Bvlgari's First Ever India Showcase: The Iconic Serpent Finds Its Home in Mumbai

This October, Mumbai will find itself in the serpent’s embrace as Bvlgari—the Roman High Jeweller—unveils the third chapter of its travelling exhibition, Serpenti Infinito. After captivating audiences in Shanghai and Seoul, the showcase slithers into India from October 1 to 17, 2025, at the Art House, Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, BKC, as part of the Maison’s ongoing celebration of the Year of the Snake.

Opening with an exclusive preview on October 1, inaugurated by Bvlgari’s Global Brand Ambassador Priyanka Chopra Jonas, the exhibition will welcome the public from October 2 onwards. At the heart of this multi-sensory experience lies the Serpenti, Bvlgari’s most recognisable motif. Since 1948, the sinuous icon has shed its skin many times over—first as coiled watches, later as high jewellery, and now as a universal emblem of transformation and reinvention. Fast forward over 70 years, the motif has now find a home in Mumbai.

The India Launch

As Jonas reflects, the exhibition feels like a homecoming. "India is and will always be home, so seeing Serpenti Infinito come here for the very first time feels incredibly special,” says the global brand ambassador for Bvlgari in a statement. “This exhibition is a beautiful tribute to transformation, heritage, and artistic expression; values that resonate deeply with both Bvlgari and the Indian spirit. I’m so proud to be part of this moment where a global icon meets the soul of my homeland.”

Echoing this vision, Isha Ambani, director of Reliance Industries Limited, says, "At the Art House at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, our vision is to bring the finest of Indian and international art together. Hosting Bvlgari’s Serpenti Infinito in India is an opportunity to celebrate a shared legacy of art, culture, and creative excellence. This collaboration is the first of its kind and marks a meaningful dialogue between India and Bvlgari.”

“India has always been a profound source of inspiration for Bvlgari, thanks to its rich history, exceptional craftsmanship, and deep cultural heritage,” said Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO of Bvlgari, in an issued release. “The decision to bring Serpenti Infinito to Mumbai is more than just a launch, it’s a meaningful celebration of the dialogue between our timeless Roman roots and India’s vibrant artistic traditions. This journey not only reinforces Serpenti as an emblematic symbol of Bvlgari’s identity but also elevates it as a universal icon of continuous reinvention, creativity, and enduring elegance."

Across civilisations, the serpent has held enduring meaning. In Indian tradition, the nāga represents strength, wisdom, protection, immortality, and renewal. In Serpenti Infinito, this ancient figure is reimagined for a modern audience, uniting Roman artistry with Indian heritage in a shared language of transformation.

A Cultural Dialogue

Curated by Nature Morte, co-directed by Peter Nagy and Aparajita Jain, and envisioned by artistic director Sean Anderson, the exhibition is designed as a three-part journey—historic, contemporary, and transformative. Visitors will encounter more than 75 works by 23 acclaimed Indian and international artists, alongside creations from Bvlgari’s Serpenti Heritage Collection, High Jewellery masterpieces, timepieces, and archival rarities—proof that this serpent has always had more than one glittering skin to shed!

Among the featured names are Alicja Kwade, Bharti Kher, Subodh Gupta, Reena Saini Kallat, Rithika Merchant, Refik Anadol, Baua Devi, Banku Chitrakar, Olivia Fraser, Simryn Gill, and many others—each offering a distinct interpretation of the serpent’s symbolism.

“The Serpenti Infinito exhibition provides the setting for powerful cultural exchange, uniting Rome and India through a shared appreciation for the serpent as a timeless symbol of renewal and transformation,” says Sean Anderson, artistic director of Nature Morte, in an issued release. “By weaving together Bvlgari’s Serpenti Collection with historical, modern, and contemporary art inspired by the nāga, we are celebrating how centuries-old aesthetic relationships can create compelling and resonant stories today.”

Serpenti Infinito in Mumbai: A Cultural Dialogue

Spread across the floors of the Art House at NMACC, the exhibition is split into chapters wherein distinctive architecture and immersive design sets the stage for cross-cultural dialogue. The journey begins with serpents as ancient symbols of renewal, transformation, and divine power across India and South Asia, mirrored by Bvlgari’s own Serpenti, introduced in 1948 and reinvented ever since. Archival creations from the Maison’s heritage collection appear alongside manuscripts and ritual objects that underscore the serpent’s sacred and aesthetic resonance.

In Chapter two, paintings, sculptures, and indigenous traditions highlight the serpent as protector, disruptor, and visionary figure. Here, the art of High Jewellery finds a dazzling expression. The Serpenti Maharani Secret necklace pays tribute to the legendary queens of India with a 109.27-carat cabochon rubellite at its centre. Equally captivating, the Serpenti Apsaras necklace draws inspiration from celestial nymphs, crafted in warm yellow gold with amethysts and turquoise inserts. Its metamorphic nature allows serpent heads to transform into earrings, while rare East African tsavorites may be added for even greater radiance.

The serpent’s story continues into the future for Chapter Three, where it is reimagined as a shape-shifter across mediums, mythologies, and meanings. Whether cast in bronze, traced across borders, or manifested digitally, the nāga embodies fluidity, hope, and imagination. In this chapter, artists explore intersections between contemporary art and jewellery design, reflecting Bvlgari’s own reinvention of infinity through its High Jewellery and Tubogas creations. Mixed media, sculpture, AI, and immersive technology allow the serpent to traverse myth, memory, and transformation. Works such as Subodh Gupta’s Infinite Sleeper, Enter Projects’ Rattan Snake, and Harshit Agrawal’s VR installation extend the serpent’s reach into architecture, sculpture, and digital realms. At the centre, Refik Anadol’s Infinito: AI Data Sculpture immerses viewers in a mirrored, algorithm-driven environment that captures the rhythm of the serpent’s endless evolution.

By entwining jewellery with art, and history with modernity, Serpenti Infinito reasserts Bvlgari’s position as a cultural storyteller, a custodian of icons, and a catalyst for dialogue. For Mumbai, the exhibition is serves as an invitation to step into a world where luxury and legend coil together in eternal elegance.