ArtisTree Selects: The Jewel System by Sara Shakeel

EVENT DESCRIPTION

Swire Properties’ Arts Month 2025 returns with its month- long festivities dedicated to celebrating art. This year, ArtisTree is pleased to partner with Sara Shakeel, a globally celebrated multidisciplinary artist, to present ArtisTree Selects: The Jewel System. Visitors are invited to a celestial dialogue of two transformative art installations located at ArtisTree and Two Taikoo Place from 22 March to 27 April 2025.

From Digital to Tangible: A Fusion of Technology and Tradition

Sara Shakeel, widely recognised for her mesmerising digital art, pioneers a new frontier by translating her virtual concepts into a physical exhibition. The London-based artist wields glass crystals to establish a visual language encoded with her rich South Asian heritage and personal memories, weaving narratives that strike a chord with her vast online following. ArtisTree showcases the artist’s imaginative artwork out of the digital space, harbouring the healing and transformative qualities of the pieces while marking Shakeel’s debut in Hong Kong through a tangible and novel experience.

Shakeel’s vibrant creativity amounts to a human attempt to touch the stars — an embroidered map of existence. Expanding upon the blend of heritage and innovation that is signature to her practice, Shakeel fuels a conversation about innovation, culture, and connectivity in shared humanity, merging traditional craftmanship with a unique contemporary touch to forge a dialogue between the past and the ever-evolving present. Made in collaboration with her team of 80 artisans in Pakistan who, applying age-old techniques, have used ethically sourced over 3.9 million pieces of coloured crystals onto the surface of each planet, combining textiles, crystals, and symbolism tied to diverse cultural mythologies.

Once reserved for the most opulent gowns of the royals, the intricacy of metallic embroidery craftsmanship is demonstrated in layers of exquisite detail. The needlework is meticulously crafted, with threads arranged with precision and every stitch contributing to a rich depth and texture. By uniting these celestial narratives, Shakeel celebrates humanity’s common desire to understand the universe. Embroidery, a practice steeped in patience and precision, mirrors the methodical forces of nature that shaped our cosmos.

Transcending borders and beliefs, the two artworks titled The Jewel System and Genesis in Jewels stand as testament to Shakeel’s core values. They serve as potent reminders of our celestial heritage and cosmic home, while also embodying a commitment to respecting the nature, celebrating harmony and fostering solidarity, underscoring the profound impact even the smallest of us can have on the universe.

In partnership with leading Swiss wealth management group Julius Baer and design boom to curate this world-class exhibition, Taikoo Place is transforming into a vibrant and cultural destination where art, community, and business seamlessly converge, creating a dynamic and human-centric commercial hub that celebrates creativity, connection and collaboration.

Artwork Highlights

The Jewel System inside ArtisTree unveils a mesmerising, embroidered map of planetary forms, featuring vibrant solar system planets meticulously hand-embroidered with cultural jewels in Pakistan. The planet are celestial bodies intricately adorned with crystals, metallic work, glittering threads and sequences, merging global mythologies and folklore into unique narratives that resonate with universal symbolism. Treated as precious gems, each planet is crafted using traditional South Asian textile techniques, blending artistry with precision. Beyond its visual allure, the installation prompts contemplation on humanity’s potential amidst life’s fleeting nature and the efforts to upkeep the sanctity of space.

Genesis in Jewels captures the primordial moment of the Big Bang through multiple layers of cloth, representing different cosmic epochs from chaos to the birth of galaxies. A sweeping black net cloth embellished with myriad embroidered galaxies and suspended crystals envisions the hallway as a celestial portal guiding viewers through the act of creation. Each layer of fabric, some shimmering and others matte, is meticulously adorned with crystals, signifying the progression from disorder to cosmic harmony. Shakeel translates a profound scientific concept into a personal and tangible emotional experience, seamlessly blending the vast expanse of space with the intimacy of human creativity. The installation emphasises the transformative power of a single idea, illustrating how even the smallest spark can evolve into boundless realms of possibility.