A travelling showcase of 200 creative interpretations of the luxury Maison’s signature trunk celebrates Monsieur Louis Vuitton’s bicentennial birthday.
Enter the Louis Vuitton family House in Asnières this December and January, and be enveloped in not just the architectural wonder and significance of the building, but also the fleeting splendour it is housing – 200 Trunk 200 Visionaries: The Exhibition.
The display consists of the imaginative works of 200 creatives from different fields who were invited to contribute their version of the emblematic Louis Vuitton trunk, as a tribute to the innovative legacy of the man himself. These talents span the realms of arts and culture, sciences, sports, global causes and more, including Jean-Michel Othoniel, Jean-Philippe Delhomme, Nigo and BTS. Appearing together for the first time, the works under the Louis 200 project celebrates what would have been the bicentennial birthday of the Maison’s founder.
This project has always been about creativity – a real tribute to Louis’s ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit. We get to see how such a cross-section of talents answered the same brief while also taking a moment to appreciate the man himself.
Faye McLeod, Visual Image Director of Louis Vuitton
Upon entering the exhibition, visitors are guided up the stairs to the first floor, finding themselves led through an elevated walkway where they can admire the exquisite 19th century architecture. Thereafter, they reach an optic briefing room where a single trunk is surrounded by LED screens with a Damier carpet underfoot. As they enter the first gallery, it feels like a passage through time where the trunks represent a bridge from time into space. The creations, stacked upon real crates which will be used to carry the trunks each time the exhibition travels, are staggered at different heights in random configurations and presented in both physical and digital formats. Amidst the mix of original art pieces and the screen-panelled ‘Magic boxes’, is the robot-trunk – Monsieur Louis – a futuristic transfiguration of object and creator.
As visitors descend to the ground level, the display continues as a vivid dreamscape punctuated with the remaining trunks, additional animations and immersive spaces. Here, visitors can also explore a lifestyle area where they can watch video interviews and browse books. But that’s not all. Follow the music and visitors will discover a hidden entrance to an audio speakeasy with 200 titles on rotation, dedicated to the functioning jukebox trunk by British DJ and producer, Benji B.
The travelling exhibition begins at the Louis Vuitton family House in Asnières this December and crosses over to the new year. Thereafter, this collective homage will leave its mark in New York, Tokyo, London and beyond, before ending its tour at a Sotheby’s auction in December 2022. All proceeds from the auction will fund a scholarship program established by Louis Vuitton to bridge inequality gaps across various creative fields. Regardless of financial means, young and talented creatives can further their learning journey and careers with access to artistic studies and development.
Images courtesy of Louis Vuitton, artwork by Curatedition. All rights reserved.
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