In a city where sandstone meets sea spray, Van Cleef & Arpels has unfurled its poetic universe at Watersedge, Campbell’s Stores. The Art of Movement: Living Instants, Eternal Forms marks the Maison’s first exhibition in Oceania – a free and fleeting invitation into over a century of craftsmanship – open until 8 May.
More than 100 archival pieces – some dating back to the 1920s – are arranged in lyrical choreography across four themes: Human Odyssey, Nature Alive, Elegance, and Abstract Movements. Each section is a meditation on motion, from the aerodynamic lines of the 1956 Mystère IV plane necklace to the kinetic grace of ballerina clips, their gem-studded tutus forever mid-pirouette.
“For us, movement isn’t just about articulation or flexibility,” says Alexandrine Maviel-Sonet, Director of Patrimony and Exhibitions. “It’s a philosophy. A piece should feel alive.”
The scenography is anchored by a floating ribbon – a nod to the 1930s Fleur Silhouette clip – that guides visitors through this dreamscape of gold, diamonds, and gouache sketches. In Nature Alive, a newly acquired bird brooch seems caught mid-flight. “There’s such a movement in the wings, in the body – it was perfect for the exhibition,” Maviel-Sonet shares.
The Maison’s longstanding dialogue with haute couture is explored in Elegance, where metal is sculpted like fabric and gold flows like silk. “The difference is just the material – gold instead of fabric, diamonds instead of embroidery,” Maviel-Sonet explains. “But the inspiration is the same.”
Workshops, L’ÉCOLE talks, and hands-on sessions for children offer further immersion. And for those still questioning jewellery’s place in the world of art, Maviel-Sonet offers this: “When you see these pieces, the archival sketches next to the final creation, you realise – it is art.”
The Art of Movement is more than an exhibition – it’s a living testament to the Maison’s devotion to capturing life’s fleeting beauty, one precious gesture at a time.
The Art of Movement exhibition will be open from 11 April to 8 May 2025, Monday-Sunday 10:00am-6:00pm. Admission is free and walk-ins are welcome, but reservations for the Guided tour, Children’s Workshop and L’ÉCOLE Conversation can be made on the website.
