The Mini once again challenged Alexandre Farto, a renowned Portuguese artist internationally known as Vhils, to leave his unique mark on a classic vehicle from the historic British brand.
The result of this challenge is called “Tracery,” an English term from Gothic architecture – an architectural style marked by structural ornamental decoration – that defines the “tracery” allowing openings to the outside, filtered by stained glass and rosettes. In the case of the artwork now revealed by Vhils, the term emphasizes the perforation of the car’s skin, representing characteristic elements of the artist’s work.
For the creation of the concept of this artistic installation, Vhils traveled to Oxford in September of last year to visit the Mini factory, where he had the opportunity to choose the model that would be his “canvas.” The choice fell on a 1965 Mini MkI. A revolutionary car in its time, for its simplicity.
For the creation of the concept of this artistic installation, Vhils traveled to Oxford in September of last year to visit the Mini factory, where he had the opportunity to choose the model that would be his “canvas.” The choice fell on a 1965 Mini MkI. A revolutionary car in its time, for its simplicity.
For the execution of the concept, Vhils and his team relied on the close collaboration of Rusty Soul Garage, a car art workshop specializing in vehicle restoration and experienced in working with vehicles from the British brand. This work took six months to complete, requiring about 30,000 holes to be made in the various panels of the vehicle.
Officially presented at the Vhils Studio last Wednesday, March 20, this work emerges as a result of a meticulous artistic collaboration that faced a particularly demanding challenge: to transpose Vhils’ inimitable style, often sculpted on urban building facades, directly onto the body of a classic Mini.
“Mini defines itself from its origin by its iconic and irreverent side. It is a brand that always looks to the future without forgetting its legacy. Vhils, on the other hand, has a unique style that has given us creations that leave a deep mark on the urban landscape. For Mini, which has the city as its natural territory, we found here a combination of elements that unites us. And in the case of “Tracery” in particular, we are proud to look at the final result of this challenge we launched to Vhils and his team”, highlights Gonçalo Empis, Head of Mini Portugal.
This classic Mini transformed into a work of art by Vhils will initially be on display in some official brand dealerships, from North to South of the country, and later join the international Mini collection, where it can be part of future events and exhibitions involving the brand worldwide.
