Entering Villa NEO from the walkway, guests will be welcomed by a striking art installation of a woman. The statue was designed and built by local artist JEAN MARTIN. In this article we discover a little about Jean, the inspiration for his art and some information about Cyané.

Tell us a little about yourself, where did you study and what influences you.

I studied audio-visual in France as an editor cameraman. I worked a year in this field before heading for a job which suited me better. I trained as a welder and shortly afterwards arrived in St Barths. That was in 2011 and I have remained here ever since.

Tell us a little bit about the art you have created for Villa NEO

Cyané is a nut statue that represents the goddess of the wind. I designed and made it with nuts of different sizes which seem to fly backwards to give it a strong effect of movement. She is not in the wind. She is the wind.

Why did you use nuts as the medium for your art?

I used stainless steel nuts of superior quality. This allowed me to get a mirror-polished look that will stand the test of time. Stainless steel is widely used in the construction and development of villas in St Barths for the same reason. Using stainless steel to make Cyané and installing it in Villa NEO reminds me of the years I spent working on architecturally designed property as a welder.

What was Cyané influenced by, how long did she take to create and when did you install her?

Cyané was inspired by Greek mythology. She is the wife of Aolus, the God of Wind. Cyané is part of a series of Statues that I have designed, which includes Aphrodite, Venus and Apollo. I am inspired by the statues found in castle gardens in Europe and try to give these classics a modern look. We could describe them as post-classicism. I made Cyané in two weeks and I installed her in July 2018.

How should we look after Cyané?

This work is in stainless steel, and as does not oxidize so she will always keep her polished good looks. She will need the odd dusting off but very little else to keep her looking good.

What do you think about the setting of your art in the villa?

Villa NEO is spacious and the setting is perfect for Cyané. I’m delighted that she has remained in St Barths, which attracts people from all over the world to come to stay and rest. Thanks to her stable and immutable material, clean and perfectly regular aesthetics and her classic balance and measured posture, Cyané exude calm and serenity that creates a soothing atmosphere. She affirms the softness of the villa.

I am pleased with the installation of my work in Villa NEO and the delight it will give to all the guests that come to the Villa for their vacation.