Exhibition "Divine Jewels: The Pursuit of Beauty, Selected pieces from Kazumi Arikawa's collection"

In April, L’ÉCOLE Asia Pacific, School of Jewelry Arts is celebrating the centenary of the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts with a vast range of programs featuring an art movement of the twentieth century: Art Deco. As part of this program, L’ÉCOLE Asia Pacific is unveiling the newly curated exhibition “Divine Jewels: The Pursuit of Beauty, Selected pieces from Kazumi Arikawa's collection” from April 23 to May 11, 2025 at K11 MUSEA campus  in Hong Kong.

The exhibition features fifteen pieces chosen from the prized Albion Art collection, founded by Kazumi Arikawa, one of the world’s foremost jewelry collectors, and pay tribute to forty years of collecting, from portraits of sovereigns engraved on cameos and intaglios to the art of capturing the ephemeral beauty of nature in tiaras, necklaces, and other precious ornaments, as well as the mystique of precious stones.

The exhibition starts by featuring highlights from the Collection such as the Brooch with a cameo portrait of Napoleon I by Nicola Morelli, who was a prominent gem engraver in Rome during the early 17th – 19th centuries, representing the flourishing glyptic art of the era.

The second chapter highlights remarkable Art Deco pieces, including tiaras, watches, rings, bracelets, and a precious desk clock, in honor of the 100th anniversary of Art Deco. Among the highlights is the Chinoiserie bracelet that showcases the Chinese-inspired motifs that have been a significant influence in decorative arts dating back to the 17th century.

Several talks, to be held in person, will examine different facets of the movement along with an exclusive Hong Kong book launch of Kazumi Arikawa’s book, Divine Jewels: The Pursuit of Beauty, which is available for purchase at L’ÉCOLE Asia Pacific bookstore. This important testament reflects the vision and life of the collector over four decades.