The grand finale of Bvlgari’s two-year long celebration of the Serpenti is an immersive exhibition of inspired exclusive artworks at Beijing’s Genesis Art Gallery designed by Tadao Ando
18 Serpenti-inspired artworks, created exclusively for Bvlgari, are unveiled at the ‘Serpenti Infinite Tales’ exhibition in the Genesis Art Gallery in Beijing. The largest Serpenti Factory thus far, it covers new unpublished works and a number of the most iconic artworks exhibited on tour. A memorable ending indeed, for this artistic initiative spotlighting the snake as an endless source of creative inspiration.
Launched last year, in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the iconic Serpenti collection, Bvlgari collaborated with contemporary artists all over the world to develop exclusive artworks revolving around the eclectic nature of Serpenti and its ability to embrace constant metamorphosis. The two-year long journey brought the Serpenti Factory to London, Madrid, Shanghai, Seoul, New York, Dubai, Milan, Tokyo, and now, Beijing. For the time ever, the Genesis Art Gallery, designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando, opens its doors to a luxury house.
The Serpenti icon for us embodies a profound connection with the world of arts, and the Serpenti Factory is an exceptional representation of this spirit. It fosters a dialogue between Eastern and Western cultures, enhancing the Maison’s cultural identity, built through 140 years of history of the brand.
Jean-Christophe Babin, Bvlgari CEO
Divided into five chapters, the multisensory experience explores the infinite facets of the serpent and the art forms it inspires. From heritage to craftsmanship, the final instalment of this artistic endeavour uncovers the inspirations, symbols, techniques and archives of the Maison that continue to influence the Serpenti.
CHAPTER I: The Legend of a Sign
The journey begins with a leap into the past to reveal the mystic power of the ancient totem. Access precious documentary materials including bronze artefacts, statues, reliefs, manuscripts, and other cultural relics from around the world that illustrate the profound impact of the symbol of the serpent in human history.
In terms of artwork, find multimedia artist Wu Junyong’s contemporary ink animation installation, “Seeds of Light” where Greek mythology meets Chinese legends. Transformative seeds of light travel through time and space, while the endless cycle of ouroboros shows the serpent’s eternal vitality.
Contemporary artist Wu Jian’an’s artwork “Zhu Long” (Candle Dragon) creates a fantasy world where the snake-bodied ancient Chinese God “Zhu Long” takes centrestage. Here, an intricate structure and effect is achieved by modern cutting and setting aesthetics, and techniques developed from gold and silver coating.
CHAPTER II: Crafting Sinuosity – From Heritage to Contemporary Creations
The second chapter narrates how Bvlgari’s creativity and craftsmanship manifests in the Serpenti creations from past to present, including new one-of-a-kind High Jewellery creations.
Particularly, there will be a chance to get a behind-the-scenes look at the process behind the Serpenti Aeterna necklace that requires more than 2800 hours to complete. A circular screen shows the emotional path that led to the creation of this work of art featuring seven D flawless diamond drops totaling 140.00 carats, one for each year of the brand’s history.
In honour of the architect who designed the space, the Tadao Ando x Serpenti Tubogas watches are unveiled here for the first time. Green aventurine, tiger’s eye, and either white or pink mother of pearl define each watch, representing the changing hues of a forest across the four seasons. The theme explores the fleeting splendour of nature, a theme dear to the Japanese architect.
CHAPTER III: Serpenti Echo
The journey continues with Italian artist Quayola’s mechanical installation “Sculpture Factory: Serpenti” – a large industrial robot that carves geometric patterns inspired by the form of the snake live on site, spurring a dialogue between history and modernity, and Chinese artist Liu Jiayu’s video installation “Golden Theater” capturing the snake’s transformative and regenerative essence.
CHAPTER IV: The Serpent New Legend – Tribute to Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage
The fourth part of this journey focuses on modern interpretations of traditional craftsmanship. Four young emerging artists – Chen Pengpeng, Jiang Ruiying, Qi Le, and Zheng Jiayan – manifest traditional techniques such as knotting, weaving and paper-cutting via different mediums in their avant-garde creations. As for Chinese artist Qian Lihuai, he pays homage to centuries-old bamboo-weaving techniques in his abstract sculpture “Serpentine”, where the serpent’s agility and vitality is presented through intricate bamboo structures with sharp angles reminiscent of jewel-cutting.
CHAPTER V: Serpenti Imagery
Moving on with this spirit of experimentation is a new wave of artworks that dive into the serpent’s multifaceted symbolism and evolutionary prowess. Daniel Rozin’s interactive wall installation “Snake Scales Mirror”, for one, creates a lifelike movement of the serpent’s scales that reflects viewers’ shadows.
Hong Seung-Hye’s “Serpenti” is a series of wall artworks interpreting the rich metaphors of the snake, while Jae-Eun Choi’s “Meeting the Morning Dew” adds to the space with warm colour to the walls and a saffron carpet, recalling dawn as darkness fades and the crimson light spreads. As dawn breaks, the golden snake glides elegantly, conveying endless energy.
Utopic Arabia’s “Serpenti Odyssey” takes viewers on a journey through time and space, tracing the serpent’s mythical journey from ancient Rome to the captivating Middle Eastern landscapes, on the hunt for its mythical origins through imaginative visuals.
What: Bvlgari Serpenti Factory – “Serpenti Infinite Tales”
When: Now till 18 Aug 2024, 12pm – 8pm
Where: Genesis Art Gallery, Beijing
Images courtesy of Bvlgari, artwork by Curatedition. All rights reserved.
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