“It is an honour to be one of the 200 artists taking part in the Louis 200 exhibition,” expresses Krista Kim, Vogue Singapore’s inaugural metaverse editor. The exhibition—officially titled ‘200 Trunks 200 Visionaries’—is a celebration of founder Louis Vuitton’s bicentennial birthday on the milestone date of 4 August 2021.
As part of the project, the maison presented 200 creative visionaries: the likes of whom include Edward Granger, Griff, BTS and Peter Marino, tasking each of them to put their own spin on a metaphorical blank canvas measuring 50 x 50 x 100 centimetres—approximately the dimensions of the original Louis Vuitton trunk conceived in the 1850s. The result? 200 extraordinary transformations of the iconic vessel. “Louis 200 is a unique opportunity to see the work of some of the world’s most celebrated artists and designers and I am honoured to have my work included in this prestigious exhibition,” adds Kim.
Here, our Jan/Feb metaverse editor shares more about the Louis 200 travelling exhibition, what we can expect from her design currently on showcase and what the future of the metaverse looks like, now with luxury fashion houses like Louis Vuitton entering this space.
Tell us more about your trunk design for the Louis 200 exhibition.
Every Louis 200 visionary was sent a plain wooden trunk and tasked to create an artistic vision for the future and express it through the parameters of the box.
I chose to create a gradient artwork for my Louis 200 trunk, using colours that represent optimism, fluidity and resilience. I created glass mirrored prints of my digital gradient artwork and encased the box as a glass sculpture.
That sounds lovely, is there any message that you wanted to convey through this design?
Just like the flow of digital information, the gradient is ever-changing and eternal. It is a representation of the evolution of culture and our always-connected world. Like society, the gradient’s beauty lies in its constant evolution and growth. My design represents the future of humanity and its potential for limitless growth and innovation.
The original Louis Vuitton trunk was conceived in the 1850s and your work with the metaverse is current and futuristic. Did the maison’s history influence the creation of your trunk piece for the exhibition?
The original Louis Vuitton trunk was conceived as a way to enable the exploration of the world. In a similar vein, my work with the metaverse is about expanding our possibilities for exploration and discovery. The maison’s rich history is a testament to the power of exploration and I wanted to honour that in my work. My piece is a reflection of that very spirit—it is an exploration of the potential of the metaverse, and a celebration of the endless possibilities for discovery that exist within it.
Apart from your own, are there any artists or artworks in the exhibition that have caught your eye?
I adore every piece, but I love the works of Gloria Steinem and Frank Gehry.
Do you foresee more brands working with digital artists in the metaverse? What does the future look like in this space?
Collaboration is key in the metaverse. In Web3, every company, artist and organisation is a community. The goal is to create a place where your community will want to come back to—a place where they can be creative and feel inspired. The artists of the metaverse will lead the way and companies like Louis Vuitton will partner with them to create worlds and experiences that are beautiful and inspiring.
200 Trunks 200 Visionaries: The Exhibition runs from 4 to 27 April at Marina Bay Sands Event Plaza. Find out more here.
