Hermès installation encourages visitors to embark on a journey of self-discovery
The solo exhibition on the fourth floor
Hermès is presenting its summer installation, "Window Within Window," created by Chinese artist Song Dong, at Hermès Maison in Shanghai. This captivating exhibition employs the interplay of windows and mirrors to create a realm of reflection, encouraging visitors to embark on a journey of self-discovery and see the world through a fresh perspective.
Beijing-based Song is known for a diverse body of work that includes installations, sculptures, performances, videos, and theater. His art explores themes of memory, history, and the intrinsic value of human expression.
This season's installation at Hermès extends his ongoing exploration of repurposed window frames and reflective surfaces, showcasing glass reliefs of horse motifs. These frames, salvaged from urban wastelands, are transformed into kaleidoscopic boxes and winding screens, adorned with multicolored mirrors and glass.
The window display at the Hermès Maison in Shanghai
Beyond the window display, the facade of Hermès Maison in Shanghai is adorned with colored glass decals, creating a vibrant play of light and color that integrates seamlessly with the cityscape.
A window symbolizes a gateway to the world, embodying a yearning for diversity and heterogeneity, while also inviting inward reflection and self-awareness. The horse, a significant symbol in Hermès' heritage, represents strength, beauty, freedom, and courage.
For Song, the horse also holds a deep symbolism, drawing from ancient Chinese artistic traditions. His glass reliefs depict classic motifs such as the Dragon Horse and Bagua, a mythical creature carrying a Bagua diagram, and the Galloping Horse Treading on a Swallow, capturing a horse in mid-flight.
The solo exhibition on the fourth floor
The experience extends to the fourth floor, where an eponymous art exhibition invites visitors to ascend a spiral staircase into a prismatic structure crafted from reclaimed windows and mirrors. This matrix of reflections evokes a sense of infinity, with glass windows bearing white frames and horse motifs resembling open books, creating intimate alcoves where windows and mirrors converge to construct spiritual sanctuaries.
If you go:
Date: The window display runs to August 8, and the solo exhibition on 4th floor lasts through June 30.
Address: 217 Middle Huaihai Road
Admission: Free
