Cao Zhen

caozhen0806@126.com

French luxury jewelry brand Van Cleef & Arpels has brought more than 80 jewelry pieces from its patrimony collection and archives to the free “The Art of Movement” exhibition in Shenzhen.

Presenting a panorama of the brand’s creativity, the exhibition showcases emblematic pieces, new acquisitions as well as creations reflecting lifestyle evolutions over the decades. Although jewelry is static, the brand gives these gems life by taking inspiration from nature, art, sports and human adventures.

At the entrance, a floating matte ribbon takes the shape of an ethereal flower inspired by the Silhouette Flower clip, a 1930s representative design by Van Cleef & Arpels. The idea of movement can be seen throughout the exhibition which is divided into four themes: “Human Odyssey,” “Nature Alive,” “Elegance” and “Abstract Movement.”

In “Human Odyssey,” a striking piece is a butler ringing bell in the shape of the Varuna of New York yacht. Created around 1906, the bell has its ringing system concealed at the top of the yacht chimney. A necklace created in 1956 is attached with a gold Mystère IV fighter jet; French aircraft manufacturer Marcel Dassault once offered this necklace to Jacqueline Auriol, France’s first woman pilot.

Some creations inspired by birds, fairies, insects and feathers express the brand’s appreciation and awe of nature. In addition to the elegant designs inspired by dancers and objects, Van Cleef & Arpels also pays tribute to sports, as is the case on a cigarette box made in 1935. On the lid, a skier rubs shoulders with a golfer and a jockey, while a rabbit seems ready to leap out of the scenery.

Since its founding in 1906, the brand has also drawn inspiration from couture, possibly homage to its place of birth, Paris. One of the features of these jewels is that they can be split apart and match different outfits. A ribbon-shaped necklace can transformed into a brooch, while a pair of clips can be separately used to adorn each side of a woman’s neckline.

The classic brand is also attentive to the ever-changing artistic movements and interprets them in a novel way. From the geometrically-decorated boxes of the 1920s to the 1960s abstract works, creations in the final section give yet one more burst of creativity.

Dates: Until Feb. 28

Venue: Park View Gallery, 1/F, Sea World Culture and Arts Center, Nanshan District (南山区海上世界文化艺术中心一楼园景展馆)

Metro: Line 2 to Sea World Station (海上世界站), Exit A