Lovers of art, fashion, and Instagram can rejoice: #GucciGram is back for its second edition. Curated by the brand’s creative director Alessandro Michele, this digital project is based on the brand’s Tian print, which draws inspiration from 18th-century Chinese landscapes and features a pattern of flowers, insects and birds. For this edition of #GucciGram, the brand has commissioned a mix of Asian artists to reimagine the print in various mediums and formats.
Chinese artist Cao Fei’s submission is a photograph of a pair of Gucci slippers adorned with the Tian print propped up against a dilapidated wall, which is an exploration of China’s rapid industrialisation.
Cao Fei’s compatriot, Cheng Ran, darkens the normally whimsical Tian print by depicting a sullen black cat in front of a bright floral background, adding a dark undertone to this otherwise feminine pattern.
Jae Suk Kim’s contribution is like something out of a psychedelic dream, depicting a playful monkey alongside Gucci’s Padlock bag and brightly coloured birds. The illustration also features a blue sky, which is fitting, as the Chinese word “tian” translates to sky or heaven.
Collagist Fajar P. Domingo gives his image a retro feel, using a palette of faded pastel shades. The young woman portrayed in this picture sits poised, in the middle of a grove created by flowers and birds plucked from the traditional Tian print.
Japanese photographer Yoshito Hasaka rose to the challenge by projecting the Gucci Tian print on to the Shibuya 109 building in Tokyo, and then shot the work for posterity.
Viewers can see more contributions to the project by looking up the #GucciGram hashtag on Instagram, or by visiting the website that houses the artwork here.