China’s "Christian Dior and Chinese Artists" exhibition explores the beauty of the French fashion house through the eyes Chinese artists with more than twenty art works from China’s hottest artists such as Quentin Shih, Zhang Xiaogang and Wang Du that are inspired by the creations of Dior.
Photographer Quentin Shih’s "The Stranger In The Glass Box" for example takes couture fashion pieces from Dior, puts them on a model inside a glass box in the middle of a road or a sports court, and captures them as they are being watched by Chinese people.
The innovative exhibition creates a unique dialog between the east and west, and between fashion and contemporary art.
"Christian Dior and Chinese Artists" has opened on November 16th, 2008 at the Ullens Centre for Contemporary Art in Beijing, China.
Dior in Chinese Eyes
‘The Stranger In The Glass Box' by Quentin Shih
Trend Themes
1. Chinese-fashion-art Crossover - There is great potential for collaborations between fashion and fine arts in both China and the West.
2. High Fashion Photo Installations - The combination of couture fashion with interactive photographic installations could be a new trend in fashion exhibiting.
3. Culture-bridging Art Exhibitions - Exhibitions that bring together works inspired by Western luxury with Eastern artistic expressions have considerable room for growth.
Industry Implications
1. Fashion - There is an opportunity for high-end fashion labels to use more adventurous art installations.
2. Contemporary Art Museums/galleries - There are opportunities to create more innovative collaborations between fashion and contemporary art.
3. Luxury Goods - Merging the symbolism of luxury fashion with Chinese fine art could appeal to Chinese buyers.