Marina Abramović Embarks on First Jewelry Design Collaboration with Chantecler Capri
The groundbreaking performance artist Marina Abramović is extending her creative reach into the world of jewelry design with a new capsule collection in partnership with Italian luxury brand Chantecler Capri.
Despite having never designed jewelry before, and only recently visiting the island that inspired the collection, Abramović has enthusiastically embraced the project. The collaboration was publicly unveiled late last month during an open-air event on Capri entitled “Breathing Rocks,” signaling a unique intersection of art, design, and the island’s natural beauty.
A Collection Rooted in Energy and Place
The Chantecler x Marina Abramović collection draws inspiration from both Abramović’s celebrated artistic practice and the “primordial forces” of Capri. The preview event, held at the Tragara vista overlooking the iconic Faraglioni rocks, was attended by Capri’s Mayor Paolo Falco, along with councilors Salvatore Ciuccio and Melania Esposito, demonstrating strong community support for the cultural initiative. Officials emphasized the value of the dialogue Abramović’s presence fostered within the community.
Abramović, a Serbian-born conceptual artist renowned for challenging the boundaries of performance art, is best known for works like “The Artist Is Present,” where she sat motionless for three months at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 2010, inviting strangers to share a moment of silent connection. Her body of work encompasses video, soundscapes, installations, and photography, all exploring themes of endurance, vulnerability, and the human condition.
From Shanghai to Capri: A Natural Progression
The collaboration came to fruition through the efforts of Chantecler’s creative director, Maria Elena Aprea, alongside art director Andrea Lazzari and Shai Baitel, artistic director of the Modern Art Museum of Shanghai. During “Breathing Rocks,” Abramović engaged in a public conversation with Baitel and journalist Cesare Cunaccia, author of “Capri Dolce Vita,” followed by a Q&A session with attendees.
According to Baitel, the Chantecler project represents a “natural continuation” of Abramović’s earlier exhibition, “Transforming Energy,” at the Modern Art Museum in Shanghai, which explored the power of stones, minerals, and energy. Abramović and Lazzari collaboratively developed the concept of “three stones,” directly referencing the island’s famed Faraglioni rock formations. Each stone within the collection is intended to possess a unique energy, aligning with Abramović’s core design philosophy.
“We don’t curate the physical. We curate the metaphysical,” Baitel recounted Abramović stating during their discussions. “She said, ‘OK, so there’s a great jeweler of the necklaces, but the importance is the energy that the stones give you. Now you have this halo that is kind of a secret. It is part of the goodness that the stones bestow on you.’” This perspective highlights the collection’s focus on the intangible qualities of the materials, rather than simply their aesthetic value.
A Growing Interest in Fashion and Design
Baitel noted that Abramović, while always exploring connections between art and design, has only recently begun to openly discuss her interest in fashion. She was provided with a dress designed by Italian label Crida, founded by Cristina Parodi and Daniela Palazzi, as part of the collaboration.
Abramović’s engagement with the fashion world is not new, however. She has previously appeared at shows for brands including Prada, Versace, Jil Sander, and Ferragamo, and collaborated with Riccardo Tisci on an art project called “Contact.” More recently, she launched the Abramović Longevity Method, a line of skincare and wellness products, and partnered with Massimo Dutti for Miami Art Week 2024, as well as an NFT project with TAEX called “Marina Abramović Element.”
Chantecler’s Legacy and Abramović’s Appeal
Founded in 1947 by Pietro “Chantecler” Capuano and Salvatore Aprea, Chantecler Capri quickly became a favorite among jet setters like Audrey Hepburn and Ingrid Bergman Rossellini. Today, the brand is run by the Aprea family – Gabriele, Teresa, Maria Elena, and Costanza – with headquarters in Milan and a production center in Valenza Po, a region renowned for its goldsmithing tradition.
Abramović was drawn to Chantecler’s elegant boutique on Capri and its reputation as a brand favored by a discerning clientele, “people in-the-know like Jackie Kennedy, as opposed to being proliferated for the mass market,” Baitel explained. “She liked that it was unique like an original piece of art.”
The Chantecler x Marina Abramović assortment, featuring a necklace, bracelet, and earrings, is scheduled for release in September. Looking ahead, Abramović will be the subject of a major exhibition at the Gallerie dell’Accademia in Venice next year, coinciding with the Biennale. Baitel added that the exhibition will be a significant moment for the artist, as she approaches her 80th birthday, calling it “like the Oscars of the art world.”
