Coinciding with the launch of the latest designs and products in men’s fashion during Pitti Uomo, Florence’s Gucci Garden opened multiple exhibitions last week, curated by Maria Luisa Frisa. A continuation of Frisa’s ongoing deep-dive into Gucci’s archives, the installations highlight the house’s vast, multifaceted history, featuring narratives by creative director Alessandro Michele.
Filling multiple spaces in the Gucci Garden’s Galleria, the exhibitions begin with “Détournement” on the first level. There, archival objects and articles have been taken out of context and reassembled to form something new—in this case, the Gucci alphabet. “Détournement” also features imagery of a mythical creature, intertwined with brand motifs, by artist Yuko Higuchi.
Moving on, visitors to the Gucci Garden will find themselves immersed in “Bagology,” where a selection of bags from the 1950s through today lays out the evolution of the quintessential accessory through the years and multiple creative directors.
Upstairs, “Ouroboros” (inspired by the ancient symbol of the snake biting its tail) illustrates the use of the snake through the brand’s history. In the next room, “Cosmic Colours” lays out the color palette (Neptune green, sun glow, space blue, and cosmic red) that can be seen continuously throughout the house’s collections and archives. And finally, in “Jardin d’Hiver,” an overview of the house’s relationship to nature is presented through details like aviary-inspired display cases and an all-white version of the Gucci Tian wallpaper.
Also happening at Gucci Garden, artist Livia Carpenzano has created an exclusive line for the boutique, the Cinema da Camera is hosting a project by John Giorno, the Period Rooms present the exhibition “Il Maschile—Androginous Mind, Eclectic Body,” and wall murals by Alex Merry and MP5 fill the hallways and transitional spaces of the historic Palazzo della Mercanzia building.
