Paul Smith Celebrates Lunar New Year With Art Exhibition

Paul Smith may have carved a reputation as one of Britain's leading, most steadfast, fashion designers but he's also no stranger to the art market. As his distinctive multicoloured stripes have painted the walls of flagship stores across London, Paris, New York, Milan and Tokyo, his contributions to the art world remain second to none. From directing Pablo Picasso's 50th Anniversary Exhibition in Paris to using his Mayfair store as an exhibition space for six British artists during Frieze Week and even showcasing his own personal art collection as part of a 2013 exhibition at the Design Museum taking an inside look at the designer's road to success, Hello, My Name Is Paul Smith, it's clear art is just as important to the man behind the brand synonymous with pattern and colour.

Keeping the flame lit when it comes to championing artists around the world, Paul Smith will be welcoming the Lunar New Year by paying homage to Cháng'é (the immortal Chinese moon goddess) with an exhibition solely made up of contemporary women artists of Chinese heritage titled The Woman and the Moon. Curated by Gemma A. Williams (author of Fashion China, Thames & Hudson) with a focus on interdisciplinary artists from around the world, the exhibition shines a special lens on five artists whose works offer a unique insight into femininity and Chinese identity in the 21st century.

Including Chengdu-based artist Li Chenxi, New York-based artist Jiayue Li, interdisciplinary London artists Charlotte Mei and YiMiao Shih as well as Taiwanese illustrator Tang Wenching, The Woman and the Moon encompasses work across a variety of mediums from illustration and animation to embroidery and painting, with all works drawing from situations and materials found in daily life to give poetry to the mundane.

'In the world of my work, the female figure takes centre stage', contributed Li. 'Colours, emotions, gestures and the uniqueness of each face captivate my senses. I endeavour to capture not only their outer beauty, but also their inner melody.' Each piece of work that makes up the exhibition challenges the way art engages with society, popular culture and fashion; perfectly adding to the brand ethos of Paul Smith.

'During this time, I’ve seen a quiet reclaiming both of what it means to be a woman and women’s spaces in China today', commented Williams in a statement. 'The Woman And The Moon offers a small glimpse into some of the preoccupations driving this as it concerns a sense of belonging that exists in practices rather than postcodes, one that stretches from Taiwan to New York. Rather than grand gestures, it centres the miniature and the everyday. It reestablishes traditional acts of femininity and Chineseness — but beyond the confines of the male and western gaze.'

The Woman and the Moon will be on show at Paul Smith's flagship store 9, Albemarle Street, Mayfair, London, W1S 4BL, United Kingdom from 10 February - 3 March.

the exhibition showcases five interdisciplinary artists from around the world whose works offer a unique insight into femininity and Chinese identity in the 21st century. The title pays homage to Cháng'é, the immortal Chinese moon goddess. Across a variety of mediums from illustration to embroidery, their work draws from situations and materials found in daily life to give poetry to the mundane. It is as likely to appear as the content of a publication or for a brand as it is to be displayed in a gallery, challenging the way that art engages with society, popular culture and fashion.