SERPENTIForm

During the 1940s, Bulgari reinterpreted this compelling sign with supple bracelet-watches that over the decades contributed to increase the Maison’s international fame. Today, the Serpenti creations are true icons of Bulgari’s bold creativity. Paying tribute to such a powerful motif, with the SerpentiForm exhibition formula Bulgari offers an eclectic and evocative itinerary that narrates how the snake has also inspired many important names in modern and contemporary art, design, fashion, decorative arts and photography.

Antonio Ligabue, King of the forest [1959]

Oil on canvas
Courtesy Fondazione Archivio Antonio Ligabue
Parma - Archive since 1983

Christian Holstad

Ouroboros 8 (Red glove drips snake ), 2013
Vintage glove, fiberfill and antique obi
Courtesy of the Artist and Victoria Miro, London
Photography Stephen White © Christian Holstad

Franz von Stuck

The sin, ca. 1909
Oil on canvas
88 x 53 cm
Galleria d’Arte Moderna Empedocle Restivo, Palermo

Statue of young Hercules

Strangling the snakes, late 2nd century – early 3rd century AD Parian marble
Musei Reali di Torino - Museo d'Antichità

Joana Vasconcelos

Electra, 2016
Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro faience painted with ceramic glaze, Azores crocheted lace 14 x 50 x 67 cm
Collection of the Artist, Lisbon
© Unidade Infinita Projectos

Kaneko Tomiyuki

World Serpent, 2012
Japanese ink, acrylic, pen, gold paint, shell powder on Japanese paper 227 x 546 cm
© Kaneko Tomiyuki
Courtesy Mizuma Art Gallery

Keith Haring

USA 19-82, 1982
Lithograph 55.88 x 76.2 cm
The Keith Haring Foundation, New York
© Haring Foundation

Michael Velliquette

Hypnotic serpent series, 2014
Paper, acrylic and ink on board 60.96 x 60.96 x 0.16 cm
Courtesy of the artist and The David Shelton Gallery, Houston
© Michael Velliquette

Niki de Saint Phalle

Snake/Serpent, 2001
Painted fiberglass Niki Charitable Art Foundation, Santee
© 2017 Niki Charitable Art Foundation
© Niki de Saint Phalle by SIAE 2017

Tor Archer

Virgin of the snakes, 2013 Copper with patina 90.2 x 23.5 x 23.5 cm
Courtesy of the Artist and Tangent Contemporary Art, San Francisco

A review of superb Bulgari Serpenti creations from the Maison archives and private collections closes the exhibition. The selection includes creations especially designed for SerpentiForm, showing how Serpenti has continued to evolve and to fuel the Maison’s inexhaustible creativity. SerpentiForm was set up for the first time in 2016 in Rome at the Museo di Roma-Palazzo Braschi, followed by the Singapore edition at the ArtScience Museum and the Tokyo edition at the Tokyo City View, Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, in 2017.

Following the success of the previous editions in Rome, Singapore and Tokyo, Bvlgari will inaugurate the fourth edition of SerpentiForm at Chengdu Museum; it will officially open to the public on April 30th and run until August 25th.