Since the launch of the first “Ran Ran” young artist incubation program (abbreviated as “Ran Ran” program), dozens of young artists incubated by the “Ran Ran” program have demonstrated their talents in interdisciplinary fields such as culture, art and technology. Breakthrough and forward-looking creative practice. The “Ran Ran” project has brought a new generation of artistic creativity to society that combines influence, coverage and depth, and this power has successfully linked many brands with the promise of beauty.
Recently, the “Ran Ran” project has achieved the first key cooperation in its important section [cross-disciplinary cooperation] – joining hands with Guerlain of France to launch the public art cooperation project “Follow the Bee, Follow the Heart” , and the “Ran Ran” special Artist JUJUWANG was invited to create a commissioned work based on the theme of nature protection and sustainable development. He drew inspiration from Guerlain’s continuous protection of bees and completed a new commissioned art installation “BEE__” through a visit to the Tianzi Mountain Rainforest Restoration Area in Yunnan. , an artistic exploration of sustainable concepts. The works will be open to the public outdoors at Xintiandi Fashion Phase 1 from May 13 to May 21, 2023.
JUJUWANG, “BEE__”, 2023, mirror stainless steel, plants, mixed materials, 520 x 330 cm.
On May 17, “Ran Ran” specially invited artist JUJUWANG, as well as shortlisted young artists Huang Shuo and Mao Ying who also paid attention to the concept of sustainability in the first “Ran Ran” project, as well as members of the first “Ran Ran” cultural advisory committee, Lu Wu Yue, President of Viet Nam Group Greater China, Zhou Haiyin, General Manager of Guerlain China, and Li Zhenhui, member of the first cultural advisory committee of “Ran Ran” and senior commercial director of Ruian Xintiandi, were present at the meeting of Gu Yang, the curator of this [Cross-disciplinary Cooperation] project Under the auspices, a dialogue with the theme of “Sustainable Vitality: Sustainable Resonance between Brand and Art” was held to discuss sustainable artistic inspiration and Guerlain’s sustainable environmental protection concept.
From left to right: curator Guyang, artist Huang Shuo, artist JUJUWANG, UCCA Group Chief Commercial Officer Zhu Weiqi, Guerlain China General Manager Zhou Haiyin, LVMH Greater China President Wu Yue, Xintiandi Senior Commercial Director Li Zhenhui, Zhou Jing, public relations director of Guerlain China, artist Mao Ying, Wei Tiantian, head of innovation ecology and venture capital of Ruian Xintiandi, and Li Fengxia, general manager of brand and corporate affairs of Ruian Xintiandi.
Conversation scene.
Integrate sustainability into art:
A green shift in creativity
This dialogue invited three artists who focus on “sustainable concepts”. Among them, “Ran Ran” specially invited artist JUJUWANG shared her creative experience with the audience. She mentioned her experience of visiting Yunnan with Guerlain of France. In the virgin forest, artists need to establish trust, including trust with local residents, the natural environment, and feelings beyond the entity. The tropical rainforest in Yunnan is famous for its unique atmosphere. Following the local clouds and feeling the rhythm of photosynthesis with them can make people feel the invisible things. JUJUWANG also shared her journey of exploring the “Guerlain Way”. She was moved by Guerlain’s protection of bees and orchids, “When I saw those orchids all over the mountains and fields, I was deeply shocked. The real power does not lie in being tall. , but lies in the ability to adapt to the environment.”
During the conversation, artist JUJUWANG shared.
JUJUWANG creates works inspired by local styles in Yunnan. Image courtesy of Ichijo.
Talking about the commissioned work “Bee__”, she said: “Although the hexagons of the honeycomb seem to be single, they can become diverse. In “Bee__”, I showed hundreds of hexagons of different shapes. , they are intertwined to achieve balance and stability both visually and structurally. Through this small space, I hope to showcase the diversity and sustainability of the world.”
JUJUWANG also shared how she links art and nature and uses nature as inspiration for her creations. She mentioned her childhood experience of growing up in the forest and showed her studio on Chongming Island to the audience, “I like it very much. The vast space there, loved capturing the sky there, I took thousands of photos and felt the changes of the seasons. On this island, I made a lot of locally related creations, I hope it won’t bring me Without any constraints, I feel free and relaxed when I create there.” Then she shared her creative process on Chongming Island with the audience, “A lot of my inspiration comes from nature, and I have a lot of favorite poems. , For example: in a drop of water, you can find the secret of the entire ocean. Through the tolerance of nature, you can think about the relationship between people and the relationship between people and things.
“JUJUWANG created “Wangderland_the flag” inspired by nature. Image courtesy of the artist.
In addition to JUJUWANG, Huang Shuo and Mao Ying, two young artists shortlisted for the first “Ran Ran” project, also found a convergence between sustainable development and artistic creation, and they shared their respective creative ideas.
First, artist Huang Shuo introduced his creations – mainly focusing on native ecological tanks, as well as some more open ecological installations. “After graduating from high school, I established my own personal studio. While maintaining the logic of the main line of creation, I constantly tried various new creative methods, such as larger landscapes or courtyards, as well as co-branded products and products of some brands and platforms. Creativity.” Huang Shuo also shared his love for animals and plants, “I have loved animals and painting since I was a child. I have painted many plants and animals, and I have slowly begun to try to restore the original ecological environment of these animals and plants in equal proportions.” Not only that, as a child who grew up in Beijing, Huang Shuo was surrounded by and influenced by ancient architecture, and has a strong interest in ancient art. He showed the audience a series of works shot in different habitats in the Pan-Himalayan region. The creative inspiration came from Qu Yuan’s “Nine Songs: Mountain Ghosts”. The mountain gods in the works have qualities that resonate with human emotions, which inspired the artist to seek outside the body. of beauty. At the same time, the surface of the glacier seems solid, but it is actually in an unstable geological environment. This exactly echoes the artist’s expectations for the personal heart, which is strong and stable, but also accommodates the existence of delicate and unstable emotions and other elements.
During the conversation, artist Huang Shuo shared.
Huang Shuo, “A Mountain – Minya Gongga Periglacial Zone 4500”, 2022, mixed materials, 100 x 90 x 230cm. Image courtesy of the artist.
Huang Shuo, “Water’s Mae – Yellow Dragon Needle and Broad Mixed Forest 2800”, 2021, mixed materials, 100 x 80 x 210cm. Image courtesy of the artist.
Artist Mao Ying also introduced her creative journey. She has a disciplinary background in environmental design, so she is both an architect and an artist. Mao Ying mentioned that creation itself is a process of pursuing the essence of life. Her inspiration mainly comes from the intertwining of philosophy, nature, culture and her life experience . “In recent years, I have found myself living in the city and gradually losing many sensory experiences. When I walked into nature, my senses were revived.” During the epidemic last year, Mao Ying was isolated on an island , this time away from the city made her miss the city life very much. Because in Mao Ying’s view, urban renewal is like an evolving drama, where the lives of people, cities, buildings and wilderness are rhizomatically intertwined, and new organisms are constantly formed and full of vitality. She has always believed that organisms are not manufactured, but emerge from single entities in the process of gradual adaptation over time. Architects are not just solving existing problems, but a kind of design thinking. Design itself is an organic and complex system, which requires designers to fully grasp the integrity.
During the conversation, artist Mao Ying shared.
Mao Ying, “ROOTS”, 2021, PETG particles, 10㎡. Image courtesy of the artist.
The sustainable journey of international brands:
Build deep links to cultural creativity
At the dialogue site, Mr. Wu Yue, a member of the “Ran Ran” Cultural Advisory Committee and President of LVMH Greater China, delivered a speech. He expressed his full enthusiasm for the group’s major brands for deepening the promotion of the concept of sustainable development and promoting the concept of sustainable development to more young people. There are high hopes for the development of this overall situation. He emphasized that “truth, goodness and beauty” are not only the pursuit of enterprises and products, but also the yearning of the public and society. Embracing the diversity of the world and the creativity of young people, today’s trends promote the important concept of sustainable development. Fashion has no boundaries. LVMH Group brands actively participate in social exchanges that go beyond business, jointly express humanistic emotions, and play a better role in the Chinese market that continues to deepen reform and opening up. Sustainable development is everyone’s responsibility.
Mr. Wu Yue shared the dialogue scene.
In her speech, Ms. Zhou Haiyin, general manager of Guerlain China, pointed out that it is precisely because of the sustainability of nature that the soul of this nearly 200-year-old brand can be passed on forever. Guerlain has been closely associated with bees since 1853, when it decorated the bottle of its Eau de Reign perfume with a bee pattern for Empress Eugénie. As the guardian spirit of the environment and the symbol of the Guerlain brand, bees give Guerlain unlimited creative inspiration, and Guerlain also puts bee protection into action to give back to nature’s generosity. Today, Guerlain of France combines the life inheritance of bees with JUJUWANG’s works to rekindle people’s love for life and perfectly integrate products, humans, beauty and art .
Ms. Zhou Haiyin is deeply proud of this cooperation with the “Ran Ran” project, and emphasized that this cooperation has the advantages of time, location, and people. She highly recognized the authority of the cultural advisory committee of the “Ran Ran” project and appreciated JUJUWANG’s international reputation. She mentioned that the environment where JUJUWANG grew up brought together the intersection of Eastern and Western cultures. JUJU University majored in rational thinking, and later engaged in artistic creation, integrating rational thinking and emotion in her works. As a deeply integrated brand, Guerlain is full of rational thinking and understanding of life, but what it expresses is deep emotional needs.
During the conversation, Ms. Zhou Haiyin shared.
Mr. Li Zhenhui, a member of the “Ran Ran” cultural advisory committee and senior commercial director of Ruian Xintiandi, expressed his views on behalf of Xintiandi. Xintiandi has always attached great importance to the introduction of culture. As a stage to showcase China, Xintiandi hopes to link brands and artists. At the same time, he also previewed the release of the new “Ran Ran” plan and invited guests to participate. Finally, he also emphasized that Guerlain’s bees symbolize the inheritance of life, and hoped that everyone would not only appreciate the beautiful works, but also bring a beautiful mood to their families.
Mr. Li Zhenhui shared the dialogue scene.
In today’s complex and diverse business environment, sustainable cross-field cooperation between brands and art is particularly important. This collaboration not only injects creative and artistic elements into the brand, but also provides an innovative and impactful way to achieve sustainable development. [Cross-field cooperation] Give the brand a unique identity and image, attract consumers through artistic visual, emotional and story expressions, make the brand stand out in the fiercely competitive market, and establish a positive brand image.
Conversation scene.
At the same time, art, as a penetrating form of expression, has the ability to attract attention, inspire thinking and promote change. Through cooperation with art, brands can convey the concepts and practices of sustainable development, arouse public attention to environmental, social and cultural issues, and promote positive changes in society.
Finally, because art projects and events require collaboration and interaction with communities, cultural institutions, and the public, by supporting and participating in these projects, brands can not only establish close cooperative relationships, but also strengthen connections with target audiences and form loyal brand communities. . This kind of cooperation will not only contribute to the sustainable development of the brand, but will also promote cultural prosperity and social cohesion.
