Guangzhou Edition Following Shanghai And Beijing Successes
Culture Chanel, Guangzhou
Following previous appearances in Shanghai and Beijing, the acclaimed traveling exhibition “Culture Chanel” launches on January 16 at the Zaha Hadid-designed Guangzhou Opera House. Running through March 3, the third mainland China installment of Culture Chanel is again curated by Jean-Louis Froment, and — in partnership with the Guangdong Museum of Art — includes around 400 pieces spanning the brand’s history. As WWD notes, the centerpiece for the Guangzhou show is Pablo Picasso’s largest work, the massive backdrop for the 1924 ballet “Le Train Bleu,” on loan from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Additional items on show for the first time in China include works by Amadeo Modigliani and 30 drawings by Picasso.
Chanel is one of many luxury brands to spend the last several years aligning themselves with China’s art scene, hosting numerous exhibitions and partnering with Chinese artists and museums. Recent (and at times controversial) luxury-art partnerships include Louis Vuitton’s “Voyages,” Bulgari’s Beijing retrospective, Fendi’s legendary Great Wall showcase, and Cartier’s Forbidden City extravaganza. This past summer, Chanel’s worldwide “The Little Black Jacket” tour hit Hong Kong, featuring 120 black-and-white photographs of models, celebrities and other fashionable types donning the titular Chanel jacket.
As for “Culture Chanel,” considering the warm reception the exhibition enjoyed in Shanghai and Beijing, we expect crowds in Guangzhou to flock to the third installment as well.
Guangzhou Opera House (official website)
Culture Chanel at NAMoC in Beijing (Photo: Zandie Brockett for Jing Daily)