With a free hour to kill in Chelsea, I headed over to Duke of York Square passed the water foundations, and paid a trip to the Saatchi Gallery. Wanderland is an exhibition by Hermes the luxury fashion house. The concept deriving from flanerie; the wonderfully liberating art of urban wandering, an ideal that is second nature to Hermes.
Pierre-Alexis Dumas is the Artistic Director for Hermes, he described the belief that all that we do emanates from wanderings; the exhibition invites people to be flaneurs.
Hermes shares their objects in their store displays in a way that encourages the quintessentially Parisian practice. With a belief that through flanerie, time has no concept but is rediscovered.
Pierre-Alexis Dumas expressed;
‘Guided by instinct, senses all alert, flaneurs watch passing moments intently, all the better to seize them. Flaneurs garner, forage and gather. They unearth the unusual in the mundane, the unnoticed in the already seen, the distant in the near, the visible in the invisible.’
A concept which I found very unique, the sense that through the art of strolling you can open your eyes to things that can only be seen through wandering and would be missed by those that rush. Maybe I can use my desire to flanuer as an excuse for my frequent lateness.
Bruno Gaudichon was the curator of the exhibition and dedicated it to Flaneur Forever the Spring Summer 2015 collection. Hubert Le Gall created the dreamlike set design, and the combination of talents brought the art of wandering and wondering in Wanderland.
Luckily for you, I’m going to take you on the mind-blowing adventure that will send your imagination and creativity into over drive; I promise this isn’t an exaggeration. The exhibition closes on the 2nd May 2015 and is one not to miss. A touch of free inspiration and culture – you can hardly go wrong.
We entered the supernatural world into a room sparkling with twinkling lights and a rotating disco ball suspended from the ceiling. Projections on the walls presented the flaneur in film form. The cinema extracts displayed an imaginary flanerie.
Strolled through a tasselled doorway into a crisp white room with walking sticks suspended from the ceiling, hanging on the walls and even on the floor.
The walking stick represented a surrealist’s approach that the cane belonged to a flaneur. The room kept us curious with even walking sticks floating through the space. The installation certainly kept us wondering where it was going to take us.
In the centre of the room was a large white wardrobe, with doors left slightly ajar.
Unsure as to where the wardrobes lead we both apprehensively peered through the door and entered into a whole new realm.
Inside the wardrobe we stumbled into a man and woman’s dressing room, split down the middle into two separate sections. The wardrobe divided into two characters, the female scenario based on a bag obsessive, whilst the male’s section was a sport’s fanatics dream. Adopting the female characters mentality we admired the bright beautiful bags on display.
In a flash the lights turned out, presenting night and day, all sides of flaneur.
Once we past the wardrobe interior we found ourselves stuck at a dark crossroads.
We crossed street signs that directed us passed cautious signals, through to a space that boomed projections of people walking on the floor.
Noises of cars beeping, traffic moving and people walking and talking, introduced us to the flaneur of telepathy, listening to the thoughts of those we pass on a day to day basis on the street.
After the crossroads we were submerged into an upside down world.
It almost felt like we were in an old-fashioned jewellery box as music played and objects twirled in the centre. It was as though time were suspended as bags swirled around us.
The most enjoyable thing was each space created an entirely new perspective leaving our minds buzzing with wander.
After being turned upside down we were treated to a spell of the great British weather.
Something us Brits have mastered over our lifetimes is dodging the rain, on this occasion we took shelter in Le Café Des Objets Oublies.
The café presented a collection of forgotten objects. We discovered hidden lights and objects mysteriously placed in teacups and water bottles.
As we peered closely at the lost objects we found unusual items placed in peculiar spaces, with no reason.
Through the mysterious café, we were then introduced to the street artist. A space free with expression with walls clad in graffiti.
A space with no explanation but formed a powerful impact of colour and awe.
The explosive colours and neon lights were hard to drift away from; we got fully engrossed in the art, getting our feet literally stuck in.
Through the floating curtains, we entered The Passage displaying all sorts – even an elephant in a china shop!
A pet shop run riot mixed with antiques and all sorts.
We were lead onto a room I’d have named ‘Eye Spy’, where you could see and be seen.
Before our eyes were a mysterious room, we revealed a secret world behind the window, the concept that strange things would come to life when the inhabitant was away. A fantasy I truly hope stays in the world of mystery.
Finally, a thrilling flashing doorway pushed us back into the reality of the normal world.
Leaving the exhibition felt like we’d visited a secret daydream land, the imaginative space left us buzzing.
Hermes truly nailed the impact of wandering; the exhibition was awe-inspiring and really takes you on a journey of wonder as you stroll through.
Go flaneur you’d be a fool not to!
