EXPLORING HERITAGE TO SHAPE THE FUTURE – IN CONVERSATION WITH ALBERTO DEON AND NMR STUDIO
Real innovation happens when history is studied in its depth to sharpen awareness and dive…
Interview by Sina Braetz
THE GRAND FINALE: BULGARI’S SERPENTI FACTORY IN BEIJING
In celebration of the 75th anniversary of the iconic Serpenti collection, Bvlgari launched the Serpenti Factory, an artistic initiative focusing on the snake as an endless source of creative production.
Honoring endless creativity, craftsmanship, tradition, and the beauty of symbolism, we dived into the world of a precious icon not only to celebrate a special anniversary but also a powerful cultural moment. The eighteen artworks made exclusively for Bvlgari Serpenti Infinite Tales’ exhibition took us back to rich history whilst jumping into the future at the very same time, showing the huge influence of the serpenti symbol on different cultures and the art world.
Marking a special finale, the house celebrates the largest factory in China’s capital after having visited London, Madrid, Shanghai, Seoul, New York, Dubai, Milan, and Tokyo. The factory includes a series of creative collaborations between Bvlgari and international contemporary artists who developed exclusive artworks shedding light on the eclectic nature of Serpenti and its ability to embrace constant metamorphosis. In the focus for this one are Serpenti interpretations from Chinese artists, using diverse media and elements to express their vision on the long history of this powerful symbol and icon. Genesis Art Gallery, designed by the visionary Japanese architect Tadao Ando, serves as the setting for the exhibition, which is still open to the public until August 18th. A beautiful dialog between Eastern and Westsern cultures that also looks back at 140 years of Bvlgari history. Split into five thematic chapters, the many different facets of the iconic symbol are being explored, embracing in so many diverse ways the mystic power of the ancient totem. From multimedia artist Wu Junyong and its ink animation installation to Chinese artist Qian Lihuai who created an homage to traditional Chinese craftsmanship by using China’s bamboo weaving cultural heritage for his abstract culture, to one of the show’s highlights by Italian artist Quayola who worked with modern algorithms in his industrial robot installation, carving geometric patterns inspired by snake forms—there are no creative limits.
Numéro Berlin spoke to the Maison’s CEO Jean-Christophe Babin about finding innovation through deep-rooted heritage.
How would you describe the dialogue between Eastern and Western cultures opened through the Serpenti icon?
Choosing international artists was wonderful because it allowed us to see our icon Serpenti truly changing its skin in many different ways. Through artworks that focus on craftsmanship, others focus more on technology or AI. Behind each one is the human factor and the vision.
What are your hopes for this special Grand Finale in Beijing?
What I have wished for all the factories is that the message we want to convey comes through and that many people can experience the visit. It is a project with a lot of storytelling, and what I desire the most is that it leaves something beautiful and indelible for those who have the opportunity to visit it. But it was also an experience through which the evolution of the brand is shared and showed how history can be connected to the future.
How did you experience the factory traveling to London, Shanghai, Madrid, Seoul, New York, Dubai, Milan, and Tokyo?
It was wonderful to see the public’s reaction. It allowed us to tell such an important part of the brand’s history in a different, sometimes even more direct way. In every factory, we exhibited the artists’ works, as well as the Serpenti jewelry that inspired them. It was truly an incredible journey that allowed us to cross different cultures, and every city welcomed us with enthusiasm and significant presence.
«It is a project with a lot of storytelling, and what I desire the most is that it leaves something beautiful and indelible for those who have the opportunity to visit it».
What is for you the most powerful element about the Serpenti factory?
Overall, I can say that the most powerful element of the Bvlgari Serpenti factory is its ability to marry deep-rooted heritage with forward-thinking innovation. Allowing the Serpent to be reinterpreted through different eyes by artists to whom we have given full freedom to create their personal vision of the icon that has helped make Bvlgari an excellence in the world of luxury. A perfect bridge between the consistency of the past and a contemporary vision.
Has the bridge to art and its conversation become more important for the brand over the past few years?
Bvlgari has been engaged in this dialogue for several years now. The dialogue between a luxury brand like ours and a world that seemingly is different… Our creations are forms of art, and we can incredibly say that an artist manages to be much closer to them than others. These are two worlds that intersect, and we have experienced how this union gives life to wonderful creations. For this reason, we do not want to stop and will continue this narrative. Art itself helps tell the story of our creations and allows us to see new perspectives that we might never have considered. To achieve all this, we must be open to what seemingly does not belong to us until we understand that it is part of our creative process.
Where do you see exciting potentials in Bulgari’s future but also in the ever-evolving Serpenti symbol / collection?
Serpenti is by its nature an inexhaustible source of evolutions. We know our icon well and its ability to amaze us. We are about to enter the Year of the Snake in 2025, so we expect much more to happen!
«Art itself helps tell the story of our creations and allows us to see new perspectives that we might never have considered».
