The global journey of 200 Trunks 200 Visionaries: The Exhibition touches down in Singapore with a dedicated Louis Vuitton presentation space
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In celebration of Louis Vuitton’s bicentennial birthday, the traveling exhibition featuring 200 imaginative trunks realized by 200 visionaries made its first international stop in Singapore on April 4, 2022. This ambitious homage is transplanted to Marina Bay where visitors can experience an ephemeral presentation space and discover the creations up close.
Following its debut at the Louis Vuitton family house in Asnières, France, the exhibition will take up residence on the esplanade adjacent to the Marina Bay store, one of the four Louis Vuitton locations in Singapore. Featuring a Damier facade alternating with windows, the streamlined structure conveys the Maison’s signature graphic while offering views between exterior and interior. From an aerial perspective, Louis 200 appears boldly across the roof.
The exhibition offers a stage for the visionaries’ trunks to be viewed as a vast and dynamic tribute to Louis Vuitton’s innovative legacy. As one of the initiatives to mark the milestone date of August 4, 2021, a mosaic of talents and friends of the House–spanning arts and culture, sciences, sports, global causes and more–were invited to personalize the emblematic trunk.
Among the familiar names were Supreme, Peter Marino, Lego, Liu Wei, BTS, Cao Fei and Fornasetti. A metaphorical blank canvas measuring 50 x 50 x 100 centimetres, approximately the dimensions of the original trunk that Louis conceived in the 1850s, yielded 200 extraordinary transformations: vessels transmitting dreams and desires, abstract concepts, and artistic expressions.
In Singapore, the experience begins in a briefing room panelled in LED screens. The first main space evokes a warehouse, where original art pieces are juxtaposed with screen-panelled ‘Magic Trunks’ and a robot-trunk–Monsieur Louis–representing a futuristic transfiguration of object and creator. Staggered at various heights as random configurations, the physical trunks are stacked upon their assigned shipping crates in which they will continue their global journey, in keeping with the Maison’s circular creativity efforts.
Visitors then enter an open dreamscape panorama before the circuit ends with two dedicated rooms: First, an interactive space featuring the trunk by BTS, each member contributing one side. These designs have been reproduced on the walls with space for visitors to add their own creations.
The final stop is an audio speakeasy that features a functioning 200-track jukebox trunk by British DJ and producer Benji B. Before leaving, visitors can spend time in a lifestyle area to watch video interviews and browse books.
“This project has always been about creativity–a real tribute to Louis’s ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit. We get to see how such a cross-section of talents answered the same brief while also taking a moment to appreciate the man himself,” says Faye McLeod, Louis Vuitton’s Visual Image Director.
The wider LV200 project remains a fully philanthropic undertaking, an enduring gift on a grand scale. The first phase raised 2 million euros from the visionaries who directed 100 percent of their fees to one of 15 charitable organisations across 13 countries, selected for their focus on uplifting young people through their creative endeavours. Details of the second phase are to be announced in due course.
Ultimately, both phases of LV200 will support young and talented creatives as they continue their learning journey and careers.
The exhibition is free of charge and will be open at the Marina Bay from April 4 to 27, 2022. Visitors may register at ap.louisvuitton.com.
