Cartier

An Exhibition Exploring the Artistry of Time──Directed by Tokujin Yoshioka

“Cartier Time Art” Held at the Power Station of Art, Shanghai

At the Power Station of Art, China's largest museum of contemporary art, the exhibition “Cartier Time Art - Mechanic of Passion” is on display until Sunday, October 12th. Directed by designer Tokujin Yoshioka, this exhibition showcases Cartier's watch collection to the public, featuring 20 movements, 151 pieces from the classical collection, 15 modern pieces including the “ID One” concept watch, and 16 pieces from the Métiers d’Art collection.

Text by KAJII Makoto (OPENERS)

Delving into the Core of Cartier's Watchmaking

The special exhibition “Cartier Time Art - Mechanic of Passion,” currently being held in Shanghai, presents an unprecedented volume of Cartier's watchmaking history, from its origins to the present day. The exhibition is structured to evoke contemplation on the artistry of time, creating a space that feels like a journey between a long history and the unseen future.




Since 2011, this exhibition has toured internationally, visiting Switzerland (Musée d'Art et d'Histoire de Genève) and Singapore (ArtScience Museum). The third venue is the Power Station of Art in China. Here, new installations are also unveiled, offering a deeper exploration into the core of Cartier's watchmaking.

An Installation of 150,000 Fibers

A particular highlight is the installation “The Gate - Installation by Tokujin Yoshioka -,” created with transparent layers formed by 150,000 fibers. This transforms the vast space into a single lens, projecting images that transcend dimensions. Within this fantastical, light-filled scene, visitors are guided towards a future gateway that transcends time, through Cartier's concept watches “ID One” and “ID Two,” and lenses crafted from solid blocks of transparent acrylic.

“Time Art──Time Itself is Art

Tokujin Yoshioka, who directed the exhibition, answers a few questions about the show.





──You served as the art director for this exhibition of Cartier's timepiece collection. Could you tell us about the inspiration behind this project?



My first project with Cartier was as an exhibition director for the special exhibition “Story of... - Memory of Cartier creations” at the Tokyo National Museum's Hyokeikan in 2009. For that exhibition, I conceived a show centered on the stories embedded within each Cartier creation.



Two years later, in 2011, I began participating as director in the “Cartier Time Art” exhibition, which displays the largest number of Cartier timepieces to date. By merging the spirit of Cartier's artisans with avant-garde ideas for the future, rooted in its long history, the exhibition's structure aims to highlight Cartier's unique beauty and delve into the core of its watchmaking.



──Could you tell us about the title?



“Time Art──Time Itself is Art

Perhaps Cartier's most significant value lies not in the material object of the watch, but in its creation of the culture of time itself. This title carries the intention of conveying such a message to people around the world.



──Could you tell us about the concept behind your direction?



Cartier's endless pursuit of beauty and passion gives birth to time. The perfect harmony realized by the hands of artisans refines time itself into art.

Like light, wind, scent, and air, time cannot be seen with the eyes or grasped with the hands, yet it deeply and subtly permeates our daily lives. In a material society, time cultivated through experience holds value. I envision this exhibition as one that allows the new pulse of Cartier's time to resonate within each individual, weaving a tapestry of enriched moments.



──How did you plan the design to suit the vast exhibition space of the Power Station of Art (PSA)? And what kind of synergy do you anticipate between the PSA building and this exhibition?



What I appreciate about the PSA's architecture is not only its dynamic space but also the remnants of its past as a power station, the fragments of its long history preserved within the building itself. I believe this is its greatest charm. It is a space with profound interest and power, revealing a historical aspect at one moment and symbolizing the future at another. This duality, embodying both a long history and avant-garde ideas for the future, mirrors the beauty of Cartier itself.


I believe this exhibition creates a space where the relationship between 'past and future,' inherent in both the building and the exhibition, links and resonates.





Tokujin Yoshioka Direction “Cartier Time Art - Mechanic of Passion”

Dates: Until Sunday, October 12

Venue: Power Station of Art, Shanghai (Shanghai, China)

200 Huayuangang Rd, Huangpu, Shanghai

Opening Hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 9:00–17:00 (Closed Mondays)



Tokujin Yoshioka Design Office

www.tokujin.com