Art is everywhere in The Maldives. It’s all around, the natural beauty of the mangroves and the white sand, and the blue and azure waters. And it’s in many of the villas.
Looking up at the bathroom ceiling of Villa 67 at JOALI BEING is akin to viewing a pointillist paintings, perhaps a Seurat or Signac from the last decade of the 19th century. How ridiculous it is today to think that when the pair branched off from Impressionism they were ridiculed by critics. But artists who are later adored by those in the know are often hate figures at first – Botero, whose sculptures are such a joy in the gardens of WALDORF ASTORIA GRAND WAILEA in Maui and at SOFITEL SANTA CLARA in Cartagena, had the same derogatory effect at first (Botero sadly died a couple of weeks ago, at 91 – he was painting to the end)
Girlahead really loved her Joali Being space, a Grand Ocean Pool Villa, 92sq m interior and 230sq m total if you count in the 18m totally-private outdoor pool and substantial decking. Yes, it followed the Maldivian interior format of high cathedral ceilings and the whole divided into three equal areas. Sitting room and bedroom were pink-hued taupe, with a lifesize taupe stingray, made of china, on the end wall. The third, bathroom, area was the resort’s signature mint green, including the eight open-lattice ceiling dividers between bedroom and bathroom, and the tesselated bathroom ceiling above. There were just enough serious books scattered around to make the villa seem not only cultured but home-like.
Talking of home, Girlahead picked up one book casually laid out at the lunch place. It was Washing Up Is Good for Mindful Living in the Daily Grind (Octopus 2017 via ultimatelibrary.com). It was a typical American sermon book and, indeed, good for any soul – there was a particularly mindful chapter by Antonia Thompson, former Editor of Huffington Post. One of her strongest messages is impose time limits. Her hand-held vacuum cleaner, for instance, only works 20 minutes without re-charging, which means every 20 minutes she can then turn her attention to something else.
The Mind, and all that goes with it, is one of the four pillars of Joali (the others are Skin, Microbiome and Energy). Have the energy, and the mind, to paint, become a Surat or a Botero, and both Joalis have open any time studios, with all necessary ingredients. As Girlahead has already pointed out, having xylophones in villas promotes the art of music. Put all the arts together and hospitality benefits. Considerably.
