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In art-filled home, every piece tells a story
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WHEN Uruguay’s ambassador to China, Fernando Lugris, moved into his apartment in downtown Beijing he envisaged turning it into a welcoming, arty home that could also represent his country’s unique strengths and charms.
Lugris arrived in Beijing in December as a first-time ambassador, after a 16-year diplomatic career that’s included a string of overseas postings. He was thrilled to take this important posting in Beijing and raise his country’s profile in China.
When it came to choosing the right residence to represent his home country, his top goal was to find a spacious city apartment with open space, abundant natural lighting, convenient design and nice views.
“This is an ideal space to receive Chinese friends and Uruguayan guests, especially Uruguayan artists who would come here on a regular basis. This is a year of cultural exchange between Latin America and China and I’m happy to create the right atmosphere here to showcase our country’s vibrant artistic scene,’’ Lugris said.
“Uruguay is exporting high-quality agricultural products to China and in Chinese peoples’ mind we are also excellent at playing football. But there is something more. There is a lot going on in our cultural scene and it’s my job to bring some of the great Uruguayan artists to China and facilitate our people-to-people exchanges,’’ he added.
The ambassador swiftly set about transforming his Beijing apartment into a space that would work aesthetically and practically. After much planning, every detail was finalized.
The neutral white background sets the stage for the vibrant colors of the apartment’s artwork and furnishings. In every corner, Lugris created a stage for pieces in his impressive collection.
“My style is very eclectic, contemporary and personal,” says Lugris. “It shows where I come from and my own way of mixing objects and arts collected from my previous postings. But most importantly, it projects an image of a fascinating, modern Uruguay.’’
Lugris’ living and dining room displays a well-curated collection of paintings and artworks from Uruguayan and Latin American artists, which together set the tone for the apartment.
Lugris pointed to a painting — one of his favorites, he says — by Argentinian artist Nicolas Garcia Uriburu, a well-known landscape painter, environmental activist and close friend of the ambassador.
“He is the father of the environment movement. I’ve been involved in environmental negotiations for many years and he has been a great supporter and mentor in my career... This artist represents one of my strongest beliefs and passions.’’ According to Lugris, Uriburu is also a major collector of Uruguayan sculpture from the 19th century, and donated his collection to a museum in Uruguay.
In the living room, there is another striking sculpture piece, “Saint Sebastian,” created by young Uruguayan artist Perez Gomar. This item is one of many referencing the early Christian martyr, who is often depicted with arrows in his flesh.
“This sculpture used to hang over my dining table in my house in Montevideo, Uruguay. Now it has found its place in my Beijing home, next to the floor-to-ceiling windows,’’ he said.
The ambassador brought the artwork from another dear friend — Rita Fischer, an important figure in the Uruguayan contemporary art scene. “She lived in my house in Berlin for a while. This piece ‘Any Place’ is special: It could be a landscape in Uruguay, or it could be anywhere in the world. She is trying to say that your place in the world is where you are. This is an important message for someone like me who travels around the world and lives abroad,’’ Lugris said.
“Any Place’’ has found a home in Lugris’ library, next to the living room where he displays items collected during his travels. These include African tribal accessories, Peruvian silverware and Nepalese handicrafts.
“The interior of this room is definitely eclectic, with different cultures and styles all playing off each other. You can obviously see I love African art. My work brought me many times to South Africa, Ethiopia, and I had the chance to discover beautiful artifacts,’’ Lugris said.
Creative mixing and matching can be found throughout the ambassador’s art-strewn residence, where works both delicate and imposing, masculine and feminine co-exist in contrasting arrangements. One interestingly arranged area is the dining room, where a collection of works by various artists depicting Saint Sebastian are arranged around the dining table.
“When I started to buy one Saint Sebastian painting, some artist friends who created artworks of this figure also contributed to my collection, so without noticing it I’ve become a collector of Saint Sebastian art pieces,’’ he said. The more than 20 pieces here include historic Saint Sebastian paintings, modern sculptures and other forms of art, most of which are from Uruguayan artists.
The bedroom is simplistic but one corner reflects Lugris’ own identity. Photographs of the iconic architecture in Montevideo remind him of his roots and where his heart belongs.
With its mix of subtle and bold colors, modern furniture and eye-catching artworks, the residence has both a unique character and a welcoming atmosphere.
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