Maria Grazia Chiuri and Dior: an artistic commitment to the Vatican
Dior and Maria Grazia Chiuri join forces with the Vatican Library for an exceptional exhibition. On the occasion of Jubilee 2025, the En Route exhibition highlights travel in the XIXᵉ century, blending history and contemporary art.
Artistic support for a prestigious exhibition
The House of Dior, led by Artistic Director Maria Grazia Chiuri, is supporting a new exhibition organized by the Vatican Apostolic Library. En route, this exceptional presentation is part of the Jubilee 2025, a major event organized by the Catholic Church every 25 years. This spiritual gathering, initiated by Pope Boniface VIII in 1300, attracts millions of pilgrims from all over the world.
The exhibition highlights the theme of travel in the XIXᵉ century, with an approach that blends historical heritage and contemporary art. Dior was notably involved in cataloguing the precious Poma Periodica collection and also contributed to the staging of the event.
Maria Grazia Chiuri: a feminist and artistic approach
True to her commitment to the cause of women, Maria Grazia Chiuri has designed a unique installation, in collaboration with Karishma Swali and artisans from the Chanakya School of Craft. The artist was inspired by the stories of six great female travelers of the XIXᵉ century, who defied the conventions and prohibitions of their time. They include Annie Londonderry, Elizabeth Bisland, Nellie Bly, Gertrude Bell, Agnes Smith Lewis and Margaret Dunlop Gibson.
The installation pays homage to these adventurous women by displaying emblematic pieces of clothing that enabled them to achieve their exploits. It also features a map of the world embroidered with a committed quote: “Femininity, the trap”, in reference to the writings of Simone de Beauvoir.
A major cultural event
En route will run from February 15 to December 20, 2025, and is expected to attract between 32 and 40 million visitors, including some 800,000 from France. In addition to Maria Grazia Chiuri‘s contribution, the exhibition will also feature works by Lorenzo Jovanotti Cherubini and Kristjana S Williams.
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