For decades now, Swatch has been synonymous with celebrating creative and artistic endeavours from around the world. This year, the watchmaker has announced the Swatch x Tate Gallery collection, which showcases some of the 20th century’s finest works of art held in the Tate Gallery collection.
Forming a part of the Swatch Art Journey collection that has brought many important artworks into the spotlight over the last couple of years, this latest drop sees the Tate Gallery collection have its pieces brought to life in a wristwatch. In true Swatch style, each artwork isn’t limited to just real estate on the dial, with the works spilling out onto the strap to ensure each piece is showcased in full effect.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Swatch and collaborating with a like-minded organisation to create a series of watches that bring Tate’s rich and diverse collection to an ever-wider audience,” says Hamish Anderson, CEO of Tate Enterprises.
All counted, there are a total of seven different artworks celebrated within the Swatch x Tate Gallery collection, ranging from the mid-century genius of Henri Matisse to the more contemporary works by Louise Bourgeois. It’s a vibrant, colourful collection that not only showcases the remarkable collection that has been assembled by The Tate Gallery, but brings the artwork to life in a wearable, everyday context.
The Snail by Henri Matisse (1953)
“Henri Matisse, a French visual artist, helped revolutionize art in the early 20th century. In particular, he had a significant impact on painting. He created Fauvism, an influential bold style of painting using vivid colours and loose brushwork. In a career spanning over 50 years, his later works, including inventive paper cut-outs, are especially popular. MATISSE’S SNAIL embraces the famous image on the dial, but also across the transparent strap. Cut loose and spend some time with Matisse’s famous cut-outs and see where it takes you.”
Two Women Holding Flowers by Fernand Léger (1954)
“Fernand Léger belonged to the avant-garde movement in Paris in the early 20th century where he was associated with Cubism. He later became inspired by modern life, machinery and technology and developed a boldly simplistic style based on the separation between colour and line: colour is scattered across different parts of the canvas, separate from the drawing itself. LEGER’S TWO WOMEN HOLDING FLOWERS focuses on the bold and brilliant colour, bringing it into full focus across the strap and dial. Three different coloured hands bring additional brightness. Take a moment to yourself and your Leger will take you back in time.”
Spirals by Louise Bourgeois (2005)
“Best known for her large-scale sculptures and installations, French-American artist Louise Bourgeois was also a skilled painter and printmaker who frequently used spirals in her works. For her, their outward movement symbolized ‘giving, and giving up control, trust and positive energy….’ Sit back, relax, focus on the positive energy and allow BOURGEOIS’S SPIRALS to take you away from it all. Wherever the spirals take you, there’s also a SwatchPAY!-enabled version available in selected markets that makes secure payments a simple flick of the wrist.”
The Scarlet Sunset by Joseph Mallord William Turner (c.1830)
“JMW Turner is often described as ‘the father of modern art’ and is one of Britain’s greatest painters. His unique brushwork and use of colour still surprise and delight today. His portrayals of the modern world were unlike any seen before. TURNER’S SCARLET SUNSET takes an iconic scene and focuses on the light and colour throughout the whole watch. On the dial, the creative use of the calendar wheel brings additional depth, with the sun changing colour across a 14-day period until the cycle begins again. Time spent with your Turner will take you seamlessly from sunrise to sunset.”
The Blue Circus by Marc Chagall (1950)
“Known as an early modernist, Marc Chagall’s style combined many different influences. Fascinated by the colorful chaos of the circus, he described it as, ‘a magic show that appears and disappears like a world.’ The whimsical characters of the circus-inspired Chagall’s art throughout his life. CHAGALL’S BLUE CIRCUS brings the circus to life through the vivid and vibrant blue across the strap and dial. A moon and an eye balanced on the ends of the hands bring the dynamism of the acrobats to life. A moment of dream-like magic with CHAGALL’S BLUE CIRCUS could take you to the big top – and beyond!”
Women and Bird in the Moonlight by Joan Miró (1949)
“Joan Miró was a Spanish painter, sculptor and ceramicist born in Barcelona. His distinctive style was influenced by Surrealism and other art movements of the era. Miró’s use of shapes and bright colours have personal and symbolic meaning, and his works often reflect Catalan pride and identity. MIRO’S WOMEN AND BIRD IN THE MOONLIGHT highlights the abstract and dials up the colour with its joyful placement of the image across the dial and strap. Indexes printed on the glass stand out from the artwork adding depth and dimension. Whether the time you take to yourself is in the sunlight or the moonlight, Miró’s famous image will take you to your happy place.”
Orange and Red on Pink by Wilhelmina Barns-Graham (1991)
“British artist Wilhelmina Barns-Graham’s paintings burst with rich colours and energetic, free-flowing brushwork. She wanted her art to express ‘a celebration of life…the joy and importance of colour, texture, energy and vibrancy, with an awareness of space and construction.’ Her abstract works gradually became bolder and simpler, reflecting her love of living and life. Bold, black indexes are printed on the dial enhancing the powerful energy of this artwork. BARNS-GRAHAM’S ORANGE AND RED ON PINK reflects Swatch’s natural joie de vivre and invites you to take a moment to immerse yourself in a riot of colour.”
The Swatch x Tate Gallery collection is currently available in Swatch stores worldwide, as well as online
