Cartier exhibition ends Sunday: Visitors praise elaborate collection, intricate designs

The exhibition hall at Dongdaemun Design Plaza is currently showcasing Cartier’s luxury jewelry and timepieces in an exhibit titled "Cartier, Crystallization of Time.”

A 2014 Cartier bracelet made using the panther motif [CARTIER]

Despite being a regular weekday afternoon, the exhibition hall at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) swarmed with visitors on June 18. The venue is currently showcasing Cartier’s luxury jewelry and timepieces in an exhibit titled "Cartier, Crystallization of Time.”

"It's a rare exhibition in Korea, so I made the time to come and see it," said office worker Kang Su-won, 42. "As an industrial design major, I found it fascinating to explore designs that reflect the architecture and technology from the Industrial Revolution to modernism."

Organized by the JoongAng Ilbo, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily, and the Seoul Design Foundation, the exhibition, which ends on June 30, is seeing well over 1,000 visitors per day on weekends, and has even reached its maximum capacity of 2,000 visitors per day on occasion. The exhibition was curated by New Material Research Laboratory (NMRL).

A 1925 Cartier brooch that also functions as a belt buckle. [CARTIER]

The current exhibition in Seoul is its second stop following its debut at the National Art Center in Tokyo in 2019. After opening its doors in Seoul on May 1, the number of accumulated visitors is nearing 100,000 — a feat that stands up to even French artist Michel Delacroix's blockbuster exhibition held at the Seoul Arts Center early this year. The Delacroix exhibition surpassed the 100,000-visitor mark 67 days after opening.

As an exhibit that focuses on the originality of Cartier's works while emphasizing the theme, "Crystallization of Time," the exhibition has been earning praise from both experts working in the arts and fashion industries as well as ordinary citizens for being a "work of art in itself."

Industry experts including Yoon Sung-won, an adjunct professor at Hanyang University on gemology, says there are several key points behind the exhibition’s success.

The exhibition has brought together a collection of over 300 pieces, including items owned by private collectors that have never been publicly displayed before. It also showcases archival materials about Cartier that have been rarely seen in Korea.

A 1940 Cartier flamingo brooch made from platinum, yellow gold, ruby, emerald, saphire, citrine and diamond [CARTIER]

The Cartier Collection, established in 1983, encompasses over 3,500 pieces created from the early 1860s to the late 2000s. This is the first time such a collection has been showcased in Korea since the French luxury conglomerate held an exhibition at the Deoksu Palace branch of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in 2008.

The exhibition's structure, centered around the concept of time, has also been praised for enhancing visitor engagement. The idea that jewels originate from the earth and are created through a long process, only to be recognized for their beauty by discerning individuals, captures the awe and reverence people feel in the face of grand timelines.

Other review comments written after experiencing the exhibition also highly praise the spaces of the exhibition, designed by NMRL, a Japanese architecture firm. The craftmanship of NMRL's co-founders, artist Hiroshi Sugimoto and architect Tomoyuki Sakakida, can be seen through the skillfully incorporated natural materials and traditional artworks. The designers used volcanic Ōya stone to construct the exhibition's structures and displayed necklaces on wood that is over 1,000 years old, crafting it to look like a torso. These ancient trees unearthed from the ground, according to NMRL, are extremely hard and require artisans to exert 1.5 times more force to carve, resulting in another masterpiece.

A 1937 Cartier orchid brooch [CARTIER]

For those planning to visit the exhibition before it ends on June 30, Prof. Yoon, who is also a jewelry specialist, has given several tips through an article in JoongAng Ilbo, to better enjoy the exhibition.

First, according to Yoon, it’s advised to make time to familiarize yourself with basic jewelry and gemstone terminology before making the visit, as it “can greatly enhance your understanding of the pieces on display.”

“Knowing the names of major gemstones, such as diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds, as well as the various cutting methods and the types of metals used for setting, such as white gold and platinum, will make it easier to read the labels,” she said. “Additionally, knowledge of the history and key styles of the brand and its designers will significantly enrich your appreciation of the works.”

She also advises visitors to appreciate the exhibition by first “closely observing the artwork.”

A 1914 Cartier tiara made from platinum, diamond and ruby [CARTIER]

“Pay careful attention to the overall composition, the colors and arrangement of the gemstones, and the sculptural elements. Then, refer to the exhibition theme, the title of the work and the period it was created to consider the meaning and message,” she said.

“At this stage, it is particularly important to understand the designer's imagination and storytelling ability. Utilizing the explanatory texts placed in the exhibition, docent tours and audio guides can be especially effective. If you take an interest in and examine the era and sociocultural background in which the jewelry was created, your level of appreciation will be significantly enhanced.”

“Cartier, Crystallization of Time” ends June 30. The DDP is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Sunday. Hours extend to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Tickets are 18,000 won ($13) for adults, but a 50 percent sale is available on Interpark Ticket until the last day.

BY LEE SO-JIN,YIM SEUNG-HYE [yim.seunghye@joongang.co.kr]