‘Van Cleef & Arpels: Time, Nature, Love’ Exhibition in Seoul
The Van Cleef & Arpels exhibition in Seoul at the D Museum is open until April 14 at the D Museum near Seou Forest - featuring the iconic Zip necklace. I took me long to get there but was able to make it , so I decided to give you a bit of an overview because it was truly a masterclass in exhibition design – not to mention the actual pieces on display. As introduced by the brand itself, “over 300 jewelry creations, watches, precious objects and archives produced since the Maison was founded in 1906 are gathered for the occasion.”
Beautifully curated by Alba Cappellieri, Professor at Milan Polytechnic and Stanford University, the exhibition spread out across two floors
The exhibition introduced the family history and a number of the most iconic and breathtaking designs, including the aforementioned Zip necklace created in 1950
There were numerous sketches on display, helping the visitors immerse themselves in the creative process and appreciate the thought and skill that is required to design a high-jewelry piece
The curator played with intricate designs and the shadows they cast, showcasing elaborate jewelery in a modern setting
There were also some wondrous everyday items turned into intricate pieces of jewelry, such as cigarette lighter, a makeup set, and even a mini evening bag
The passage to the second section was animated by a vibrand projection – not only an extention of the nature theme and extremely sensory experience but also the perfect place to take a photo
The second floor was filled with jewelry taking inspiration from plants and animals, including some very intricate – and intriguing – pieces like a bird cage with the bird created out of a precious stone
Finally, this space had a luminous sculpture at the center, created by Johanna Grawunder called Dichroic Confetti that was just mind-bogglingly beautiful – it played with light, reflection and was just a feast for the senses
This was the first time I have visited an exhibition created by a High Jewelry Maison and I have to say the playfulness and multi-dimensional aspect of it will make it quite difficult for others to top it.
