First shown in Florence, the immersive and multimedia Gucci Garden Archetypes exhibition makes a pit stop in the land down under in Sydney’s Powerhouse Ultimo.
Since Alessandro Michele took control of Gucci’s creative reins eight years ago, the Gucci universe has never been more immersive and enthralling. Its narrative has almost become fashion’s go-to hideout from reality, a child-like world of whimsies and wonders where the idiosyncratic thrives with tradition.
This is why the Gucci Garden Archetypes exhibition is celebrating 100 years of Gucci and the growth of Michele’s simultaneously ornate and hyper-modern Gucci world, all by delving into the multifarious inspirations from the music, art, travel and pop culture spheres that resonate through Gucci’s campaigns.
An archetype is the original form from which all copies are made, never to be recreated again, and every Gucci campaign speaks of a unique and unrepeatable moment – expressing the spirit of each collection, while reflecting the inclusive, liberated and audacious philosophy of the House’s creative director.
Arriving at Sydney’s Powerhouse Ultimo for its 7th stop following Shanghai, Taipei, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Seoul, the extensive multimedia experience uses cutting-edge technology, elaborate hand-crafting and innovative interior design to create a sequence of distinct, immersive worlds. This is all designed by Archivio Personale — the design studio that transformed Alessandro Michele’s vision into narrative spaces that reflect and enhance the uniqueness of his creative vision.
The entrance is staged like a behind-the-scenes operations centre, where visitors will see a split-screen live view of the exhibition they are about to enter. After which, they will enter the network of themed spaces and corridors themselves, knowingly and effortlessly bringing the intricate world-building of Gucci campaigns to life.
The rooms pay homage to campaigns like the Beloved Show campaign, which had some Hollywood A-listers show off the three Gucci Beloved icons – the Dionysus, Horsebit 1955 and the timeless Jackie 1961 — with late-night host James Corden and his recognisable studio set; glass shelves stacked with hundreds of cuckoo clocks, ceramics and Marmont handbags in an ode to the Fall Winter 2018 campaign; an 80s nightclub bathroom for the Berlin-set Spring Summer 2016 campaign; a mirrored labyrinth that leads into a stately home like the one at the heart of the Cruise 2016 campaign; even a LA subway carriage like the one that made an appearance back in the Fall Winter 2015 campaign, Alessandro Michele’s first.
Visitors can also visit the scented floral paradise of Gucci Bloom, a hidden imaginary garden that nestles the three stars of the campaign – actress Dakota Johnson, artist and photographer Petra Collins, and actress and model Hari Nef. Charismatic and unconventional, this trio collectively ushered in Alessandro Michele’s new, inclusive vision of modern femininity.
The accompanying Gucci Garden Archetypes catalogue then extends this multisensory journey beyond the physical exhibition, comprising a true inventory of the creativity on display, as well as a collection of images and surprises, in a book. Complemented by original prose by art critic Achille Bonito Oliva, philosopher Emanuele Coccia, artist and researcher Anna Franceschini, curator Antwaun Sargent, and sustainability and culture advisor Shaway Yeh, this makes for a collectable worth keeping that will be sure to leave you yearning for more of Michele’s brilliance, to come.
RELATED ARTICLES
