It's All In The Details
By JILLIAN DARA
Intricate elements of Charleston's history were transposed into multiple murals by Georgia-based artist Jill Biskin for Hotel Bennett's two-story rotunda.
Located just steps from Marion Square, Hotel Bennett may symbolize contemporary Charleston with its rosy-hued Champagne lounge, grand columns and luxury amenities, but as opulent as the obvious is, guests with a discerning eye will recognize the past is paid due respect.
During the hotel's construction, Design Continuum, the property's interior design team, sought out Athens, Georgia-based artist Jill Biskin to commission a 360-degree panoramic view of the 18th century Charleston Harbor spanning the curved panels of the hotel's rotunda. Biskin recalls the request to create this period piece as four murals in the style of Zuber, who since 1797 led the scenic technique of fashioning hundreds of wood blocks into a cohesive, and sprawling, painting.
MURALS AT BENNETT
"I did a lot of research," says Biskin, who was already comfortable working on large-scale, painting stage scenery, including for opera sets in New York City. For style, this included a visit to the Cooper Hewitt and Metropolitan Museum to meet with curators who pulled the entirety of Zuber collections they had accessible. And for context, Biskin peeked into the past through the likes of a 1774 English painting and original etching based on the View of Charles Town from 1775.
The challenge, she says, was figuring out how to layer stencils on seamless linen, which the used to replicate the Zuber style. "I've used stencils for many years but there were hundreds of stencils involved, some eight-feet long. I took it beyond the depth of that technique," says Biskin, who adds that there was no brushwork involved. "I used a spray gun to create the subtle blue transitions in the sky and the reflections in the water."
MURALS AT BENNETT
This detail, though, is what drives Biskin, as she appreciated the intricacies of the panorama. "I've always loved painting architecture, so I really enjoyed going into the spires of the historic churches and painting the tiny details the tracery of the churches, the windows, the light fittings" She also detailed the facts of 18th century ships that she stenciled in the forefront, garden gates from the grounds of the Richmond Plantation, two dogs on the front lawn belonging to Hotel Bennett's owner, Michael Bennett, and seasonal butterflies, inspired by her own garden that was in spring bloom during the time of painting.
"I enjoyed transposing those elements into the murals," says Biskin, adding that altogether she dedicated a year to the project. The Rotunda mural actually spans two stories, while the second floor showcases the sky and birds native to the area. There are also three additional murals from Biskin showcasing Charleston gardens in the hotel's Observatory room on the ninth floor. The murals in their entirety are worth checking in for, but if you're simply in town for the day, they can also be viewed before a glass of bubbles at Camellias.
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