Hermès unveils the new artist showcase project for Christmas 2021 by choosing to make use of the creative collaboration of the Sicilian artist Domenico Pellegrino, at the end of the year's theme dedicated to the maison's human Odyssey.
From the end of November until January 2022, the windows of the nine Hermès boutiques in Italy will tell the Odyssey through the artist's installations: a reflection on the theme of time, discovery and tenacity, elements that characterize man's journey to search for oneself but also the path of the maison.
“For years my work has been oriented towards the study of myths and legends, which I propose in a contemporary key” - explains Domenico Pellegrino - “I create my works through sculpture and light, using the language of illuminations”.
At Hermès the illuminations are used in a new way, serving as a frame for mythological stories. The display cases become a story, therefore, to be read according to multiple levels of reading: wooden structures draw the shape of vases from ancient Greece, containers of precious goods but also disseminators of the stories represented on their surface. Here is the ship of Ulysses, the legend of the golden apples guarded by the Hesperides, Oedipus and the enigma of the sphinx, Penelope intent on weaving the canvas and a winged Pegasus that stands out on the facade of the shop in Milan and Rome as a tribute to equestrian origins of the maison.
Made of wood and hand painted, the mythological characters that populate the windows interact with the creations of the maison: the silk carré becomes the sail of Ulysses' ship, porcelain plates from the Bleu d'Ailleurs service plow the waves of the Mediterranean, Penelope wears silver bracelets and colored aluminum cuffs while Oedipus and the sphinx are the protagonists of the showcase dedicated to men's accessories.
Domenico Pellegrino has made the traditions of Sicily and Southern Italy the leitmotiv of his artistic work: Greek myths and legends, contemporary superheroes dressed in traditional Sicilian decorations, the lights of patronal feasts transformed into a new expressive language.
"Hermès has always been committed to supporting art and enhancing traditional and locally produced savoir-faire" - explains Francesca di Carrobio, CEO of Hermès Italy and Greece - "In addition, the creation of ephemeral installations - such as displays of shop windows - for years now has been confronting us with the problem of reusing materials. For this reason, the decorative elements of all our showcases, at the end of the exhibition period, are donated to cultural organizations or associations in Italy. "
Sustainability is a theme dear to Hermès, a sustainable company since its inception in 1837. Hermès intends to leave a positive footprint on the planet and share its successes with the communities and places where it operates. Hermès men and women are craftsmen of sustainable development.
Hermès Italie - Ufficio Stampa – Miorica Bertolotti mbertolotti@hermes.it Maria Manzitti maria.manzitti@hermes.it