Chanel again …! A look inside the Chanel art book.

I know its a little bit too much Chanel on the blog at the moment… But there is really a lot Chanel thats worth to be discussed right now. One of those things is the Chanel Art book, a photo book published by the German photo publisher Steidl depicting the Karl Lagerfeld created artworks that decorated the Grand Palais for the brands spring summer 2014 presentation.

Karl Lagerfeld

Chanel art book published by Steidl and bought at Colette, Paris

I stumbled across the book incidentally while queuing at the cash desk at Colette, Paris and couldn’t help to take it. Although its already 2 weeks ago that we returned from our Paris NYC trip its still on my desk and I browse through the pages by an almost daily routine. The book comes without a real introduction or explanation to the artworks it only cites Voltaire “That which may be explained in many ways is not worth explanation.”- So its open for everyone to project into the artworks whatever he wants! One of my favorite pieces are the “Falling pearls”.

Karl Lagerfeld

“Falling pearls” 2013, Karl Lagerfeld, photo@http://www.thefashionsection.com

The installation shows a huge double C filled with signature Chanel pearls. However, some of them have already fallen out onto the floor leaving huge blank spaces inside the logo. This installation reminds me a lot of a piece I had previously seen at Palazzo Grassi as part of the “Illusion of light” exhibition. It was entitled “Fantôme (Jasmin)” (2012) and showed a metal hanger covered with a flower necklace and a shirt. The flowers had dried, some were still in place others had fallen to the floor.

Karl Lagerfeld

Latifa Echakhch, Fantôme (Jasmin), 2012 at “The Illusion of light”, Palazzo Grassi, photo@http://atpdiary.com

The exhibition booklet read that the artist Latifa Echakhch was inspired by a flower shop owner in Beirut, who covered his merchandise with his own shirt to prevent it from wilting. For her this is a general symbol of resistance of people against unavoidable processes.

While Lagerfeld’s installations contains the fading effect of something preexisting it lacks the preservation aspect. This is pretty much in line with his attitude towards never looking back, keeping no archive and starting new every time.

I love how a similar expression falling flowers and falling Chanel pearls might stand for such a contradictory view on life. For many people, particularly at a certain age, its constantly holding tight to things that can’t be preserved, being proud of good old times and lacking the courage to start over again. Karl Lagerfeld, at age 80, sees the fading of something old and traditional as good. For him this creates a new blank canvas on which he can start all over again!!!

Actually that’s my very personal interpretation – Its very likely that Lagerfeld had other thoughts behind it!