Lucci has affixed his signature to many famous landmarks in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, his art in the Arabian Court of the One & Only Royal Mirage, Dubai, will fascinate you. Interested in Art Deco? Look no further than the walls and ceilings of the VIP lounge in the Emirates Towers.
They say if you are born in Italy you will have a passion for art pulsating through your veins. It could not be more true than in the case of Saverio Lucci. Like the myriad colours, forms and lines on his canvas, Lucci is a man of many talents. An artist, art director and interior designer, this is a man who follows his heart when creating works of art.
In fact this facet of his life becomes evident the moment you step into his home in Jumeirah where almost every inch of wall is covered by his paintings. But what sets this man apart from others of his ilk is his versatility. Step into the corridor and a spectacular oil on wood creation will catch your eye. Move on to the living room and you won’t miss a striking work of art – a large black rectangular block of acrylic on which he has etched the fine silhouette of an African man.
Elsewhere you’ll find portraits, typical oil on canvas works reminiscent of the Renaissance style of painting, experiments with acrylic, wood and wax. The diverse styles are striking and an introduction to his rather eclectic repertoire. But that is just the artist in Lucci. As an art director and interior designer, Lucci has affixed his signature to many famous landmarks in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
If you want to live his Venetian Art Deco dream, step into Mercato Mall where you will be transported to the world of Italian frescoes. If you are looking for an opulent Arabian experience, his art in the Arabian Court of the One & Only Royal Mirage, Dubai, will fascinate you. Interested in Art Deco? Look no further than the walls and ceilings of the VIP lounge in the Emirates Towers. Another distinctly Lucci creation is the rather fine filigreed spread of the Rolex Dome of the Emirates Palace.
“I believe we have to make a choice of who we want to be early [in life],’’ he says. ‘‘I was fascinated by art and as a child made my choice of being an artist. But one has to be realistic. It is not easy to survive as an artist.
So in order to meet the challenges of running my family, I also took up commercial design and art. I try to balance my interior design work with my creative art,” says Lucci, who chose not to go to an art school as he
felt that his talent would be stifled by the academic and theoretical rigour. Instead he took up intensive self-study and opted for a diploma in industrial design.
“My artistic instinct that I put through the rigours of self-training, combined with industrial design helped me build a career in interior design and art direction.” It was this quality that held him in good stead when he got a chance to design not only interiors of hotels, business lounges and important landmarks in the UAE and Europe but also the sets of films such as Pirates of the Caribbean.
‘‘As a child I lived close to Venice in the picturesque fishing village of Comacchio. It is a very Renaissance town full of history and dotted with Renaissance statues. My earliest memories are of swimming and fishing in the river channel. I think the fact that I was so close to nature and surrounded by works of art inspired an artistic streak in me from a very young age.
Lucci considers a family friend and art collector, Valentino Capelli, his mentor. Capelli would come over to his home and critically appreciate his art. “He was our family doctor and would pay me a visit when I was ill. He noticed my paintings and he nurtured my skills. I almost became a part of his family and he often gave me suggestions and directions. When he graduated from the school of industrial design, Lucci began leading the double life of an interior designer by day and an artist by night.
It was nearly 30 years ago that Lucci came to Dubai at the invitation of an interior designer who was opening
a showroom here. Since he was used to the lush green foliage of his own fishing village back home, the stark desert landscape fascinated him. He saw the immense chance of growth he could have here and decided to stay. “I got work in the Middle East and as a freelance interior designer explored the markets in the Far East. I realised I could combine my own sensibilities as an Italian artist with the contemporary needs of the market and create eclectic designs that appealed to my clients.”
He had a vast knowledge of colours, textures, building materials, fabrics, stones and wood. Soon he won prestigious contracts such as art direction for Mercato Mall, a creation that Lucci is satisfied with. “A contractor was in place, I had to create a Venetian mood, replicate the structures of Italy in an Art Deco style. I actually recreated a Venetian bridge in the mall,’’ he says.
At the One & Only Royal Mirage, which had a more Mideastern, Moroccan theme, Lucci turned off his Renaissance sensibilities to usher in a contemporary Mideastern ambience. In every art direction project, Lucci has successfully combined his own sensibility as an artist to communicate the right mood and theme to the observer.
“My evolution is constant. Art has become very commercial today. People just throw colours on canvas and proclaim themselves artists. I think art has far more soul to it and it takes more than a lifetime to perfect your skills.”
For the first time, Lucci is holding an exhibition of his works at the Emirates Palace called “The Art of Kings”, on October 22. Lucci can be contacted at saverio@saveriolucci.com
