MAKING SENSE
Swarovski teamed up with designer partners Stefan Sagmeister and Jessica Walsh to embellish an installation within the new exhibition Sagmeister & Walsh: Beauty.
The show – on display at the MAK (Austrian Museum of Applied Arts / Contemporary Art) in Vienna – explores the form and function of beauty and the positive effects beauty can have.
Entitled Sensory Room, the multimedia installation invites visitors to engage the five senses with ever-changing compositions of light, color and fog complemented by invigorating citrus scents and the song of the Malaysian marsh frog. 26,000 Swarovski crystals in Chalkwhite decorate the stark walls, creating a subtle yet lustrous glow. These elements merge to impart a sense of calm that lasts long after your visit to the museum.
“Our intention is to show that beauty is not just something that floats on the surface but is an intrinsic part of who we are,” Sagmeister commented.
Swarovski’s contribution to the exhibition is rounded out with specially designed uniforms – Yves Klein blue shirts embellished with Chalkwhite Swarovski crystals – worn by MAK employees as a vibrant visual stimulant.
Atelier Swarovski jewelry by Mary Katrantzou can be purchased at the gift shop along with Atelier Swarovski Home pieces. Katranztou is a long-time Swarovski collaborator as well as a contributor to the exhibition, with a Selfie Station that projects her print-heavy dresses onto museum-goers.
Stefan Sagmeister is a two-time Grammy-winner, acclaimed for his work designing album covers for iconic musicians including Aerosmith, the Rolling Stones and Lou Reed. Jessica Walsh has been featured in Forbes magazine’s “30 Under 30 list” for her creative achievements and lists Jay-Z, Barneys, The New York Times, Levi’s, and the Museum of Modern Art as her clients.
Sagmeister & Walsh: Beauty is on display at the MAK in Vienna from October 24, 2018 to March 31, 2019.