Louis Vuitton: La Galerie
Louis Vuitton opens a new private exhibition space titled La Galerie in Asnières-sur-Seine, the home of the House since 1859.
Louis Vuitton first settled in Asnières-sur-Seine in 1859 and while the House has travelled the world since then, the Vuitton residence has remained. Although it reflects a certain era through its Eiffel architecture and Art Noveau style, the mood across both the home and its ateliers has always been a modern one.
Driven by the spirit of the Vuitton family, the House has always looked beyond fashion, seeking the leading minds of each era including artists, aristocrats or adventurers. This shared vision and freshness is what curator Judith Clark sought to highlight in the development of the new gallery.
Clark envisioned a creative, playful and timeless space, in which her main challenges were to reveal the intimate aspects of the House’s history, the presence of its universe and its ties with the ateliers.
To bring certain energy to the space, Clark included a range of artist in the project such as illustrator Ruben Toledo and milliner Stephen Jones. Upon entering the gallery, a piece by artist and architect Jorge Otero-Pailos highlights the traces of Asnières’ past, superimposing them against the presence. The inclusion of these artists puts a focus on the importance of savoir-faire, a critical aspect of the space.
Down to the name, La Galerie, every detail in the new gallery is well-considered. In contrast to a museum, which can seem solemn and focused on the past, a gallery is a space for discovery, deeply rooted in the present. The design of the display cabinets and plinths in the exhibition space were inspired by a Pateki puzzle made by Gaston-Louis Vuitton, which Clark discovered during her research through the House’s archives.
Throughout the exhibition unexpected twists and turns blend with creativity and surprise leading visitors into a web of fantasy journeys into the world of Louis Vuitton. While elements in the gallery are grouped according to themes, the exhibition is curated to enable free roaming with no specific order to emphasise exploration and playfulness.
The exhibition features a range of peculiar popular boxes, luggage objects, and garments created by the House’s various artistic directors side by side with more private documents and insider signs from the House’s archives. Playful creations and snippets of accounts from family members such as Louis Vuitton himself, Gaston-Louis Vuitton and Loïe Fuller fill the space allowing visitors to catch a glimpse of those who designed, carried and owned the pieces displayed.
In showcasing elements of the Vuitton family home and its special craftsmanship, this constantly developing exhibition presents the House as a vector of creation and creativity.
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