French automaker Bugatti is collaborating with the Rubell Family Collection during Art Basel Dec. 5-8 to provide a Chinese artist a multi-week fellowship to stay at its headquarters in Alsace, France.
Visitors to the "28 Chinese" exhibition, housed by the Rubell Family Collection, are asked to select one of the exhibiting artists to receive the stay. Extending a fellowship to an artist may remind consumers that Bugatti's roots are entangled with the art world, which in turn will bolster the brand's integrity.
"Molsheim, France is the traditional headquarters of Bugatti and also the place where the Bugatti family lived," said Marie-Louise Fritz, media relations at Bugatti, Hamburg, Germany.
"So we, together with the Rubell Family Foundation, thought it would be the natural place for a young artist to draw inspiration from," she said.
"The Château, which Ettore Bugatti once acquired to present his automotive creations to his customers, is still part of the site where we build Bugatti cars nowadays. It is a unique place and hardly comparable to a normal car factory."
Spanning cultures
Art Basel attendants who visit the exhibition can cast a vote for the artist whom they appreciate the most. The 28 Chinese exhibition features artwork from 28 Chinese artists spanning photography, painting, sculpture and video installations.
Li Shurui, Inner Rainbow, 2011, acrylic on canvas
The exhibition stems from the Rubells’ six research trips to China between 2001 and 2012 where they visited one hundred artists’ studios in Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Xi'an and acquired artwork from twenty-eight artists, according to the Rubell Family Collection.
Featured artists include Ai Weiwei, Chen Wei, Chen Zhou and Fang Lou.
Zhu Jinshi, Boat, 2012, Xuan paper, bamboo and cotton thread
At the Bugatti Headquarters the artist who is selected may gain inspiration from the new environment and the high-performance vehicles.
Chen Wei, Honey in The Broadcast, 2008
The Rubbel Family Collection will display the 28 Chinese exhibition until Aug. 1, 2014.
Qiu Zhijie, Tattoo-2, 1994, chromogenic print mounted on aluminium board
Bugatti's relationship with the Rubell Family Collection began last year when an artistic interpretation of a Bugatt iVeyron Grand Sport by French artist Bernar Venet was presented.
The brand's commitment to art stretches back to the founder Ettore Bugatti's father who was a sculptor and furniture designer and his brother who was also a sculptor. Their combined work will be displayed in the Old National Gallery in Berlin next year.
Also, another exhibition showcasing all three family members will appear in Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, CA, beginning March 2014.
Legends
Perhaps the most striking manifestation of the automaker's commitment to art this year has been its Legends Series.
French automaker Bugatti unveiled the third model Nov. 5-9 in its “Les Legendes de Bugatti” series that honors former Bugatti race factory head Bartolomeo Costantini at the Dubai International Motor Show.
The Meo Constantini model will be limited to three vehicles and is priced at $2.82 million before taxes and and transport fees. Although inspired by the two-time Targa Florio, Sicily-winning model, the Bugatti Type 35, the Meo uses the Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse as its base like the other models in the series (see story).
The Bugatti legend Jean-Pierre Wimille began the celebration in August. Mr. Wimille’s story is intertwined with the 24 Heures de Mans race where he won in 1937 and 1939. The Bugatti 57G Tank driven by Mr. Wimille during his 1937 victory was the inspiration behind the commemorative vehicle’s design and its blue shades. (see story).
Bugatti unveiled its second “Bugatti Legend” at the Frankfurt International Motor Show to honor the founder’s eldest son who played a pivotal role in the brand’s early development.
Jean Bugatti is known for his pioneering engine, chassis designs and concepts for vehicle bodies. The Type 57SC Atlantic is one of his most celebrated designs and acts as the inspiration for the commemorative model. The Legend vehicle unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor show recalls an Atlantic “La Voiture Noire” model that was driven by Jean Bugatti himself (see story).
Just as artists build an aura through exclusivity and novel inspiration, Bugatti aspires to achieve the same goal with its limited production lines.
"Not only Bugatti drivers but also car enthusiasts from all over the world are aware of Bugatti's deep connection to art," Ms. Fritz said.
"With special editions like the Grand Sport L’Or Blanc or the Grand Sport Venet we created significant, collectible works of art," she said. "They reflect Ettore Bugatti’s and Bugatti’s heritage, but also the credo of Bugatti: 'Art, Forme, Technique.'"
Final Take
Joe McCarthy, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York