Cartier celebrates century of Trinity ring with sparkling show in Shanghai
2024-07-04 to 2024-07-28
2024-07-04 to 2024-07-28
Cartier unveils the Trinity 100 Journey at West Bund Art Center in Shanghai, igniting a global tour to celebrate a century of Trinity.
The Trinity ring was first crafted in 1924 and commemorates its centennial as a timeless symbol of Cartier's core values. Designed with interlaced bands of yellow, white, and rose gold, the ring is a testament to enduring elegance and the multifaceted nature of love. Each twist and turn of the gold bands captures a different essence of affection and creativity, embodying unity and diversity.
The Trinity 100 Journey offers more than a glimpse into the jewelry maker's illustrious history, it is also an immersive odyssey that connects visitors with the brand's evolution of style and significance.
The Trinity 100 Journey unfurls with a salute to the number "three," a motif woven deeply into the fabric of Cartier's history. The intertwining of three gold rings, crafted from three different types of gold, evokes the trio of Cartier brothers – Louis, Pierre, and Jacques – as well as the historical significance of their flagship stores in Paris, London, and New York.
The deep connections between the three brothers and their iconic boutiques are magically mirrored in the harmonious structure of the Trinity, with each band interlocking seamlessly, devoid of any hierarchy or sequence.
It then dives into the Trinity's stylistic journey across a century, celebrating its evolution from a groundbreaking jewel to a symbol of Cartier's innovative spirit. Displayed alongside the iconic design are items such as the Ovale ballpoint pen and lighter, both adorned with the signature three-gold motif and goblets of mixed golds, showcasing the design's integration into everyday luxury.
A standout piece is the collaborative Trinity bracelet designed with Japanese fashion designer Chitose Abe, which reinterprets the ring's fluidity and elegance into a transformative modern accessory.
The highlight of the Trinity 100 Journey is the "Imagine Infinite Circles" space.
The highlight of the Trinity 100 Journey is the "Imagine Infinite Circles" space, a mesmerizing showcase where art transcends boundaries of form and geography. This project has brought together creatives from every corner of the globe and all walks of life, including contemporary artists, designers, movie directors, actors, musicians, and photographers around the world.
They contribute creative works inspired by the Trinity – symbols of unity, complexity, and continuity, each echoing the theme of interconnectedness and infinite possibility.
"Willpower Fuel" by Chen Yingjie is one of many works on display.
The painting "Willpower Fuel" by Chen Yingjie is dynamic and complex, visually interpreting the forces of time, space, light, vibration frequency, speed, angle, and temperature as they interweave to form a link across multiple dimensions.
The work suggests the existence of forces both perceptible and unmanifested within parallel universes. These elements push and merge, resembling the fuel that drives human and cosmic consciousness forward, sparking an innate awareness of the energy within all things in the universe. The prominent black feature in the work may symbolize a black hole, adding a profound depth and mystery that anchors the chaotic energy depicted throughout the piece.
Juju Wang's installation "Can We Please Last Forever?" is also featured.
In Chinese-American installation artist Juju Wang's evocative installation "Can We Please Last Forever?" candles are suspended in a circular form, each flame a poignant symbol of life's fleeting moments – from the joyous flickers of birthday celebrations to the solemn glows of funerals, and the reverent lights in temple rituals. This installation captures the universal role of candles in marking the passages of life, embodying desires, remembrances, and prayers from birth to death.
The piece casts an intricate play of shadows against the stark room, with silhouettes of three rings that seem to float along the walls, suggesting a journey or a crossing. These shadows, coupled with the delicate arrangement of candles, invite viewers to ponder the eternal human quest for permanence in a world of transience.
"Twist" by photographer Bob Wolfenson is part of the exhibition.
In "Twist" by Brazilian photographer Bob Wolfenson, the interplay of human forms and abstract movements captures the eye, invoking the visceral and the ephemeral. This series, born from a moment of devastation, transforms personal loss into a profound artistic exploration.
In 2020, a flood-ravaged Wolfenson's studio, destroying nearly 80 percent of his life's work. The remnants of these photographs, stained with mud, were initially slated for disposal. However, finding new meaning in their marred textures, Wolfenson chose to embrace the destruction as a catalyst for rebirth.
Each image in "Twist" is a celebration of resilience, showcasing figures entangled in dance or contorted in expression. The series can be seen as a metaphor for life's unanticipated disruptions and the beauty of enduring. Wolfenson sees this process of ruin, creation, and restoration as his "Trinity" – inextricably linked to the foundational human experiences of love, friendship, and kinship, without which he would not have sought to salvage these works.
After its first stopover in Shanghai, the Trinity 100 Journey will continue its tour in Singapore and Tokyo, and finish in the United States with a grand celebration.
Date: Through July 28
Hours: 10am-8pm
Address: 2555 Longteng Ave 龙腾大道2555号
Admission: Free