CHANEL has a tradition of working closely with the arts. Their newest art installment, CHANEL Mobile Art Container, is another example of their continued devotion to the arts. Since taking over the family business, Gabrielle Chanel has combined her personally relationship with arts and the "CHANEL way" to create this traveling art spectacle.
Karl Lagerfeld for CHANEL commissioned famed Iraqi architect/interior designer/mathematician Zaha Hadid to create what was called,"a very elaborate Chanel commercial". Those unfamiliar with Zaha Hadid, she is currently the only women to win the super prestigious Laureate Pritzker Architecture Prize, which she did in 2004. My personal view of her art is very conceptual and a futuristics aesthetic that is inspiring*unlike most trust* (check out Dune Formations @ Venice Art Biennale(2007)** She is so famous right now in the interior design & architecture world, Dezeen loves her; Also check TIME magazine top 100 people she wrote about Karl Lagerfeld).
The exhibition started in Hong Kong, the first stop of a two-year world tour, opened February 27 2008 and until April 5, showcasing the works of 20 international contemporary artists.
(converted from metric)
· The Mobile Art Structure is 95 ft wide, 148 ft long, and 20 ft high.
· It has a total surface area of 2,297 square meters
· The entrance is 420 square ft and includes a terrace, a 213 square ft courtyard, and a 82 square ft coat room.
· 51 tanks are needed to transport the 180-ton structure's 700 pieces by boat
· It will take 20 days to transport the pieces from Hong Kong to Tokyo
· To make transportation possible, each unique piece is no more than 1.2 in thick and 7.4 ft wide
· It will take four weeks to mount the structure at its first stop in Hong Kong, and 3 weeks in the subsequent cities.
· It will take 2 weeks to dismantle the structure.
· Site in Hong Kong: top level of the Star Ferry parking garage
· Site in Tokyo: a field at 2-1-1 Jinnan in Shibuya, beginning July 2008
· Other cities: London, Moscow, Paris (July 2010)
Fabrice Bousteau, the curator and a French art critic, envisioned Mobile Art as something akin to walking into a movie. "Mobile Art should not be visited, but only lived," he said. At the door, visitors are loaned an MP3 player with half an hour of narration and music. The show actually is a tour which journeys through the CHANEL Mobile Art Container leading to a nearby CHANEL store which will be merchandised in light of the installation. Also in commemoration of this epic event, all corresponding CHANEL stores will be selling a limited-edition iconic Mobile Art 2.55 bag in black for about $3,000.
Some show highlights include a film by Nobuyoshi Araki of Japan of a chained woman(CHANEL); a room/show titled "at the bottom" by the Japanese artist Tabaimo where visitors go up steps to look down a "well" where walls are covered with mysterious, seemingly floating objects, representing the dreams of Chanel customers; The exhibition finishes with a room dominated by a "wishing tree" by Yoko Ono, a wall of pictures by the American artist Stephen Shore detailing the handbag manufacturing process, and a giant Chanel purse open to reveal a Chanel compact by the Swiss artist Sylvie Fleur
Personally the best thing about CHANEL Mobile Art Container is the show's reasonably price at a whole 50 cents for "processing fees". Hopefully this will give the masses a chance to check out this wonderful project. I'm really excited about this so let me fore warn you: The trend for this show has been tickets selling out during the first week of its exhibition all the way through the closing day. Get your tickets early!!!!.
Also keep in mind the slated start of this exhibition is around September 2008 which I'm sure will be around or during the time of already hectic Fashion Week. I will be posting more information as soon I hear word, stay tuned..
