NY Times Architecture Critic Hates Chanel Mobile Art

Nicolai Ouroussoff does acknowledge the "keen architectural intelligence" of architect Zaha Hadid, but the NY Times architecture critic takes down the Chanel Pavilion a couple notches, finding the entire project "delusional." The Chanel Mobile Art exhibit in Central Park offers a variety of artistic works inspired by Chanel's quilted leather purse; Ouroussoff writes, "the pavilion sets out to drape an aura of refinement over a cynical marketing gimmick. Surveying its self-important exhibits, you can’t help but hope that the era of exploiting the so-called intersection of architecture, art and fashion is finally over." He also finds the "life-size S-and-M teddy bear and scenes of a Japanese model tied up in gold chains...completely mundane" and hates that the pavilion is in Central Park.