KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 — McLaren is using stunning art and cutting-edge technology to usher in the spirit of the Tiger.
The British luxury automotive manufacturer launched a new art project on Tuesday (September 26) in collaboration with Malaysian artist Jaee Tee and Japanese artist Mitsuhiro Higuchi.
Tee’s artworks have been featured in esteemed places worldwide including the Carrousel Du Louvre in Paris and the Fondazione Luciana Matalon in Italy.
Higuchi is a multidisciplinary artist born in Japan and based in Poland who specialises in collage works and has collaborated with Grammy-winning artists like Ne-yo.
The project’s centrepiece is the all-new McLaren Artura featuring Tee and Higuchi’s mesmerising artwork on its body.
Additional Tiger-themed artworks from Tee and Higuchi are also showcased.
The displays include two original pieces from Tee and Higuchi and five tiger statues representing five universal elements (water, earth, fire, wood and metal).
Visitors can immerse themselves in the world of Augmented Reality (AR) by scanning QR codes next to the paintings and sculptures.
The visual project will be on display until September 30, 1pm at the McLaren showroom in Shah Alam.
Tee spoke to Malay Mail on her inspiration behind choosing the Tiger as the best animal to ‘capture the spirit’ of the McLaren Artura.
“I believe that automobiles are more than just machines, they are also a form of art,” Tee said.
“I chose the Tiger as the theme because it reminded me of my childhood memories when my late grandfather would make me memorise the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac.”
Thus, Tee was inspired by the tale of the Chinese zodiac animals and believed that there is an ‘animal essence’ in every person or brand.
“For McLaren, I chose the Tiger because to me it represents power, elegance and sheer determination,” Tee added.
The collaboration with Higuchi took over five months from ideation to completion, with language barrier being a challenge Tee had to overcome.
Ultimately, Tee is satisfied with their final art pieces and hopes they will be able to captivate lovers of cars and art.
To unveil the McLaren Artura, Tee and Higuchi were joined by Nscape chief community officer Chris Germaine, Heritouch Gallery founder and managing director Richie Chai and McLaren Kuala Lumpur dealer principle Marcus Chye.
After the McLaren showroom, Tee’s work will be displayed at Heritouch Gallery, located at One World Hotel in Petaling Jaya.
“Behind every artwork lies a unique story and a unique artist. We are not just an art gallery; we are an artist management corporation. We focus heavily on artist and IP management, and we bridge art and conventional business activities together,” said Chai of Heritouch Gallery.
As the representative gallery of Tee, Heritouch Gallery serves as an exhibition space, an art trading platform and an exclusive private club for art collectors.
“In the fusion of art and commerce, we discover the essence of innovation and the soul of a brand, to magnify the intrinsic core values,” added Chai.
Tee and Higuchi’s works are also available at Asian-Pacific NFT art trading platform NSCAPE which connects artists and collectors.
For more information, visit here.
