Asher Adams Hotel
Salt Lake City, Utah
- Historic Renovation
- Hospitality
- Mountain West
- Art Curation
- Athens Group
Local art collection reflects themes of discovery, travel, industry, landscapes, and locomotive history
91 artworks throughout public spaces including 17 originals
1,017 artworks throughout two guest room towers
Guest rooms feature 89 pinned butterflies and pressed flowers by Utah artists
3 commemorative history walls featuring photos and found objects related to the site
Collection showcases almost all local and regional artists
The Asher Adams Hotel Elevates Salt Lake City’s Food And Beverage Landscape Forbes
The Story
Located within Salt Lake City’s historic Union Pacific Depot, Asher Adams blends contemporary design with the romance of travel, proudly distinguishing itself as Salt Lake City’s living room. To reinforce this distinction, our team supported the historic renovation and expansion with a notable yet approachable art collection spanning public spaces and guest rooms. With over 1,000 artworks made primarily by Utah artists, the collection puts a modern spin on the history of the transcontinental railroad and the meaningful exchange of goods, ideas, and experiences.
Upon entry, visitors are greeted by artist Michael Dowling’s imagined portraits of the hotel’s namesake – railroad cartographers John R. Asher and George H. Adams. Nearby, fine art prints by SLC-based artist Andrea Jensen nod to local landscapes; western bronco artworks by Sam Nash distinguish the men’s and women’s restrooms; and a collage of manilla envelopes by Jean Richardson celebrate the exchange of knowledge through an abstract, aerial depiction of the dry, desert lands found in Utah.
Other highlights in the public spaces include an enamel mural by local artists Matt Monsoon and Brooklyn Ottens for the elevator vestibule, showcasing the Wasatch Mountains, desert canyons, and wetlands of Utah; three commemorative history walls featuring photos and found objects related to the site; and one commissioned “train” mural by Josh Scheuerman reproduced as an artwork vinyl for restaurant server station. Finally, an installation made of wood, paint, and antique USGS maps of Utah by Christopher Warren demonstrates vital parts of Utah’s rail history and their integration with the land.
The art program continues in the hotel’s guest rooms, where a sense of worldliness is expressed through a diversity of art typologies, materiality, and artist voices. From thoughtfully arranged gallery displays to pressed flowers and pinned butterflies, these artworks help guests feel at home within SLC’s living room, further reinforcing the feeling of “nostalgic rediscovery.”
Photos courtesy of Mickkail Cain
