There’s something about the Greek island of Skorpios that attracts the wealthy and powerful. Aristotle Onassis owned the island (and is buried there), and currently the Russian oligarch Dmitry Rybolovlev — owner of the soccer team AS Monaco — holds a 99-year lease there. The question of what he plans to do on the island, however, is one that’s been hotly debated — and, given the aura of mystery that surrounds the project, that’s understandable.
As Town & Country reported last year, the Greek government has approved Rybolovlev’s plans to build a luxury resort on the island, and work on the project is ongoing. Writing at The Art Newspaper, Alexandra Bregman has more details on the project, as well as some speculation about how it might connect to Rybolovlev’s penchant for collecting art.
It’s worth mentioning here that Bregman is also responsible for an absolutely magnificent description of Skorpios, noting that “the reality is more James Bond than Four Seasons.” This includes both the island’s remote location and isolation, but also Rybolovlev’s plans to have much of the resort be underground, so as to preserve as much of the landscape as possible.
Bregman’s report also points to conflicting reports over whether or not some of Rybolovlev’s art collection would end up on display in the buildings currently under construction. Until the resort is finished, many of these questions will remain unanswered — but it’s not hard to see how this blend of luxury living and environmental isolation might spark speculation.
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