Monaco’s Grand Prix weekend has gained a floating art venue. A 236-foot superyacht from Floating Art Hotel is anchored in Monaco Bay through June 8, pairing a private exhibition with Formula 1 access, 14 suites, and a guest list that is tightly controlled from the start.
The project, titled “States of Motion,” was created specifically for the vessel and is described by its organizers as treating movement “not as image but as condition.” The exhibition includes work by four internationally known artists: Serbian performance artist Marina Abramović (b. 1946), Italian Arte Povera artist Pier Paolo Calzolari (b. 1943), Iranian artist Shirin Neshat (b. 1957), and Argentinian artist Tomás Saraceno (b. 1973).
The setting is as much part of the proposition as the art. Guests can watch the race from the terrace above the Les Caravelles Building, with direct views toward the Sainte Dévote corner, one of the circuit’s most demanding turns. Those staying in the Owner’s Residence receive access to the Paddock Club and Pit Lane on Saturday and Sunday, while private tenders shuttle between the yacht and the city day and night.
Floating Art Hotel says the works largely come directly from artists’ studios, with some additional loans from galleries or dealers. Abramović’s studio said she was not involved beyond declining further comment, while Saraceno’s studio and Neshat’s gallery did not immediately respond to questions about whether they approved the project.
The Monégasque edition also arrives with a roster of sponsors that includes Beluga, Bureau of Innovation, Komos Tequila, Armand Philippe, Prices Candles, Prunier Caviar, Soho House, Vibi Venezia, and Steve’s. Founder Gaelle Jaunay Calendini, a French-born, Los Angeles-based former video artist, has framed the venture as an attempt to bring art, sport, and hospitality into the same highly managed environment. The concept will next travel to Miami, Hong Kong, and Abu Dhabi, extending a format that sits squarely at the intersection of luxury travel and contemporary art spectacle.
