A Cultural Dialogue 700 Years in the Making:

Florentia Village Honors Marco Polo’s Legacy with an Anniversary Exhibition


In 2024, to commemorate two monumental moments in history: the 700th anniversary of Marco Polo’s passing and the 20th anniversary of the China-Italy comprehensive strategic partnership establishment, an exhibition titled A Journey of Knowledge: ‘The Travels of Marco Polo’ and Its Legacy between East and West opened at China Millennium Monument in Beijing. Marco Polo, a trailblazer in the making of the cultural exchange between China and Italy, completed a 24-year odyssey across Eurasia that would change the world’s perceptions forever. His hugely influential work in geography, The Travels of Marco Polo, has served as a bridge between Eastern and Western civilizations for over 700 years, inspiring humanity to explore the unknown and respect cultural differences with courage and wisdom.

 

As a leading Italian business in China, RDM Asia Group responds to this cultural feast of historical significance with great vigor, hosting Marco Polo’s 700th Anniversary exhibitions in six major cities across mainland China this November. The exhibition will be held at Florentia Villages in Beijing-Tianjin, Shanghai, Guangzhou-Foshan, Wuhan, Chengdu, and Chongqing. Rooted in the traditions of the brand’s birthplace, Italy, Florentia Village has always championed the mission of promoting in-depth cultural exchange between China and Italy. It has sought to support dialogues between business and art since its founding. With its stunning Renaissance-style buildings, Florentia Village provides a unique shopping and leisure experience, while also offering Chinese consumers an immersive journey into the Italian lifestyle aesthetics.

 

Marco Polo’s spirit and legacy find new resonance in our time. In November 17, an art installation of stunning creativity sits at the Luxury Pavilion of Shanghai Florentia Village, representing a unique interpretation of this time-and-space transcending dialogue beyond national borders and language barriers. A striking gold-and-white “700” structure stands tall. Ingeniously designed, two zeros doubles as a walkthrough channel curving 180 degrees to portray the corridor of history in three-dimensional form. The viewers are invited to journey through seven centuries of glorious expeditions and “walk into” Marco Polo’s legendary story.



The visitors are guided along a lovingly designed viewing route inside the “Marco Polo 700 Years Later” installation. The replicas of four precious artworks from the exhibition A Journey of Knowledge: ‘The Travels of Marco Polo’ and Its Legacy between East and West are displayed on each side: a Renaissance woodblock painting depicts a scene from Boccaccio’s Decameron; a triptych portrait of the Madonna celebrating the beauty of medieval faith; a medieval map, Mappa Mundi, hand-drawn by Fra Mauro, marking the dawn of the Age of Exploration; and a ship-shaped pendant symbolizing the Venetian spirit of seafaring. These artifacts, silent witnesses to the passage of time, epitomize the vibrant, prosperous exchange between Eastern and Western civilizations.

 

At the center of the installation, The Travels of Marco Polo book sculpture of magnificent size commands visitors’ attention, on which exquisite medieval illustrations and elegant calligraphy scripts complement the surrounding Renaissance-style architecture to create a richly historic setting. This monumental work, as dictated by Marco Polo and transcribed by Rustichello, sparked Europeans’ fascination with the mysterious lands in the East. Now recreated as an art installation, it stands as a powerful cultural symbol, reaffirming Florentia Village’s role as a significant purveyor of Italian culture in China, where history and the present, East and West, engage in a vigorous dialogue for the 21st century.


 

To further enrich this cross-cultural dialogue seven centuries in the making, Florentia Village partnered with IDEAT magazine to invite Dr. Ma Xiaolin, a professor at Nankai University’s Faculty of History with a Ph.D in history and doctorial supervising responsibilities, to deliver a special lecture. Drawing on his extended academic expertise, Dr. Ma painted a vivid, multidimensional portrait of the famed Italian explorer for the audience. He remarked, “There is a Marco Polo in all of us: the drive for exploration and understanding are among the most wonderful human natures.” The Marco Polo 700th Anniversary exhibition at Florentia Villageis not only a tribute to the age-old spirit of discovery, but also testifies to the enduring cultural bond between China and Italy.



ABOUT FLORENTIA VILLAGE
Florentia Village is China’s renowned international designer Village under the Italian real estate development group, RDM. Florentia Village was first launched in 2011 and currently has a total of 7 Villages across Greater China, located in Beijing-Tianjin, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Wuhan, Chengdu and Chongqing. The Villages’ distinctive Italian architecture recalls Florence, Rome and the Renaissance Age by combining plazas, galleries, fountains and monumental buildings to deliver a one-of-a-kind shopping environment. Florentia Village carries more than 300 renowned brands from Europe, the United States and Asia at a year-round offering of up to 80% off.
 
Thanks to RDM’s extensive network of contacts within the global retail community, the storefronts are leased to the most prestigious luxury fashion brands in the world. To date, Florentia Village has achieved a combined total leasing area of 500,000m2 with 1,300 total shops. As of January this year, the total membership of Florentia Village has exceeded 4.9 million. As the leading international designer Village in Asia, Florentia Village brings an unparalleled Italian style and shopping experience to the region.
 
Official Website: www.florentiavillage.com 
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