“It’s not about the jewels”—an odd statement to make considering the labyrinth halls and cavernous rooms of the Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) are decked to the hilt with over 300 dazzling pieces from the annals and vaults of Cartier’s storied history. Breath-taking jewellery, unique time pieces, often jewel-studded objects, and artifacts are all collected in one place for this event. But all the glittering trinkets are dwarfed by the giant posters of notable women, royals, fashion icons, and women of power and distinction.
No wonder—“Cartier and Women,” the first major international exhibition at the hallowed halls of the remarkable Asian museum, pays tribute to the role of women in the history of a near double-centurion brand like Cartier.
From the early 19th century to present day, the exhibition celebrates women’s lifestyles, creativity, and influence on the precious items produced by the historical brand. Traverse the arteries of Gallery 8 (for those in-the-know, the significance of the “infinitely lucky” number should not be lost) and you’ll find the grandiose exhibition carved into four distinct, thematic sections.
The first, “Royal and Aristocratic Women: Elegance and Prestige,” celebrates the significant role that royal and elite women played in the early history of Cartier in the 19th century. The second, “New Women: Breaking with Tradition,” features the work of Cartier’s first female creative director, Jeanne Toussaint (1887–1976), who revolutionised modern and contemporary jewellery.
The third, “Inquisitive Women: Cross-cultural Inspirations,” showcases the influence of art from China and other parts of the world. Even without viewing the literature provided beside each spot-lit piece on display, the impact of ancient artistic Chinese motifs is palpable.
The fourth and final section, “Influential Women: Glamorous Legends,” explores the close relationship between Cartier jewellery and contemporary women of note.
“This remarkable exhibition underscores Hong Kong’s position as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange and highlights the Hong Kong Palace Museum’s global vision and innovative curatorial approach, which emphasises rigorous research and scholarship,” says Dr Louis Ng, museum director of the HKPM. “Through the fascinating stories of the women behind these exquisite exhibits, we hope to inspire visitors to explore the role and influence of women across time and enrich their understanding of works that marry Eastern and Western aesthetics.”
Highlights include pieces from the collections of important and grand dames of society, celebrity, and screen, decked with great fame and fortune. Women like erstwhile actress Grace Kelly, the Princess of Monaco (1929–1982), are featured, and famed jewel collector and legendary screen siren Elizabeth Taylor (1932–2011). Award-winning Chinese actress, Hong Kong’s very own Carina Lau, and businesswoman Pansy Ho’s portraits loom large as, on loan from the ladies for the next four months, their personal prized possessions are fiercely guarded and on display this coming quadrimester.
“Women are part of Cartier’s essence. It does not mean that Cartier only creates for women, nor does it mean that Cartier has a conventional view on women or men,” says Cyrille Vigneron, president and CEO of Cartier, who flew down to Hong Kong especially for the ribbon-cutting inauguration. “Cartier appreciates and values character and personality, be it bold, strong, daring, as well as delicate and sensitive. The exhibition is an exploratory journey into femininity as a whole, into humankind, its nature, condition, and dreams.”
This is, of course, not the first time that “the jeweller of kings” has partnered with a museum to showcase its historical relevance. In the past three decades, the Cartier Collection has been exhibited in over 30 most prestigious cultural institutions studded around the globe. Be it the Beijing’s Palace Museum and Cartier collaboration in 2019, the Cartier exhibition at the Dallas Museum of Art in 2022, or the “Crystallisation Of Time” exhibition in Tokyo, immersive experiences in significant cities are the norm. In addition to co-hosting two thematic exhibitions in 2009 and 2019, Cartier and the Palace Museum in Beijing partnered to restore a few timepieces from the museum’s collection.
Furthermore, to accompany the special exhibition, the HKPM will offer a wide variety of educational programmes. As part of the HKPM Talk Series, curators from the museum and international experts will share their new research on the Cartier Collection and how Chinese aesthetics have influenced women’s lifestyles and global fashion.
Two special music performances by the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra and Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra will be held at the museum auditorium in April and June to celebrate women’s artistic achievements. For cine-lovers, HKPM Movies will present documentaries about outstanding women in the creative industries, including a film director, Cantonese opera performers, and a novelist. A workshop on jewellery making will be launched in May. To top it all, Cartier has sponsored 5,000 complimentary admission tickets for the underprivileged.
14 April–14 August 2023
Hong Kong Palace Museum, 8 Museum Drive, West Kowloon, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
All images courtesy of Cartier and Hong Kong Palace Museum.
RELATED FEATURES
