Bottega Veneta presents A Poetic Conversation, an immersive poetry installation held at the Rowing Club in Shanghai. At the heart of the exhibition is Yu Xiuhua’s acclaimed anthology In Such a Staggering World, displayed in a sculptural form shaped like the brand’s logo. As visitors collect their complimentary copy, the installation physically dissolves—leaving behind only the poetry and its personal resonance with each reader.
Yu, one of China’s most widely read poets, rose to prominence in 2014 with a viral poem that spoke frankly of love, desire, and disability, themes she continues to explore with raw immediacy. Her work offers a deeply confessional view of rural life and the body, delivered in a disarmingly direct voice. For Bottega Veneta, this collaboration reflects the brand’s longstanding embrace of authentic self-expression—central to its ethos since its founding in 1966. Known for its quiet luxury and “When your own initials are enough” mantra, the brand has a growing affinity with literature. Earlier this year, it hosted Patti Smith in Milan, underscoring its commitment to supporting poetic voices across cultures. As the logo fades and the reader remains, A Poetic Conversation offers a quiet yet powerful meditation on identity, art, and the written word.
Photography courtesy of BOTTEGA VENETA