Bulgari’s new exhibition pays homage to the snake in culture, art and jewellery

The snake is a symbol that transcends times, places and cultures. Its universal significance is reflected in Bulgari’s serpent motif, which it has employed in various manifestations since 1948. ‘Serpenti Infinito’, which has been a travelling exhibition since 2023 (the 75th anniversary of Bulgari’s Serpenti), explores some of these manifestations.

In its latest iteration, the exhibition launched in Shanghai at the start of January 2025 to coincide with Lunar New Year, and will show until 16 February. To celebrate this chapter of the exhibition, a new work, Infinito: AI Data Sculpture by Turkish artist Refik Anadol, was unveiled.

Elsewhere, the exhibition features 28 artworks by 19 Chinese and international artists, 11 of which were created for the occasion. These are displayed alongside a selection of Bulgari’s Serpenti creations, including watches and jewellery from Bulgari Heritage and some unreleased, one-of-a-kind pieces.

The exhibition unfolds in three chapters: the first, Crafting Serpents in History, focuses on the mythology of the snake which, in Chinese culture, symbolises good luck, wealth and vitality.

These meanings have inspired the Serpenti collection ever since Bulgari launched its first snake-themed jewellery-watch in 1948. Since then, the emblem has undergone many transformations – an evolution narrated via pieces from the Heritage Collection, ranging from the Tubogas jewellery-watches of the 1960s to a five-coil Pallini bracelet-watch, created in 1955. These are shown alongside traditional artworks such as ink paintings from artist Qiu Anxiong.

The second chapter of the exhibition is called Snakes in the Arts. In art, snakes have symbolised wisdom, protection and power, expressed through ceramics, glass, stone, sculpture, painting, sound and video, as expressed in calligrapher Xu Bing's Square Word Calligraphy: Serpenti and filmmaker Luka Yuanyuan Yang's Ring of Life.

The third part of the exhibition, Contemporary Transformations, thinks about how the snake exists across cultures, times and places, and into the future. This chapter explores contemporary representations of the serpent: the ‘data sculptures’ of Refik Anadol use machine learning, while Utopic Arabia's Serpenti Odyssey comprises computer-generated artworks.

Contemporary manifestations also take shape through Bulgari high jewellery creations, unveiled exclusively for the exhibition. The Serpenti Infinito necklace, bracelet and brooch are set with onyx elements, buff-top rubies and pavé diamonds. A 140.53-carat rubellite is set at the heart of the Serpenti Rubellite Crown necklace, held by a pavé-set prong. The Serpenti Emerald Nimbus necklace in white gold, meanwhile, features a 12.73-carat emerald from Zambia.

This is not just an exhibition about jewels: it is an exploration of how Bulgari taps into timeless emblems, and how wearable symbols garner meaning.

‘Serpenti Infinito’ is at Zhangyuan, Shanghai, until 16 February 2025, bulgari.com