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THE ART OF SAILING At the headquarters of The Italian Sea Group everything is designed to place the maximum emphasis on owners, including an exclusive gallery of works by the most important international artists by Micaela Zucconi
Left, Emanuele Giannelli, For Timothy, resin, 1998. Courtesy of the artist. Above, in the company’s reception, Sabrina Ferrari, Bulldozer, bronze, Courtesy of Galleria Laura Tartarelli.
I
t all began with the purchase of a work of art. Since then
spirit. He acquired Tecnomar, a long-established brand on Italy’s
Giovanni Costantino has never looked back, filling the
nautical scene, and then the Admiral brand in 2011 and Nuovi
premises of his The Italian Sea Group with works by an array
Cantieri Apuania of Marina di Carrara in 2012. And so The
of prestigious artists. He’s never been one for resting on his
Italian Sea Group came into being. Now, only 12 years from the
laurels, whatever job he’s taken on. Born in 1963, at the age of
start of the adventure, Costantino is one of the most respected
nineteen Costantino was already a building and bespoke furniture
international players in the luxury yacht industry, building and
entrepreneur. He then moved on to a collaboration with Natuzzi,
refitting motoryachts and ships up to 100 metres in length, the type
becoming general director in 2000. In 2008 he branched out
of career arc that would normally take at least a couple of decades
into another field – yacht building – and a new phase of his life
to travel. So we come to 2014 and the opening of the second,
began as he quit the urban frenzy of Milan and moved to Versilia.
innovative centre at Marina di Carrara. “We developed it over the
As a native of Puglia the sea exerted an irresistible pull on his
course of the past nine years. In an area of 100,000 square metres
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there are 30,000 square metres of yard plus the admin area with three office buildings and the Village, which is intended especially for owners and crews with accommodation, a cutting edge spa, cinema, gourmet restaurant, gym with personal trainer, lounge bar and music, also offering live jazz and quality performers. All this means we lavish attention on our valued clientele and ensure discretion and privacy as admittance is reserved. This exclusive structure appeals to the world’s richest people”, says Costantino, who emphasises the importance of details. One of these is the works of art, a passion he developed encountering friends with links to the arts. There are currently around a hundred pieces in the corridors, meeting rooms, boardrooms and halls, creating an art gallery spread throughout the headquarters with installations, sculptures and paintings. “In line with my idea of corporate agility they’re reorganised every month on the basis of new acquisitions by internationally recognised and up-and-coming artists, giving the emerging artists a chance to be seen. The collection is constantly
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Pictured here, Leo Demetz, Il fuggitivo, p from the CEO’s private collection Opposite page, top left, Daphné Du Barry, La Trapéziste, bronze. Right, Emanuele Giannelli, I visionari, resin. Bottom, Daniele Basso, Hic sunt Leones, hand polished mirror-finish steel, Courtesy of Galleria Laura Tartarelli
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To side, left, Andrea Roggi, L’albero della vita, bronze, Courtesy of Galleria Laura Tartarelli. Right, Manfred Kielhofer, Guardian of Time, Courtesy of Galleria Claudio Poleschi Arte Contemporanea. Bottom, Becky Rosa, Birkcream: Red, 2015, Courtesy of Galleria Claudio Poleschi Arte Contemporanea
evolving”. This creative, atypical CEO takes a personal interest in all this, alongside his artistic director Gian Marco Campanino, assessing every individual work and inspiring emotion. “Owners like having art works on board, with pieces by artists like Jeff Koons and Ciro Palumbo. They are often expert collectors and by exhibiting art we provide stimulus and inspiration for their yacht interiors. Sometimes clients fall in love with a work and in that case we place them in direct contact with the artist or the art galleries who collaborate with us. We simply act as go-between”. In such special surroundings everyone feels at ease. For example, champion mixed martial artist and boxer Conor McGregor, who had bought the tecnomar Lamborghini 63, arrived with his family and stayed for dinner until 11 in the evening. This gallery in the corporate headquarters also brings benefits for the staff – working there is a pleasant, stimulating experience. “Creativity is our daily bread. When a project comes to an end I have to stop myself changing everything because in the meantime they’ve come up with a whole set of new ideas. I felt the lovely, unconventional Geco, the most recent 55-metre, coursing through my veins. Around 25 young architects work with us, and they have a hard-driving, almost arrogant approach. But the results speak for themselves. The company is my home, the team is my family. I grab a quick lunch with the managers in the company restaurant in the main building. We also have one for visitors that can host between 150 and 200 guests for lunch. We’re a dynamic organisation that’s open to the world”.
Giovanni da Monreale, “15” series of works, from the CEO’s private collection. Bottom, Aurelio Amendola, La Pietà, from the CEO’s private collection
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