Infiniti: Pushing the boundaries of art imagination
Print Edition
WHEN Infiniti, a premium car brand known for its brand concept of Gan Ai, meets Cai Guo-Qiang, an unconventional artist and humanist, the chemistry between them is dazzling.
Last Friday, on the Huangpu River by the Power Station of Art, a special public-scale daytime “explosion event”, which was held as the first of its kind, kicked off the Infiniti-sponsored solo exhibition- Cai Guo-Qiang: the Ninth Wave.
Conceived in three chapters- elegy, remembrance and consolation- this ephemeral artwork by Cai projects a clear image of nature in decline and echoes the theme of the exhibition- the environmental challenges faced by the mankind is imminent.
All the colored smoke pyrotechnic effects were created with the help of environmental-friendly products, which range from food coloring, food-grade powders, fabric dyes and other nontoxic materials, Cai strengthened.
The cloudy and rainy weather on that day added to the profoundness of the aesthetic idea embodied by Chinese traditional paintings. “There is a greater artist behind me- the nature,” Cai said.
Nature is a recurring theme in Cai’s art inventions. Taking center stage at the exhibition is his latest gunpowder drawing “the Bund Without Us”, which re-imagines Shanghai’s landscape when nature is back in power, as well as “the Ninth Wave” installation, a boat carrying 99 fabricated animals that look seasick of the currents of the times.
Environmental-consciousness is also the message Infiniti wants to get across, through the launch of its own artwork- the luxury 7-seat SUV with efficient power - the QX60 hybrid with Infiniti Direct Response Hybrid® system.
Powered by a supercharged 2.5-liter inline 4-cylinder engine and 15kw electric motor connected to an advanced CVT (continuously variable transmission), the 7-seater performs as strong as a 3.5-liter naturally-aspirated engine-powered QX60, but consumes 20 percent less fuel.
Cutting technologies are not the only charm of Infiniti. With an aim to become the most emotional premium auto brand in China, Infiniti is developing a humanistic dimension to its character via its connections with art.
“Cai Guo-Qiang is an influential and affectionate contemporary Chinese artist. The art forms he adopts following traditions while breaking free of conventions and the deep thoughts he put into his work concerning ecological and humanistic issues show the Gan Ai attributes of an artist,” Dr. Daniel Kirchert, Managing Director of Infiniti China, said.
One of the most touching art-pieces on the exhibition is an Infiniti QX60 hybrid decorated with a drawing done by 15 teenagers including 8 autistic children under Cai’s instruction while watching the preparation of “The Ninth Wave” installation.
The depiction of the installation by those autistic children, with bright colors and care-free strokes, offered a glimpse into their inner world full of emotions and imagination. In fact, many artists tend to be introversive, and art helps them come out of their shell.
The QX60 hybrid with special deco will run onto bigger platforms as a representative of Infiniti’s corporate social responsibility program for autistic children where Cai played a key role in its initial stage.
On the opening of his exhibition, he gave the No.9 piece of his gunpowder drawing “the Bund Without Us” to Infiniti for charity auction. And the next day, he accompanied those little autistic artists on a tour of his exhibition. There will be more public figures to join Infiniti’s commitment to helping autistic children, Dr. Kirchert said.
Art, as a language without words, helps the world reach out to autistic children and understand they are no different from others, while Gan Ai encourages one to bring out his true self, Infiniti said.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
