Held for the first time at the Genesis Art Gallery—designed by renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando—the Serpenti Infinite Tales exhibition concludes its global journey in Beijing. This final stop marks the largest Serpenti Factory to date, with extensive participation from both local and international artists.
"Throughout the history of human civilisation, the serpent has been a powerful symbol of bold visions and profound meaning, inspiring countless artistic and cultural creations. Bvlgari's Serpenti collection, with its iconic snake motif, embodies classic Italian aesthetics and female empowerment. The Bvlgari Serpenti Infinite Tales exhibition debuted in Shanghai and now arrives in Beijing, an inspiring city with a deep cultural heritage, to celebrate the grand finale of the Serpenti Factory. The Beijing exhibition showcases artworks that embody the spirit of transformation and innovation of Serpenti, allowing us to share this with the Chinese audience," said CEO Jean-Christophe Babin.
The Beijing edition of the Serpenti Infinite Tales exhibition showcases previously unpublished works alongside significant pieces from past international venues. The exhibition is a journey split into five thematic chapters that shed light on the enduring connection between the serpent motif and art, bridging the past and present as well as the East and West through the timeless symbol's multifaceted nature. Multimedia artist Wu Junyong created a contemporary ink animation installation titled "Seeds of Light", inspired by the caduceus of Asclepius, and the snake-bodied Gods Fuxi and Nuwa. Meanwhile, artist Wu Jian'an drew inspiration from an ancient Chinese text, creating "Zhu Long", featuring the snake-bodied ancient Chinese God of the same name achieved by utilising modern cutting and setting techniques with gold and silver coatings.
Aside from the works inspired by the Serpenti, Bvlgari also showcased a number of in-house creations in honour of the Serpenti's 140th anniversary. A series of high jewellery pieces draw inspiration from previous iconic iterations of the Serpenti as well as cultural ties to its Roman roots and China. And for the first time since its reveal in April of this year, the exhibition displays the Serpenti Tubogas watches done in collaboration with Ando—both as an honour to the architect responsible for the space that the exhibition is held in as well as the landmark debut artistic collaboration for the series.
The opening event was attended by 300 international guests, including Babin, brand ambassadors Yifei Liu and Leo Wu, as well as a number of celebrities and artists.
The Serpenti Infinite Tales exhibition is now open to the public until 18 August 2024 at the Genesis Art Gallery in Beijing.
