Bvlgari Serpenti - Myth and Mastery

Bvlgari and T Fondaco dei Tedeschi by DFS, the lifestyle department store in the heart of Venice, present Bvlgari Serpenti - Myth and Mastery from 4th December 2019 to 1st March 2020.  The exhibition will focus on the sinuous symbolism of the snake.

 

 

The spaces of the Event Pavilion on the fourth floor of the Fondaco will provide an atmospheric setting blending ancient with modern, intertwining history, myth and fine jewellery in a quest to explore this symbol with its centuries-old charm.

 

 

 

 

Five totems will feature images shot by great photographers who have immortalized muses of the world of cinema and fashion wearing Bvlgari Serpenti creations of yesterday and today.

 

 

A video panel will show an anthology of historical images and works of art inspired by the myth of the snake, completing the narrative and offering an opportunity for reflection on the different cultures of the world.  All around the space, the snake scale motif will envelop and immerse the visitor in a fascinating universe of beauty, creativity and craftsmanship.

 

 

An emblem of seduction, rebirth and transformation, for centuries the symbol of the snake has been interwoven with the history of humanity, capturing its imagination in the East as well as in the West.  Since ancient times, the ability of this reptile to renew itself by shedding its skin, to remain in contact with the ground and yet rise up from it, to coil itself sinuously and to vanquish threatening predators has nourished myths and legends, inspiring a whole gamut of artistic achievements. 

 

 

The expressive power of this evocative symbol, was grasped by Bvlgari in the 1940s.  They reinterpreted it for the first time in jewellery with their supple bracelet watches that over the decades were to become icons of creative audacity.

 

 

Bvlgari Serpenti. Myth and Mastery. 4th December 2019 to 1st March 2020. T Fondaco dei Tedeschi - Venice, Calle del Fontego dei Tedeschi (Rialto Bridge). Open: 9:30 – 19:30. Admission free.

The building that houses T Fondaco dei Tedeschi was erected in 1228 to accommodate foreign merchants. It quickly became one of Venice’s most important places of commerce between East and West, where merchants came to trade in metals and precious stones, rare spices, silks, glassware, brocades, velvets and fine lace. Twice destroyed by fire, it was rebuilt in its current form in 1508.  Radical structural changes were made in the early twentieth century and in 1925, ownership passed into the hands of the Italian Post Office. Edizione Property bought the building in 2008, and engaged the Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas from the firm OMA to renovate it. English designer Jamie Fobert was commissioned by DFS Group to redevelop the interior spaces and furnishings for their first lifestyle department store in Europe, T Fondaco dei Tedeschi, which was opened in 2016. Visitors to the Fondaco dei Tedeschi experience a thoroughly authentic Venetian experience. Here they will find the finest Italy can offer: high-quality products and renowned international brands from the world of fashion, accessories, beauty treatment and gastronomy; there is also a choice selection of local crafts, exquisite cuisine from a Michelin-starred chef, alongside centuries of history, architecture, art and culture. T Fondaco dei Tedeschi has in fact made its name as a vibrant cultural centre for the city of Venice; the Event Pavilion on the fourth floor is home to contemporary art exhibitions and a lively calendar of events which attract an ever more numerous and loyal following.

 

Edited by Lisa Maria River

Source text and photos: © Bulgari Press Office; T Fondaco dei Tedeschi Press Office; Exhibition Press Office.

Photos: © Bulgari; © T Fondaco dei Tedeschi. All rights reserved.

Copyright © Sisterscom.com