Chanel Mobile Art

After we did our story on the Chanel Mobile Art Pavilion in the August/September 08 issue, I was convinced I had to go see it in person. The photos from Hong Kong and Tokyo were amazing. Since New York was the only US stop for the pavilion, I figured I had the perfect excuse for an October trip.

I was not disappointed. On a cool gray morning we headed to Central Park to get the grand tour. We walked around the pavilion which looked like a grounded UFO, complete with blue LEDs along the underside. When we first entered, our coats and bags were checked and we were seated on a formed bench to wait for our turn. As we waited, we were given an MP3 player with headphones and instructed to follow the directions given by the voice.

The voice was our guide through the Mobile Art Pavilion, directing us through the maze and turning our attention to the art. The interior of the pavilion made me feel like I was in a spaceship. The art was inventive and sensual as was the narration. 

Fortunately, we were able to film a little of the interior tour.

I considered myself very lucky to have seen it and now even more so. In December, Chanel announced the end of the Mobile Art tour. The pavilion was scheduled to open in London, Moscow and then Paris. Even a company as big as Chanel has to watch its marketing dollars when the economy is down. 

It was an experience I won’t soon forget.