"LOUIS VUITTON &" Exhibition Looks Back at the Maison's 160-Year History Through 10 Themes | LOUIS VUITTON
LOUIS VUITTON
An Exhibition Exploring Creative Exchanges and Artistic Collaborations
Held in Harajuku, Tokyo, until Sunday, May 16, 2021, "LOUIS VUITTON &" is an exhibition that looks back at the creative exchanges and artistic collaborations of Louis Vuitton, a Maison with over 160 years of history. The venue is divided into 10 spaces, focusing on the savoir-faire (craftsmanship) and history of inspiration embedded in past works, bringing together collaborations with internationally active artists and designers.
Text by OZAKI Sayaka | Edit by TSUCHIDA Takashi
Featuring Valued Collaborations with Kansai Yamamoto, Yayoi Kusama, and Rei Kawakubo
The exhibition "LOUIS VUITTON &," which delves into Louis Vuitton's over 160-year history of creative exchanges and artistic collaborations since its founding, is being held in Harajuku, Tokyo. It celebrates numerous visionary Japanese artists and internationally active personalities, focusing on the history of respect and inspiration that has been continuously nurtured between them and the Maison. The exhibition, comprising 10 spaces, showcases creations from various eras.
The first space, "Critical Point," features an installation by Japanese artist Ryoji Ikeda. A video, paying homage to the Maison's collaborations with artists over the past century and their creativity, unfolds across a multimedia installation with mirrored floors and suspended LED screens.
The second space, "Louis Vuitton: The Spirit of Heritage," introduces the Maison's history, starting from its origins as a craftsman's apprentice under a layetier-emballeur (trunk maker and packer) who eventually handled customized order trunks for all needs, alongside portraits of the founder Louis Vuitton by Pei-Ming, Alex Katz, and Refik Anadol.
The third space, "Artistic Collaborations: Crafting Tradition," introduces the origins of the Maison and its artistic collaborations within a psychedelic space where novel photographs captured by Kenta Cobayashi are displayed alongside Gaston-Louis Vuitton's renowned window displays. It features visual merchandising from collaborations with the Art Deco designer Pierre-Émile Legrand, works with Kabuki actor Ebizo XI, and selected masterpieces from the "Objets Nomades Collection." Alongside the Maison's iconic trunks and luggage, pieces like nendo's "Surface Lamp" and Tokujin Yoshioka's "Blossom Stool" stand out with their unique flair.
The fourth space is dedicated to "Art Adorning Silk." Louis Vuitton began its textile series collaborations in the late 1980s, primarily creating unique and diverse designs for its "Carré de Soie" (silk scarf) series. Scarves that fuse the smooth, simple beauty of the finest silk with the bold spirit and contemporary touch of participating artists are displayed wall-to-wall. Visitors can also admire scarves by the Japanese metabolist architect Arata Isozaki and unique scarves by French visual artist Jean-Pierre Raynaud that graphically reinterpret ginkgo leaves.
The fifth space is "Reinterpreting Icons." This section showcases creations born from collaborations initiated in 1996 and 2014, marking the 100th anniversary of the Maison's iconic "Monogram," where world-renowned designers and exceptionally creative individuals were invited to reinterpret the Maison's bags. Valuable archives are on display, including Karl Lagerfeld's "Punching Bag," Cindy Sherman's "Studio Trunk," Helmut Lang's "DJ Trunk," and Rei Kawakubo's avant-garde reinterpretation of the iconic tote bag. These demonstrate the remarkable creations that emerge when the talents of artists with extraordinary imagination merge with Louis Vuitton's savoir-faire.
The sixth space is "Louis Vuitton by Rei Kawakubo." The capsule collections "Bag with Holes" (2014) and "Party Bag" (2008) introduced avant-garde designs, bringing new forms and expanded functionality to the Maison. A limited-edition leather bag designed exclusively for this exhibition is also displayed. In this space, visitors can view the collection through six holes designed to evoke the volume, proportions, and textures of "Bag with Holes," creating an illusion of looking at the exhibits from inside a bag.
The seventh space is "Bags as Blank Canvases." It features Boston bags like the "Keepall," where renowned artists such as Stephen Sprouse reinterpreted and incorporated the iconic Monogram motif, and the "Arty Capucines" collection, where the Maison's ateliers brought to life original designs created by 12 artists.
The eighth space is "Louis Vuitton and Japan: A Legend of Leather Goods." Here, leather goods by Yayoi Kusama and Takashi Murakami, who have collaborated with Louis Vuitton, are exhibited. Kusama's collaboration with Louis Vuitton began in 2012, featuring a striking interplay between the "Monogram" and Kusama's signature repeating dots. From the "Neverfull" bag to the gold "Malle" inspired by the pumpkin motif frequently appearing in Kusama's works, the display showcases a trompe-l'œil effect and a fusion of diverse approaches and repeating motifs. Murakami's collaboration features bold and pop collections with cherry blossoms combined with the "Monogram" and depictions of flowers.
The ninth space is "Where Art Meets Fashion." Since Louis Vuitton launched its fashion collection in 1998, bold collaborations with renowned artists have consistently generated buzz and popularity. Artists such as Stephen Sprouse, Richard Prince, Jake and Dinos Chapman, Daniel Buren, Yayoi Kusama, Christopher Nemeth, and Grace Coddington, alongside Louis Vuitton's womenswear and menswear designers Marc Jacobs, Nicolas Ghesquière, Kim Jones, and Virgil Abloh, have engaged in diverse collaborations. These collection pieces are exhibited alongside footage from the respective fashion shows.
The final space, "Louis Vuitton and Japan: A Fashionable Love Story," showcases creations and collaborations inspired by Japanese artists and designers. Pieces from the 2018 Cruise Collection, incorporating motifs honoring the legendary figures of the art and fashion worlds, Kansai Yamamoto, are displayed alongside videos. Also featured are collaboration items between Hiroshi Fujiwara (FRAGMENT DESIGN) and Kim Jones, as well as a look that opened the 2021 Spring/Summer Men's Collection show by Virgil Abloh in Tokyo, appearing alongside a large teddy bear.
During the exhibition, a gift shop designed by architect Daisuke Sugawara will be set up on the first floor of the annex, offering a curated selection of Louis Vuitton small leather goods, the "Gifting" collection, textiles, fashion, home & sports accessories, and fragrances. Some items can be personalized with engraving. Additionally, a variety of Louis Vuitton books and shop-exclusive card cases will be available.
LOUIS VUITTON &
Dates: Until Sunday, May 16, 2021
Venue: jing
Address: 6-35-6 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM (Last entry 7:30 PM), Open daily
Reservations: Required via the official Louis Vuitton website (louisvuitton.com)
Inquiries
Louis Vuitton Client Services Tel. 0120-00-1854 Tel. 03-3515-0855 (10:00 AM - 8:00 PM, open year-round except for New Year's holidays) louisvuitton.com
