Standing today as a testament to a relentless quest, L’ÉCOLE Asia Pacific, School of Jewelry Arts, unveils an unprecedented collection of Men’s Rings. This selection of over 300 rings embodies the 40-year passion of a man, the late French connoisseur and reputable art dealer Yves Gastou.
Gastou’s ring collection, which took him on a journey across the globe, is an endless novel of personal confessions, his great works and fascination that originated in his childhood and remained until his last days. For this exhibition, the rings are categorized into five themes that define the collection and illustrate its diversity: History, Gothic, Christian Mystique, Vanitas and Eclecticism.
Visitors are invited to witness the vast geographical and temporal span: from the 17th century Venice doge rings to American biker rings back in the 1970s, from skull rings to the bishop’s rings. These objects delight the eye with their intense beauty, enlighten the mind with their myriad functions and surprise by their eclecticism. They are witness of travels, symbols of power and spirituality.
Previously presented as a retrospective in Paris and Tokyo that pays homage to family legacies, the emblematic collection of Yves Gastou’s Men’s Rings has now landed in Hong Kong as part of the 10th anniversary celebration of L’ÉCOLE.
