On 22 May, Hermès Maison Shanghai debuted its new summer-themed window display, Garden of Nowhere (乌有园), created by Chinese artist Zeng Jianyong. The launch also kicked off a namesake exhibition, running through 5 June. The window display will remain on view until 14 August.
Zeng, based in Beijing, is a leading figure in China’s contemporary ink wash art. He works across painting, sculpture, and installation, often painting on the back of paper to present misty landscapes in bold colors. Garden of Nowhere lives up to its name, merging visions of utopia with the aesthetics of a traditional Chinese garden.
In the women’s window, sheer curtains softly frame a girl’s silhouette as a mountain deer stands by a quiet summer pond, hinting at a playful, dreamlike scene.
The men’s window imagines a miniature utopia filled with pine trees, moon gates, round windows, and Taihu rocks.
In the accessories window, the focus shifts to minimal stone-like landscapes, with paper pulp sculptures redefining space. Hermès accessories appear as hidden details—shoes guide viewers deeper into the garden, while bags peek out like forest spirits among the trees.
As part of Hermès’ 2025 theme, Drawn To Craft, the collaboration reimagines classical gardens through the lens of contemporary ink art. It opens a conversation between nature, space, and spirit, blending traditional Chinese painting with garden landscapes to spark a cross-cultural connection.