up” a painting; inside that picture-within-a-picture are two pandas, a person in a panda mask, and another man in regular clothes. Then she wonders what might be “behind” the picture, tries to move it, and says “It doesn’t move. It won’t move.”
She takes a towel and covers the picture so she doesn’t have to look at it from the bed. “Something’s up with that picture..Is this creepy to you?”
I know it’s late but I think I get another room if I’m freaked out by the art, and maybe start wondering if there’s a hidden camera there?
@star1021fm Is this creepy to you? #travel #traveltiktok #nyc #hotel #creepy #art #fyp @LeighAnn Adam ♬ original sound – STAR 102.1
The art is Jane Hammond’s The Touch-Up (2009) and I think this is Hyatt’s The Beekman hotel? Their art program features Jane Hammond and has shown The Touch‑Up as part of an on site exhibition and a review on TripAdvisor names the piece. Plus, we don’t see everything here but the room does look like it’s the Beekman as well.
To be clear, this wasn’t random stock art. It’s a well-known contemporary work that portrays a picture‑within‑a‑picture of a man toucing up a paining that contains two pandas and a human in a panda head.
The guest worries because the art “won’t move” but hotels frequently mount art that way so guests don’t steal it. Capital One even had to start doing this because passengers were taking art from the lounges and even books from inside the bathrooms.
Usually hotels keep edgy works in their lobbies and corridors, keeping guest rooms more neutral. That creates both a sense of place with the lowest variance in satisfaction inside rooms – they don’t want to creep people out! Art, however, does drive guest satisfaction, better reviews, and ultimately modestly higher average daily room rates. Brand story correlates with higher revenue.
Ultimately most hotel art is designed to be unnoticed. Here it’s the opposite. Indeed, most art is procured in fairly mechanized fashion – a hospitality art consultant works with the hotel’s interior designer within brand standards, budget and a procurement timeline.
They outline a design brief, identify prints that are available for license, and follow brand guidelines. Artwork is then produced, framed and installed on the furniture, fixtures and equipment schedule, and mounted with security hardware. Here the corporate brief included ‘creepy’ it seems!
(HT: Paul H)
Update: a representative for the hotel reaches out and lets me know that the piece of artwork has been removed.
That is an odd piece of art, and it’s placement beside the TV wouldn’t be my choice. Generally, the Beekman is a quirky, historic hotel. Emerson and Twain frequented it back in the day when it was a library. Cool bar, restaurant there today. Large Edgar Allen Poe portrait there.
Now, where’s @JonNYC to tell fellow his commenters to self-censor? The answer is still ‘no,’ Jon. More is more, and less is less, sometimes. Open dialogue and sharing ideas on here is a pleasure, not a chore, lest you forget.
Art is in the eyes of the beholders I guess, and having now seen the picture, it is most definitely not my taste. With the prices of hotel rooms these days, I ought to be able to enjoy the environment. If I had to look at that before bed or on awakening, I too would have covered it with a bath towel. And then inquired with the front desk if I might change my room. Wonder if others disliked it enough that the hotel attempted to block it by sliding the TV over it, or maybe that was what another guest attempted to do? Now knowing what I know here, I will not be found at this property.
That woman should not have looked under the bed because she would have found that it likely hadn’t been vacuumed/cleaned in quite a while. That would scare me much more than a picture of a panda. A panda? I think a pretty docile creature.
Interesting to say the least. Anyone ever stay at the Lorezno hotel in downtown Dallas? Now that place has some trippy art.
Look, I like posting as much as anyone here (except perhaps you, @1990-bot). But we need to be shut off! (Especially you @1990-bot!) (Alley-oop!)
OK, I’ll admit that the picture is a bit odd, but the TikTok’er going on and on about how close the TV is and that it even obscures the frame a bit shows a total lack of awareness of technology. As Flat Screens have plummeted in price, the replacement cycle in public places and hotels has accelerated, with the newer units generally larger and higher res. That’s all that has taken place here, it doesn’t even merit a yawn on the excitement scale.
@1990 lol
This guest’s comment explains why hotel art ends up being so banal
Google the artist, Jane Hammond. She has much creepier works than the pandas. Maybe they are displayed in the suites.
@1990
The supposedly news breaking poster of the Aviation Industry told me the same thing.
“Do Not comment on my Posts”. I guess he doesn’t want anyone detracting from his so-called “insider information” and breaking news.
Hats off to you!
Love your posts btw.
@L737 — Beep boop!
@WestCoastFlyer — I guess that’s a badge of honor for you, too. I much prefer sites and spaces where open dialogue is promoted, even if we disagree with each other. Like, the banter and heated debate is part of the fun. And I also respect genuine critique (you’ll notice it’s often more specific than mere ad hominems), but just telling others to ‘shh’ or to ‘stop talking’ helps no one and adds nothing. Anyway, hope alls well on the West Coast. Was planning to visit PDX recently, but had to postpone. Maybe next time. Tell Alaska Air to keep the door plugs on a little longer for me.