SWAROVSKI

“Nature is valuable not only for itself; it is also to be revered as the single most persuasive and redemptive work of philosophy.”\

Mesmerized by the natural landscape of Austria, the cradle of Swarovski, the installation found its inspiration in the Austrian ice caves. They are known to be the largest ice caves in the world, thrilling for their beautiful ice formations, resembling the precision and the perfection of Swarovski’s crystal cuts.

Unlike any other natural wonder that can be found in the open air, these surreal pieces of jewellery are located in enclosed spaces of the mountain’s heart, difficult to access. The narrow stairwell available for the artwork represented a perfect environment to reproduce this unique cave experience that only a few people have had the chance to discover in real life.

The Crystal Cave is going to offer to some viewers the first-time experience inside a cave, exploring three states: The crystals valley, The night sparkle, and reaching the moment of exiting the cave: The reverie. Metallic mesh, laser cut panels, mirrors, marble, soft responsive led lights, sparkling Swarovski crystals unleash a harmonic symphony of craftsmanship and technology.

The Crystal Valley represents the first stop where a flood of bright white welcomes the viewer inside the purity of the crystals. The walls cuts portraying wave crystals compose a fluid flow that enchants the public.

The Night Sparkle composes the uniqueness of reflections inside a cave. Just like the moon reflects the light into the cave’s crystals, bouncing and reflecting everything, the mirrors aim to unleash an interactive space where the viewer becomes part of the artwork, drawing its own reflection into the cave’s walls. The cuts representing light reflection onto printed panels create a stunning blue lights painting.

The Reverie represents the moment of exiting the cave, where printed water reflections remember the crucial role that water had in sculpting the cave. Contemporary water-shaped laser cuts unleash a free flow environment, leaving the viewer with a light and calm feeling.

Over 10000 Swarovski’s crystals attached to the cave’s mesh guide the viewer’s way, connecting all the stages together into a beautiful and complete whole that has one stage to metamorphosing into another, offering a unique experience. It exceeds the retail experience into a museum, work of art display, that has the role to delight and familiarize the public with both the brand and the natural wonders.

SWAROVSKI, store installation, in collaboration with Juju Wang Studio, Chengdu Taikooli, China, 2019.