poster of the exhibition When Elegance meets Art” in Beijing

Legends

2018: dreams and beauty come together at the exhibition “When Elegance meets Art” in Beijing

From April 21 to August 5, 2018, the elegance and poetry of Van Cleef & Arpels’ creations came to light inside Beijing’s Today Art Museum. Originally presented in 2012 at the Paris Musée des Arts Décoratifs, the content of this exhibition was brought together once again for a several-month run in China, its first time outside of France. More than 360 creations from the Van Cleef & Arpels Collection and private collections were displayed chronologically, reflecting the evolution of the Maison’s style over time.

The Automate Fée Ondine, Van Cleef & Arpels

The set design, entrusted to Patrick Jouin and Sanjit Manku, offered the exhibition a dreamlike quality thanks to an ethereal decor inspired by mist-laden landscapes drawn in Chinese ink. In this mystery-laden setting, visitors wandered through the time periods, styles and sources of inspiration unique to the Maison. Iconic pieces spanning Van Cleef & Arpels’ history appeared against a backdrop of contemplative reverie, from the 1920s with the emerald and diamond necklace that once belonged to Princess Faiza of Egypt (1929), to the 21st century with the Automate Fée Ondine (2016).

Chrysanthemum clip, platinum, yellow gold, Mystery Set™ rubies, diamonds, Van Cleef & Arpels Collection

Collaret, 1929, in the former collection of Her Royal Highness Princess Faiza of Egypt, Van Cleef & Arpels collection, Patrick Gries © Van Cleef & Arpels SA

Founded in 2002, the Today Art Museum (TAM) is China’s foremost private non-profit museum. The institution operates as an international platform hosting modern art exhibitions, conferences, educational programs and artistic events. TAM also strives to establish genuine international dialogue while providing a structure to promote cultural exchanges between Chinese and foreign artists and institutions.