A favorite spot at the recently refreshed Jubans is the moody Tigre Room, a library-ish parlor off the restaurant’s sprawling Atrium Bar. Situated behind a sliding trick wall, it’s become a sought-after space for sipping a cocktail or enjoying a meal. And one of the biggest reasons why is its artwork.
At first glance, the Tigre Room’s seven paintings seem like the stodgy heroic portraiture you spy on a museum field trip. But peer closer, and there go the bells of recognition. Yep, that’s Shaquille O’Neal, Joe Burrow, Tyrann Mathieu, Andrew Whitworth, Leonard Fournette, Alex Bregman and D-D Breaux staring back at you in period dress.
Response to the paintings has been big, says Hunter Territo, president of Xdesign, which led Jubans’ rebranding. Aside from the restaurant’s menu, the Tigre Room artwork is Jubans’ most photographed and shared element on social media, Territo says.
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“Guests constantly ask who painted them,” he says. “We’ve even had a couple guests reach out about wanting to purchase one of them, and also creating a custom one for someone they know.”
But, surprise! The works weren’t painted at all. They were digitally rendered by Xdesign lead designer Simone Broussard.
“People one-hundred percent think they are actual paintings,” Territo says. “(Simone) spent hours creating each one, perfectly pairing the posture and environment of each painting with that person. No detail was overlooked, down to the cigar in Joe Burrow’s hand.”
The portraits were a clever, high-low design move that enabled Jubans to fortify its Tiger Nation commitment while avoiding well-trod imagery. Absent are cartoonish Mikes and purple and gold. In their place is a vibe that’s part-Victorian explorer and part-Mad Men. Tigers—and peacocks—comprise colorful jungle wallpaper on one wall in this boozy backroom. A large screen TV ensures you won’t miss a big game.
Despite the artworks’ digital production, Xdesign has no plans to reproduce or sell them, Territo says.
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As for the subjects, Territo says their response has also been positive.
“Most of the people pictured have either seen their piece first-hand, or it has been shared with them via text,” he says. “The feedback has been very positive.” jubans.com
This article was originally published in the August 2022 Tiger Pride issue of 225 magazine.