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The longstanding collaborators Mercedes-Maybach and David LaChapelle reunite to create three artworks. David LaChapelle celebrates the natural connection that ties Maybach's automotive artistry with three of the most influential art movements of the early twentieth century: Futurism, Cubism and Surrealism. Curated by the artist, the Milan Design Week launch event was an immersive experience that brought the original artworks to life.
The longstanding collaboration
Embarking on a new chapter of cultural influence, longstanding partners MercedesMaybach and David LaChapelle have reunited for a collaboration that spotlights the brand’s iconic roster, resulting in three original artworks. Driven by the powerhouses’ shared creator values and through the adoption of three of the most influential art movements, the outcome is a visionary interpretation of art and automotive design.
The artworks were unveiled on April 16th at an exclusive cocktail evening held at The Gallery Meravigli, during Milan Design Week. A live representation of the collaboration, the event recreated the set design of one of the concepts in an immersive and art-focused experience.
“Culture and creativity are at the heart of Mercedes-Maybach, but so is pushing boundaries in automotive and beyond. We are delighted to reunite with our long-term partner and pioneer artist David LaChapelle, to create a one-of-a-kind Maybach brand experience.” - Daniel Lescow, Head of Mercedes-Maybach at Mercedes-Benz Group AG
“Mercedes-Maybach has a great tradition of investing in artists and supporting the fine arts. By cultivating a world of engineers, designers and artists, Maybach inspires creativity within their products and beyond. It is an honor to be part of the Maybach legacy and play in that beyond!” - David LaChapelle
United by shared creator values
Following no prescribed brief, LaChapelle approached art and three of its most impactful periods as the inspiration behind the Mercedes-Maybach commission: Cubism, Futurism and Surrealism. The selected art movements, groundbreaking for their time, perfectly allude to Maybach’s history as a pioneering piece of engineering turned aspirational design piece.
The challenge was to create artworks that seamlessly integrated the Mercedes-Maybach in an intentional way without drawing focus from the rest of the composition, which was achieved through LaChapelle’s meticulous approach to set-design.
Given LaChapelle’s passion for analogue, the set’s exquisite technical characteristics, precision and craft play a significant role in the creative process and final output. The live production also allowed for collaboration between talents, art department and crew which included acrobatics, four-time Academy Award Winner for Best Costume Design, Colleen Atwood, and LaChapelle’s longstanding set design collaborator, Annie Sperling.
The artworks
Titled “Cubist Scape”, the Cubism-inspired artwork took reference from several artists who initiated the movement. Playing on a juxtaposition of shapes, colours and methodical acrobatics, the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class is seamlessly integrated within the frame due to its metallic and glowing sheens, reflecting the energy this period is known for.
The collective cultural interest in Egyptology and Egypt’s advanced civilization set the tone for the Futurism artwork, titled “Future Scape”. Drawn from LaChapelle’s imagination, the Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV stands alongside the Egyptian pyramids, each an engineering triumph. Acrobats and flying machines complete the scene in a whimsical and humorous tableau.
Following the premiere at the Gallery Meravigli in Milan, the artworks will become part of the Mercedes-Benz Art Collection and will later be shown at various occasions worldwide.
About David LaChapelle
Through his mastery of color, unique composition and imaginative narratives, LaChapelle has expanded the genre of photography. His staged tableau, portrait and still life works challenged devices of traditional photography and his work quickly gained international interest.
Today, LaChapelle is one of the most published photographers throughout the world with an anthology of books including “LaChapelle Land” in 1996 and 2017’s “Good News”. His work has expanded into music video, film and stage projects, with many of his still and moving works becoming iconic archetypes of America in the 21st Century.
In 2023, LaChapelle was honored with the “Lorenzo il Magnifico” Lifetime Achievement Award at the XIV Florence Biennale. Over the past 30 years, LaChapelle has exhibited internationally in galleries and museums including the National Portrait Gallery and Victoria and Albert Museum in London as well as Musée d’Orsay in Paris, Palazzo Reale in Milano, National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C. and many more.
About the Mercedes-Benz Art Collection
The Mercedes-Benz Art Collection was founded in 1977 and is today one of the most important European corporate collections, having achieved an international reputation with its museum-quality artworks. The collection includes around 3,000 works by more than 800 artists such as Cao Fei, Alicja Kwade, Charlotte Posenenske, Oskar Schlemmer, Franz Erhard Walther and Andy Warhol. It focuses on abstract-constructive pictorial concepts and critical-engaged art, as well as representative and commissioned works on themes such as automobility, design and construction. The Art Collection embodies Mercedes-Benz’s broad social commitment to culture and education and reflects the company’s wish to create a recognizable benefit for the common good.
With exhibitions of the artworks within the company and in international museums (e.g. Los Angeles, London, Johannesburg, Bilbao and Tokyo), the Mercedes-Benz Art Collection makes it possible for a broad public interested in art to experience the collection. It attaches great importance to the acquisition of contemporary art in order to contribute to a responsible support policy for young artists. Furthermore, the art collection is strongly committed to diversity: its collecting practice is consistently geared towards international artists and the diversity of cultures and views.
