November 17, 2022 Image: Gucci Collectors, Fall-Winter 2018, Gucci Garden Archetypes. Photograph by Tyrone Branigan.
The exclusive Australian premiere of Gucci Garden Archetypes has been unveiled at Powerhouse Ultimo. This internationally acclaimed exhibition, opening 17 November 2022, brings to life the iconic, maximalist campaigns by virtuosic Gucci Creative Director Alessandro Michele.
Gucci Garden Archetypes first opened in Florence in 2021 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Gucci’s founding. The exhibition’s cinematic installations have captivated audiences across Shanghai, Taipei, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Seoul.
Archetypes captures the spirit of each iconic Gucci collection, while reflecting the philosophy of Michele and his collaborations across music, art, travel and contemporary culture which resonate throughout Gucci’s campaigns. Cutting-edge technology, elaborate hand-crafting and innovative interior design have been employed to create a sequence of distinct, immersive worlds designed by Archivio Personale, who transformed Michele’s vision into narrative spaces that elevate his unique creative vision.
‘I thought it was interesting to accompany people in these almost eight years of adventure, inviting them to cross the imaginary, the narrative, the unexpected, the glitter. So I created a playground of emotions that are the same as in the campaigns, because they are the most explicit journey into my imagery,’ said Alessandro Michele, Gucci Creative Director and exhibition curator.
‘Alessandro Michele is a world-leading creative talent and Gucci Garden Archetypes will offer locals and visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in his creative world. The New South Wales Government is proud to support this incredible international exhibition exclusively in Australia at Sydney’s iconic Powerhouse museum. Securing major exhibitions like this confirms NSW as a global cultural hub and strengthens NSW’s reputation for excellence in arts and culture,’ said Ben Franklin, Minister for Arts and Tourism.
‘Alessandro Michele never fails to push us forward into diverse, contemporary visual worlds that we have yet to imagine. Powerhouse is thrilled to partner with Gucci to present the exclusive Australian premiere of Gucci Garden Archetypes. We can’t wait to welcome everyone to the Powerhouse museum for this very special exhibition,’ said Lisa Havilah, Powerhouse Chief Executive.
Accessed via what appears to be a behind-the-scenes operations centre, visitors first encounter a split-screen live view of the exhibition they are about to enter. Inside, a network of themed spaces and corridors bring the intricate world-building of Gucci campaigns to life.
Visitors then enter the scented floral paradise of Gucci Bloom where a hidden imaginary garden becomes a place of freedom for the three campaign stars – actress Dakota Johnson, feminist artist and photographer Petra Collins, and actress, model and trans woman Hari Nef.
A graffitied stair corridor evokes the Pre-Fall 2018 campaign’s 50th anniversary homage to the Parisian youth of ‘May 68’. The Beloved Show campaign is recreated with the set where Hollywood A-listers joked around in front of a skyline.
Visitors then become immersed in the obsessive collections of the Fall Winter 2018 campaign, with floor-to-ceiling shelves stacked with hundreds of cuckoo clocks, ceramics and Marmont handbags, followed by an 80s Berlin nightclub bathroom, the set of the Spring Summer 2016 campaign.
A mirrored labyrinth takes visitors inside a stately home, like the one at the heart of the Cruise 2016 campaign, followed by an LA subway carriage that appeared in the Fall Winter 2015 campaign, Michele’s first campaign.
Gucci Garden Archetypes is proudly supported by the NSW Government through the Blockbuster Funding Initiative.
– ENDS –
Gucci Garden Archetypes
Powerhouse Ultimo
17 November 2022 – 15 January 2023
Free, ticketed
MEDIA CONTACTS
Siân Davies | siân@articulatepr.com.au | 0402 728 462
Sasha Haughan | sasha@articulatepr.com.au | 0405 006 035
Kym Elphinstone | kym@articulatepr.com.au | 0421 106 139
About Powerhouse
Powerhouse sits at the intersection of arts, design, science and technology and plays a critical role in engaging communities with contemporary ideas and issues. We are undertaking a landmark $1.4 billion infrastructure renewal program, spearheaded by the creation of the flagship museum, Powerhouse Parramatta; expanded research and public facilities at Powerhouse Castle Hill; the renewal of the iconic Powerhouse Ultimo; and the ongoing operation of Sydney Observatory. The museum is custodian to over half a million objects of national and international significance and is considered one of the finest and most diverse collections in Australia. We are also undertaking an expansive digitisation project that will provide new levels of access to Powerhouse collections.