By Zhang Kun
China Daily
Aug. 15, 2016
"Bagism: We Are All in the Same Bag!" is the name of an exhibition at the chi K11 Art Museum in Shanghai and not quite what John Lennon and Yoko Ono had in mind when they coined the term in 1969. On display through October 10 are more than 300 handbags dating back 400 years.
Celebrity-owned totes are represented among the antiques, historical pieces and very modern bags created by 15 contemporary artists. If Lennon and Ono, in the midst of their peace campaign, were trying to show the futility of race, class and gender stereotyping, well, at least the Shanghai show is diverse in its wares.
Co-curator Penny Liu says she utilised the term "bagism" to address the social and cultural significance of bags. She and Frenchwoman Elisabeth Azoulay have borrowed handbags from more than 70 museums and private collections around the world, including the Musee des Arts Decoratifs in Paris, Palais Princier de Monaco and the Simone Handbag Museum of Seoul. Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Hermes have also contributed pieces.