Cartier's earliest recorded work, a 1874 enameled watch on chatelaine, will be on display in China for the first time. (Cartier)
After having been to Zurich, Switzerland and Singapore, Cartier’s traveling exhibition Cartier Time Art makes Shanghai its next stop on its tour. From July 19 to October 12, contemporary art museum Shanghai Power Station of Art will be host to over 180 timepieces from more than a century of Cartier’s watchmaking. Although China isn’t the first stop for the exhibition, it features many items that were not included among the nearly 150 pieces on its Singapore leg of the tour.
Conceived by the award-winning artist and designer Tokujin Yoshioka, the exhibition will feature historic works from the brand’s earliest days, such as a chatelaine watch from 1874. According to Chinese news site Dahe.cn, this will be the first time it is held in China, and it also serves to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Sino-France diplomatic relations.
Model A Mystery Clock, 1914. (Cartier)
“Especially at the juncture of the 50th anniversary of Sino-France diplomatic relations,” said Deputy Director of the Shanghai Power Station of Art Li Xu to Dahe.cn, “this exhibition would be a great conversation point between the East and West. From there we can hopefully see cross-cultural sparks from this intersection.”
The Portique Mystery Clock. (Cartier)
“We are honored to receive the invitation of the Shanghai Power Station of Art for exhibition,” said Cartier’s Heritage and Style Director Pierre Rainero. “We are also grateful to Mr. Tokujin Yoshioka for his exquisite work on the exhibition. This time-themed exhibition is like a trip through time, showcasing Cartier’s watch-making heritage, design philosophy, and aesthetic accomplishments of more than a century.”