Scirocco Studios
6 September 2008
Apologies for not having posted anything in a long while, I’ve been working non-stop, day and night for weeks on a project that just came to fruition. Exhausting but worth the effort.
We’ve commissioned 5 creative talents come up with objects, images and installations inspired by the new Volkswagen Scirocco. They were given pretty much Carte Blanche, and came up with 5 great projects, which we then gathered and toured across the UK, in Glasgow, Manchester, Bristol and London.
Ben Wilson created moving furniture, basically 4 units that could be rolled across the venues and used to serve drinks, give out the nice program we did, hold the DJ decks, etc.. They have the overall basic structure and shape of a hatchback like the Scirocco, and open just like cars, with doors, boots, trunks and sunroofs.
Philippe Malouin took inspiration from car wheels and sportscars’ seats and came up with a series of 4 circular chairs, clad in Alcantara. Nice to sit in them, and immensely fun to be rolled in them!
Hudson-Powell did a rug that has the overall shape that tires leave when you do 3-point turns in the snow, but created an intricate pattern inspired by Moroccan carpets in place of normal tire treads. Then they got the whole thing cut with an ultrasonic blade.
Moritz Waldemeyer teamed up with Chris O’Shea and they developed an elaborate light installation. Red lines - looking like the ones left by taillights in long exposure photos - go around a track, projected on the floor. When you step in, an motion-sensible camera detects your presence and the cars start avoiding you and modifying their path.
And finally, Kinga Burza did a 360° film, shot from the 4 sides of a car, and projected on 4 screens surrounding you, to create an engulfing and hypnotizing experience. Here are some screengrabs but to get a better idea check the website.
The show is still on for a week at the Scirocco Studios space on Lowndes Court (off Carnaby St.) in London. Pass by for coffee and to interact with all the exhibits. Have a look at the website also for more info, some making of movies and portraits of the designers. This was an rather intense project to put together, so I’m off on holidays now!
Friends and their wheels / pt.6
3 August 2008
I finally managed to pop by Ben Wilson’s workshop for a meeting about an ongoing project we are working on. A small part of his vehicle collection was there, and I took some shots. On his blog you can see more of his work, what tickles him, and his various modes of transport.
With his Yamaha XS400 Bobber hardtail:
With his matte black Honda Helix (one more!):
With a steer by wire (!) X Bike prototype made by Mark Sanders for Sir Clive Sinclair:
London, city of extremes
30 July 2008
One of my favorite things about London is the unrivaled variety of people, buildings and vehicles you see every day in the street.
Today Toby from Richard James sent me this picture he took at lunchtime. A matte black and matte orange Maybach (the 57s I guess - I drove that absurdly fast limo a couple of years ago and didn’t really understand the intended use of such a vehicle), debadged, dechromed, with black wheels, blacked-out windows (including the windshield!), and a mysterious - and ugly - license plate: R R R in orange script letters.
But this being London, a dapper cyclist on a Pedersen bike nonchalantly strolled into the frame, completely uninterested by the $370,000 car next to him.
Friends and their wheels / pt.5
27 July 2008
Met up with Karta Healy in London, on his primer grey Honda Helix, in between one of his many international jaunts. Karta is one of our earliest collaborators, and has been involved with Intersection on too many levels to even count: model, journalist, fashion designer, co-driver, brand ambassador, etc…
Condor / Richard James bicycle
22 July 2008
Today I passed by the Condor Cycles warehouse in London, to have a proper look at a bike they developed in collaboration with Savile Row tailor Richard James.
It’s a full carbon frame, based on one of their road bikes, but with a slightly different geometry (starting with a higher bottom bracket, as it’s a fixed gear).
The attention to detail is what you’d expect from a proper bespoke British tailor, and Marc, the in-house designer at Condor, added subtle golden touches, even hand-painting the engraved R on the Royce hubs himself:
Birdspotters will notice that the carbon bottle cage is shaped like the head of the Condor logo - with a golden eye:
More Salon Privé
10 July 2008
A fluorescent orange Lancia Stratos HF Prototypo:
A Citroën DS cabrio:
A Silvestris boat (shot by Femke Reyerman in issue 22 of Intersection):
A Confederate Wraith (shot by Todd Selby in issue 15 of Intersection):
Car Covers at Salon Privé
10 July 2008
Last week we showed 4 of our Car Covers at Salon Privé, a highly exclusive car/bike/boat show at the Hurlingham Club in London. Adam Kimmel did a new version of his original idea. Who would have thought that old and dirty Italian mechanics’ jumpsuits would end up in one of the most aristocratic clubs in London, sewn together to form and organic-looking car cover.
Adam Kimmel, Richard James, Visvim:
Richard James:
Bless:
Aston Martin at Goodwood with Hackett
4 July 2008
Went to Goodwood this week for a bit of gentlemanly behavior.
First drove around this ancient circuit in a V8 Vantage Convertible.
Then got driven at a much faster pace around the same track by Karl Wendlinger in a DBRS9:
Met Jeremy Hackett and discussed urban bike polo at length:
Checked his rather nice helmet:
And had a closer look at their Le Mans-winning car, the DBR9s (not the same as the DBRS9 just to confuse you):
Justice Vs Justesse
30 June 2008
A few months ago Justice released a highly controversial music video by Romain Gavras:
I personally haven’t yet understood why or how they decided to do this, and if there was a deeper/hidden meaning behind this. It certainly got me stressed enough though.
Today I stumbled upon this:
and it gave me hope in France’s ability to laugh at itself. Good work!
Esther Stocker at Museum 52
27 June 2008
Last night I passed by Museum 52 in London, for the opening of a show by Esther Stocker. If you’re into op art, dazzle ships and repetitive patterns don’t miss this installation!
Esther in the gallery:
Seen from the other side:
