- Acclaimed Italian artist Nino Mustica unveils a new collaboration with world renowned automotive designer Gerry McGovern, Design Director & Chief Creative Officer, Land Rover
- The work was unveiled at London's Southbank Center beside the River Thames
- Launched during Frieze Week London, the sculptures celebrate the fusion of art and automotive design
- Gerry McGovern recently appointed as a visiting professor at the Royal College of Art
(WHITLEY, U.K.) ‑ October 14, 2014 ‑ A dramatic new installation has debuted at Southbank Center's iconic Royal Festival Hall beside the River Thames. Unstoppable Spirit is comprised of two dramatic sculptures reaching over 23‑feet into the London sky and is the product of a unique collaboration between Mustica and Land Rover's Design Director & Chief Creative Office, Gerry McGovern.
The pieces were inspired by the design and capability of the new Land Rover Discovery Sport and were unveiled during Frieze Week London. They will be on public view until October 19.
"Unstoppable Spirit is about the fusion between automotive design and contemporary art," says Mustica, who has a studio in Milan. "As an artist I am able to work in the abstract with full creative freedom, however the Discovery Sport is a piece of industrial design that must be both versatile and beautiful. This work is a fascinating exploration of how these worlds collide and interact."
"I have always been a huge admirer of Nino's work and I'm delighted to be collaborating on this truly unique project," says McGovern, who was recently appointed as a visiting professor at the Royal College of Art. "Our team at Land Rover understands that art and design are central to the creation of highly desirable vehicles that resonate on an emotional level. I believe art and design enrich people's lives in all their manifestations. That's why I'm proud to be revealing Unstoppable Spirit in such an iconic location at London's Southbank Center."
Made from a combination of steel and fiber glass, Unstoppable Spirit creates a striking juxtaposition with the brutalism of Southbank Center's Royal Festival Hall, originally built for the Festival of Britain in 1951. The two sculptures frame the front of the building, adjacent to the River Thames and both measure over 23 ft. x 20 ft. x 20 ft.
To achieve the intricate curved surfacing requested by Mustica and McGovern, an innovative production technique was developed using a Land Rover virtual reality cave, a process normally reserved for the development of prototype cars. The sculptures were then handcrafted in Turin before being transported to London. Such was the attention to detail that over 8,000 working hours were required for their construction.
Unstoppable Spirit will be open to the public until October 19th at Southbank Center's Royal Festival Hall and admission is free. Visit www.landroverusa.com/our‑story/unstoppable‑spirit for more information.
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About Land Rover
Land Rover, the British maker of Land Rover and Range Rover sport
utility vehicles, is renowned for providing its clientele with some
of the most luxurious and capable vehicles in the world. Every Land
Rover vehicle is equally at home both on and off road, and in any
setting; be it in the heart of the city, or traversing the
countryside. Today's Land Rover lineup includes the legendary
Defender, LR2 (Freelander 2), LR4 (Discovery 4), Range Rover Sport,
Range Rover and Range Rover Evoque. Land Rover designs, engineers,
and manufactures their vehicles in the United Kingdom. Land Rover
is fully engaged with sustainability initiatives and social
concerns with continuous involvement in environmental and community
programs. For more information visit the official Land Rover
website at http://www.landroverusa.com.
About Jaguar Land Rover
• The United States is one of the leading global markets for both
Jaguar and Land Rover
• Jaguar Land Rover employs 25,000 people and sells vehicles in
170 countries around the world
• Jaguar Land Rover has two state of the art engineering and
design facilities and three advanced manufacturing plants in the
UK
• Headquartered in Mahwah, New Jersey in the United States, Jaguar
Land Rover North America, LLC has offices across the USA
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