Exhibition makes trunk call to times past

Espace Louis Vuitton provide platforms for local artists. The latest show, Time Traveler, features two women artists. Provided to China Daily

Louis Vuitton is one of the most recognizable luxury brands in China. Its trademark LV logo stamped on countless handbags can be seen on the arm of many fashionable women across the country. What began as a French manufacturer of stackable trunks in the 1860s has grown into today's most iconic status symbol seen all over the world.

At the same time, Louis Vuitton has long been a proud supporter of the arts. Its stand-alone boutiques in Paris, Venice, Tokyo, Taipei, Singapore and Hong Kong each contain designated galleries within them. Dubbed Espace Louis Vuitton, the spaces provide platforms for local artists to showcase their work within venues frequented by customers who appreciate fine design and craftsmanship.

For Time Traveler, the current exhibition at Louis Vuitton Canton Road in Hong Kong, Vita Wong-Kwok, Louis Vuitton Asia's vice-president of cultural development, worked with sculptor Sara Tse and mixed media artist Au Hoi-lam for six months. The artists had exhibited together at Hong Kong's Osage Gallery in 2011, another venue known for promoting local talent. "We particularly wanted an exhibition with young female artists, following our previous show of works by male artists," she says.

Time Traveler is loosely predicated upon Louis Vuitton's origins of providing trunks for adventure seekers crossing oceans on steamers. The concept was fully embraced by the artists and interpreted through completely different creative vocabularies that nevertheless resulted in works that form a pleasant tension when viewed together. Playful, vibrant and with a domestic sensibility, the works exhibit contemporary femininity while being accessible to a wide audience.