CRÈME DE LA CRÈME

DESCRIPTION

This wearable sculpture/bag is a stunning masterpiece that embodies the iCONS+ series' exceptional craftsmanship and unparalleled creativity. Meticulously crafted from cream hand-boarded Madras vegetable-tanned goatskin, this bag is adorned with cubic crystals and vibrantly printed leather butterflies of various shapes and sizes, paying tribute to Damien Hirst's opulent butterfly monochrome paintings entitled Midas and the Infinite. This series was created for the Sotheby's auction 'Beautiful Inside My Head Forever' in 2008, making this bag an ode to the English artist's brilliant work.

Adding to the bag's charm are the hand-polished, mirror-finished 316L stainless steel 'hands' in the form of a Morningstar - a signature emblem of the iCONS+ series. Each hand is wrapped around with a butterfly wing, adding a delightful touch of whimsy to the piece.

The bag is secured with a smooth Raccagni silver-tone zipper and comes with a pocket with an invisible magnetic closure at the front. The interior of the bag is fully lined in electric blue recycled cotton twill and has a small goatskin patch pocket. The artisan mark “E” and year of production mark “A” are stamped on the back of the right zipper stopper.

This versatile bag can be worn as a crossbody or shoulder bag with a single shoulder strap, or as a backpack with double shoulder straps. Alternatively, it can also be displayed as a stunning art object, showcasing the intricate details and imaginative design that make this piece truly exceptional.

MORE DETAILS

H20 x W14 x D10 cm (8” x 5.5” x 4”)
Exterior: 100% Hand-boarded Madras goatskin
Trims (Butterflies): Microfiber polyurethane
Interior: One goatskin patch pocket
100% Recycled cotton twill lining
Front flap pocket with magnetic closure
Two adjustable shoulder straps
Hand-polished mirror finished 316L stainless steel hardware
Required 45 hours for one artisan to make
Cross-body, shoulder bag and backpack
Can also be displayed as an art object
Individually handmade in China
Reference No. CX23U0104010

STORY

Crème de la Crème is massively inspired by one of my most admired artists, Damien Hirst’s series of opulent butterfly monochrome paintings entitled ‘Midas and the Infinite’ created for the Sotheby's auction ‘Beautiful Inside My Head Forever’ in 2008. Layered with metaphors, Crème de la Crème, similar to Hirst’s original, is also made up of a panoply of different butterfly species - some large, some small, some elaborately printed, others mottled. The juxtaposition of the exuberant hues of the digitally printed butterflies’ gossamer wings set on an idiosyncratic anthropomorphic creamy white leather bag induces awe and contemplation, oscillating between adorable and curious.

Despite their fragile existence and brief lifespan, the imagery of butterfly, for centuries, has been revered and reproduced by numerous cultures, not only for its inherent beauty, but also for its symbolic significance. In its metamorphosis from the ordinary, colorless caterpillar to the exquisite winged creature of delicate beauty, the butterfly has become a metaphor for transformation, hope, and new beginnings.

While this biological transformation often symbolizes rebirth and resurrection, closer inspection of the work, however, would reveal that these seemingly alive but dead butterflies had all been immortalized through digital printing and crucifixion - permanently stitched down to the leather surface like an entomology taxidermy in the Victorian era. The oxymoronic pairing of something so inherently beautiful and something terribly horrific calls to mind of the most commonly-depicted subject matter in Christian iconography, the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. God scarified Jesus, his only son, to atone for the sins of humanity.

The use of cream-tone goatskin, lavishly encrusted with cubic glass crystals that resemble diamonds, is certainly a direct reference of Hirst’s original painting and a conscious decision meant to draw viewers’ attention to all the sins and temptations that we mortals are constantly afflicted by the material world we are living in today. In interweaving religion and art, Crème de la Crème examines the meaning of morality and the spiritual uncertainty at the heart of the human condition.

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