Explore this exhibition celebrating Louis Vuitton’s bicentennial birthday, with 200 trunks reimagined by 200 visionaries on display.
From now till 27 April 2022, the 200 Trunks, 200 Visionaries exhibition is open at the Marina Bay Sands Event Plaza, near the Louis Vuitton Island Maison store. The exhibition takes place within a gigantic box emblazoned with a silver checkerboard (also known in french and Vuitton-Universe as Damier). Inside, visitors will find a showcase of 200 ‘trunks’ created in collaboration with 200 visionaries across various disciplines, paying tribute to the original LV trunk created in the 1850s.
This exhibition debuted during the actual bicentennial last year at Asnières, a town north of Paris. Akin to the “heart and soul” of Louis Vuitton, Asnières is where Vuitton’s storied family home, the brand’s archives, gallery and exhibition spaces, and a high-end Atelier (workshop) are all located. That particular workshop works on special orders and high-end pieces, including hard-sided trunks.
Singapore marks the first stop in the 200 Trunks’ global tour, which will include Beijing, Tokyo, New York and London. These trunks will be eventually auctioned off by Sotheby’s, with proceeds going towards programmes to support young creatives.
LEGO‘s Birthday Cake Trunk on display at the exhibition briefing room.
The Magic Trunk Room
The experience starts in a dark room, where screens and mirrored surfaces bring focus to the ‘Magic Trunk’ in the middle. Those who visited the Louis Vuitton Series 3 Exhibition would recall a similar room.
The Landscape of Trunks
The path leads into a brightly-lit, warehouse-like area, where trunks in various forms are displayed.
Right in the middle: The ‘Monsieur Louis‘ Robot Trunk installation, with its body covered with LED screens.
Some trunks are crafted pieces, while many are these ‘Magic Trunks’ made out of LED panels.
From the iconic Stephen Sprouse Graffiti prints (Marc Jacobs), the 2017 Supreme collab (Kim Jones), whimsical forms by Frank Gehry, to even The Simpsons making an appearance. This gallery offers an experience to spot recognisable design elements from famous creatives and pop culture.
Almost all the trunks on display at the exhibition take on the standard 50x50x100cm dimensions – the blank canvas that the 200 creatives start with. The shape is supposedly close to the size of the first flat-top trunks developed by Louis himself in the 1850s. It started a trunk-stacking revolution (most trunks back then had rounded tops so that water could runoff). I believe that the ‘standard’ hard-sided rectangular trunk that is produced today by LV is slightly larger (Malle Courrier Lozine 110).
You’ll get to walk through these staggered valleys of works, each placed on top of shipping crates that will follow each trunk along their world tour.
A narrow hallway, with framed artworks, connects you to the next gallery.
The Dreamscape
The Dreamscape gallery features trunks with a more transformative take. Some are quite surreal.
Split across different coloured zones, with light from tinted windows, most works here requires more than a cursory look – especially for the animated pieces.
Thankfully, every piece of work at the exhibition has a QR code. Scanning it will land you into a virtual catalogue, that helps to elucidate the mysterious concepts behind some creations, including a particular trunk with precisely-machined moving parts.
The last area, in bright red, comprises some of the most whimsical ideas.
The BTS Trunk
The trunk designed by BTS gets special treatment – it’s ensconced in a room away from everything else. The walls and flooring are reproductions of each side of the trunk.
The flooring copied the design from the top of the BTS trunk, which is quite hard to see given the glass casing.
There’s even a wall for fans to draw on.
The Audio Speakeasy
After the BTS experience, the last room is an ‘audio speakeasy’, with a unique jukebox trunk created by Benji B, the sound director for Louis Vuitton’s Menswear shows.
Here you can sit down for a while and enjoy some music (selected by an exhibition host).
Take in one last look at this jukebox trunk.
Back to the Beginning
You’re back at the first room of the exhibition, where you can browse through some Louis Vuitton City Guides and Books, or pick up the Louis 200 catalogue and tote bag.
The Louis 200 event poster is also available here for grabs as you leave – this is a free souvenir from the exhibition.
200 Trunks, 200 Visionaries: The Exhibition in Singapore Info
200 Trunks, 200 Visionaries: The Exhibition
Marina Bay Sands Event Plaza, 10 Bayfront Avenue
From now till 27 April 2022, 10AM – 10PM daily
Free Admission, reserve tickets at this website. Walk-ins also allowed.
Visit the Louis Vuitton Marina Bay Sands store for more magic trunks on display, and actual trunks that you can buy if you have Permission To Spend.
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