Following the Gucci Beloved talk show series created in collaboration with renowned film director Harmony Korine, and the classic Beloved handbag series, creative director Alessandro Michele once again surprises with a special project to celebrate Gucci’s 100th anniversary. The “Gucci Garden Archetypes” exhibition in Florence showcases the brand’s creative advertising campaigns in a unique multimedia format, exploring the inspiration behind them.
//15 advertising campaigns that reproduce beauty, perfume, and fashion//
“Gucci Garden Archetypes” is like Alessandro Michele’s fantasy world, the exhibition travels between Tokyo and Los Angeles, the British Northern Soul music movement, and the May 1968 movement in France. The mysterious ark builder, interstellar explorer, swift horse, dancer, angel, and alien all make appearances at the exhibition, echoing Gucci’s recent advertising campaigns that traverse the fields of music, art, travel, and popular culture.
Before entering the venue, visitors will first come to the exhibition entrance designed by Archivio Personale studio, which is like a backstage control room. They will see the live scene of the exhibition through divided screens, and inside the venue, different themed spaces and corridors form a network, presenting the visual world of 15 Gucci advertising campaigns, including beauty, perfume, and fashion.
//Definition of Beauty and Modern Feminism//
The Gucci Beauty lipstick advertisement campaign at this exhibition is presented in a large screen stacking format, capturing punk singer Dani Miller’s smile from different angles, showcasing the bold, cheerful, and beautiful concept, allowing viewers to relive the stunning images that shook the makeup world at that time.
Stepping into the floral paradise of Gucci Bloom, this is the secret garden of the 3 advertising protagonists: actress Dakota Johnson, feminist artist Petra Collins, and transgender model Hari Nef, representing the diversity of modern feminism.
//Shiny and glamorous Tokyo//
In addition to advertising campaigns for cosmetics and perfumes, the exhibition also recreates the fashion collections from 2015 to 2020 with unique decorations. For example, the enchanting scene from the 2016 autumn/winter collection advertising campaign was created with 150,000 sequins, inviting everyone to embark on a sparkling journey through Tokyo.
//The dancer’s world of revelry and strange alien landscapes//
In the early autumn 2017 series advertisement plan, the dancers of the Chinese gorgeous carnival appeared in a room resembling a dance floor. This dance floor is created with circular projections, playing forward-looking advertisement plans featuring predominantly black models, paying tribute to black culture.
The exhibition also brings to life the museum-style scene models of the autumn/winter collection advertisements of the same year, creating a strange alien world with a variety of creatures, aliens, and explorers.
//Fashion project infused with artistic colors//
The exhibition also features many artistic works, such as the brand’s fashion advertisement in the early autumn 2018 collection, paying tribute to the French May 68 movement that entered its 50th year at the time. This exhibition recreates the atmosphere of that time with a staircase covered in graffiti.
Do you still remember the artwork hidden in the 2018 spring/summer collection? This exhibition recreates the brand’s invitation to interdisciplinary artist Ignasi Monreal to create a giant mural that took 900 hours to complete. The work covers the walls and ceiling, creating a truly stunning effect.
You can also step into the world of collectors in the 2018 autumn/winter series advertising campaign, where the exhibition area is filled with thousands of butterfly specimens, cuckoo clocks, colorful wigs, and sneakers. In this visually overwhelming room, experience the obsession with craftsmanship and fashion art pieces.
//2-week online virtual exhibition//
It is worth mentioning the highlights of the fantasy world in the early spring 2019 series, the behind-the-scenes of the “Century Party” in the early spring 2020 series, and other exhibition focuses. Although unable to personally visit the exhibition, fashion enthusiasts can start visiting the virtual exhibition online from May 17 at https://virtualtourguccigarden.gucci.com/#/en. The online exhibition will only last for two weeks, so everyone remember to take this opportunity to enjoy it!
圖片來源：GUCCI
