Venice has long been a pillar of commerce, progress and culture in Europe, a merchant hub for centuries that witnessed countless encounters and exchanges. As such, BVLGARI has chosen the city as the site for their 2023 High Jewelry and High-End Watches Exhibition, hosted in the Palazzo Soranzo Van Axel. The palace was built in the late 15th century, and later intervened by the Van Axel Dutch family during the 17th century to enrich it with frescos and bas-reliefs.
The traditions of Venice were reinterpreted and used to create the ideal stage for the exhibition. The entrance is covered in a variety of gold carpets as a callback to the Oriental carpets that entered Europe through the port. Then, each space within the Palazzo follows a specific aesthetic to match the theme.
Each space features a fabric pattern in a different colour combination, thanks to the collaboration of the Rubelli textile company. The first floor follows the theme of “Southern Radiance”, evoking the sun, deep blue Mediterranean Sea, ivory and gold take over. The centrepiece of the space is a glass sculpture by Venini, the prestigious Venetian glassmaker, inspired by the Tazebao chandelier.
On the same floor, a second space features the “East Meets West” High Jewelry collection, where an installation of floor-to-ceiling modular sculptures are inspired by the myth of the Pillars of Hercules, the end of the ancient Greek world, as a wave towards BVLAGRI’s intention to go beyond the edge of the world to break new ground in luxury.
A sculpture by Orsoni Venezia 1888, Venice’s historical furnace, dominates the space where the Serpenti creations are displayed in full glory. The 24K gold leaf mosaic and scaled texture of the sculpture reminisce of the Serpenti line and the snake, one of BVLGARI’s most iconic symbols. The High-End Watches are displayed in a grey environment with an interactive touchscreen to explore the Maison’s archive of watches.
The second floor connects past. present and future as a journey into BVLGARI’s history of craftsmanship. Three navigable windows created by artist Guiseppe Lo Schiavo feature an artwork inspired by the Maison’s newest high Jewelry collection. One more space houses two artisans who explore the craft process behind the jewellery pieces, and the human skills behind each one.
Finally, BVLGARI Parfums has created two distinctive fragrances that evoke the Mediterranean ambience, each contained in a special High Jewelry masterpieces, one made in Murano Glass set with citrine, amethysts, and turquoises, while the other is embellished by yellow gold bottle set with tourmalines, peridot, lapislazuli.
The Mediterranea Exhibition features not only BVLGARI’s finest creations, but also creates a one-of-a-kind experience for all visitors, an immersive ambience that reminds of BVLGARI’s history and significance in the high-end world.
Photos: courtesy.
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