Tashkeel, in collaboration with Van Cleef & Arpels, invited artists and designers resident in all countries in the Gulf Corporation Council (GCC) to submit new works in response to the theme of Metamorphosis.

Metamorphosis – a transformation, or marked change in appearance, character, condition or function – can be a natural phenomenon or the collaboration of scientists, engineers, artists and designers. Nature demonstrates remarkable ways in which it transforms in response to the environment - caterpillars turning into butterflies, tadpoles to frogs - but even in our personal lives, we are frequently required to look to transformable solutions to make the optimum use of confined space.

This theme provides a fitting vehicle for the collaboration between Tashkeel and Van Cleef & Arpels since Metamorphosis is one of the recurring qualities that is an integral part of their design philosophy,

“The idea of a unique object which, through feats of design, craft, and innovation technology, becomes something else entirely is part of VC&A’s pedigree.”