Back in October, when Takashi Murakami’s retrospective opened at the LA MoCA, the inclusion of a guerrilla Louis Vuitton store within the museum garnered almost more press than the exhibition itself. Here was a bold statement of commerce very literally invading culture. Opinion was divided as to whether it was it was something to be impressed by – the synthesis of fashion and art’s creative commingling – or derided.
For anyone still undecided, there’s now a second chance to mull the situation over. Murakami’s retrospective has recently opened in the Brooklyn Museum, complete with a fully operational Louis Vuitton store. But it doesn’t end here this time. Last Thursday Louis Vuitton hosted a Gala dinner at the museum with the aim of highlighting the issue of creative counterfeiting.
As well as the Gala dinner, actors - posing as street vendors - were set up outside the museum selling authentic Louis Vuitton products alongside the monogrammed canvases designed especially for the exhibition store by Murakami. The tongue-in-cheek stunt brought to life the very serious issue: it’s still not a social taboo to see street vendors hawking counterfeited designs. Which is a strange injustice to the worlds of art and fashion when you consider the theft of intellectual property rights is a criminal offence.
CEO of the luxury brand, Yves Carcelle says of the project, ‘As a luxury house which has great respect for creation in all its forms, Louis Vuitton is strongly committed to the protection of artists’ and designers’ creativity.’ Whilst cynics might argue that Louis Vuitton has managed to exploit the serious issue with a cunning retail opportunity, there’s no doubt that the publicity raised by the brand’s attachment to the cause can only be a good thing.
INFORMATION
- Event dates
- 5 April 2008 to 13 July 2008
- Website
- http://www.brooklynmuseum.org
- Address
- Brooklyn Museum
200 Eastern Parkway
Brooklyn
NY 11238-6052
