15 Feb 2024
The Maison is proud to collaborate once again with visual director Younghee Suh. This rendez-vous is part of the "Van Cleef & Arpels: Time, Nature, Love" exhibition, which displays the universe of the High Jewelry Maison at D Museum in Seoul, from November 18, 2023, to April 14, 2024. Over 300 jewelry creations, watches, precious objects produced since Van Cleef & Arpels was founded in 1906, and more than 90 original archives, are gathered for the occasion. The artist is today paying tribute to some of them: from the Zip necklace, one of the most ingenious creations in the Maison’s history to the Lovebirds brooch combining two of its major sources of inspiration – love and nature –, these new series of photographs, through a Korean lens and palette, once again touch the hearts.
Concise lines, faces, shapes, and colors are in exquisite harmony through different variations in Korean paper. At the crossroads of grace and lightness, the Dancer clip (1942), standing on the tip of her toes, is depicted in mid-twirl, while a radiant ribbon on the 37 clip (1937) draws the contour of a flower in full bloom.
Younghee created the story about Korean heritage and the Maison’s patrimonial collection through the Bird of Paradise clip (1942) reflecting a source of inspiration Van Cleef & Arpels has always held dear: the vitality of nature. The elegance and delicacy of her work harmonize with the Maison’s universe.
The love-themed creations – symbols and gifts of affection – exalt the tender feelings of lovers bathed in moonlight. From the Romeo and Juliet brooches, Younghee imagined a love story rhythmed by the moon phases, where the two soulmates could meet only during full moons. With the Lovebirds brooch, the artist conceived a scene imbued with poetry. On a rooftop adorned with celadon hues, two birds embrace tenderly under a night sky.
