Regarding THE SNAKE
IN SINGAPORE, BULGARI’S AMBITIOUS, IDIOSYNCRATIC EXHIBITION LOOKS AT ONE REPTILE’S ROLE IN ART AND DESIGN
Though many in the region were sceptical when Singapore announced it would work toward becoming Asia’s new art hub, they’ve been proving, time and time again — to the delight of both local and neighbouring art enthusiasts — that they’re serious.
Launched on Aug 18 and running until Oct 15 is another must-see art exhibition for both art and jewellery lovers at the ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay (the building that looks like an open white lotus). SerpentiForm, a project by Italian luxury brand Bulgari, is a retrospective look into how the motif of the snake — a symbol of everything from fear to fertility to protection — has been used in art and design across different times and regions. It’s the second, bigger and better installation, coming after the successful run in the brand’s home city of Rome.
It is understandable that one would expect the show to simply display Bulgari’s jewellery related to the snake — a motif that has contributed greatly to its fame — but the exhibition, curated by Bulgari’s brand and heritage curator Lucia Boscaini, is much more broadly based in art and history.
“We frankly spent the majority of the time studying,” she said, talking about her curatorial process. “So research was really the key part. We started a couple of years ago for the Serpenti In Art publication. From there we realised [the snake not only appeared in] a few legends that we’re familiar with — but there was much more, not only in terms of legends and myths, but in terms of values. The snake is linked to temptation and danger but is also a symbol of power, fertility, rebirth, healing and salvation.
“So there were a number of extremely interesting perspectives. From there we realised that it would have been easier to convey those meanings through an exhibition — meaning through a full immersive experience rather than a book.”
SerpentiForm is a high-production, wellresearched, technically impressive show able to balance out both the East and West’s interpretation of the much-feared reptile. Stepping out of the elevators, visitors are flanked by walls on which Bulgari’s snakes slither through glimmering video-mapped snake scales. These projections run throughout all eight rooms, which Boscaini thoughtfully separated into clear-cut categories.
Walking anticlockwise through the exhibition, the first room starts off with precious antiquities from both the East and West. Snake rings and bracelets from the 4th century BC and a 12th-century Buddha statue protected by a Naga are among those displayed. The second room onwards consists of numerous contemporary artworks, each room split according to different interpretations, displaying works from artists and photographers like Alexander Calder, Niki de Saint Phalle, Keith Haring, Wu Jian’an, Joan Miro and Robert Mapplethorpe.
The most jaw-dropping room of all may be the fifth, “Wearing The Snake”. Displayed on a double-decker shelf are stunning snake-inspired garments, from costumes out of prestigious theatre and cinema archives to vintage evening dresses from the best Italian designers. One could spend hours staring at the detailed needlework within each costume.
“We studied different artists and tried to understand their different perspectives on the snake in order to create a full representation,” said Boscaini. “We didn’t want to focus on a specific interpretation — we really wanted to have all the different interpretations to highlight how flexible and versatile this icon is. Because in the end, Bulgari jewels are interpreted in a very versatile way.”
“I’m not a snake lover,” continued Boscaini. “I can’t be in front of a real snake. So I actually learned to appreciate the snake more as an animal. I understand it’s an icon that can have so many positive meanings — it’s a transversal symbol of positive values. It’s very fascinating. It’s extremely interesting to see the different interpretations. This to me is the most enriching kind of learning, and that was what I wanted to infuse this exhibition with.”
Most impressive of all — as if the artwork isn’t already impressive enough — may be the high-tech projections and use of sound, which Boscaini also oversaw. Every room has a unique projection or soundtrack of its own in order to further immerse visitors in the artworks. The last room, displaying Bulgari’s jewellery work related to the snake, is a technological feat — with all four walls covered in red flames and slithering snakes, accompanied by an epic soundtrack.
“I really believe that if you look at the very same images and the very same exhibition without music or with the wrong music, you have a different experience,” said Boscaini. “We have a music designer that advised us. It might be that you noticed the music because it’s really something that we do with a lot of attention and in a very sophisticated way.”
Walking out of the exhibition feeling fed and inspired, Thais can only wish for something as good as this to wriggle onto our shores.