Business Traveller can reveal that American Express has commissioned renowned artwork service Elegant Clutter to curate a collection of pieces at its long-awaited Centurion lounge at Heathrow T3.
We had published images of the artwork here, taken from a page on the Elegant Clutter website which has since been removed. We have been contacted with a request to remove them for now, as the exact makeup of the collection is still being determined, and have respected this request.
The page confirmed that “American Express worked with Elegant Clutter to commission and curate a collection of artwork for their guests pleasure”, adding that “Our Art Story consultants researched and briefed suitable art partners to collaborate with to create the perfect ambience for the space”.
The firm also confirmed that the collection will include works by “renowned celebrity photographer Norman Parkinson, mixed media art from Stephen Marshall and architectural pencil drawings from Minty Sainsbury”.
Guests will be able to scan QR codes on plaques next to each work, directing them to a website with biographies of the artists.
In addition Elegant Clutter has created its own artwork for the lounge “celebrating the many facets of London, old and new”. These include “A hand-embroidered interpretation of the London Underground” and an Elton John likeness “designed to capture the traveller’s attention”.
American Express first announced plans for a Centurion lounge at Heathrow T3 in 2018. The facility had originally been slated to open in 2019, but it has been delayed by the onset of Covid-19 and the temporary closure of Terminal 3 in April last year.
Heathrow Terminal 3 has now reopened to passengers, with Delta and Virgin Atlantic among the first carriers to return to the terminal.
No1 Lounges also reopened its T3 facility at the end of July, but as yet there has been no confirmed date for the unveiling of the Centurion lounge.
Elegant Clutter also created the artwork for the new Fellows House Cambridge, Curio Collection by Hilton which will be reviewed in the September/October 2021 edition of Business Traveller.
