Porsche’s “The Art of Dreams” by Ruby Barber at Milan Design Week
We already wrote about this incredible installation by Porsche in our recent article about our Milan Design Week favourites, but this particular project deserved its own moment in our spotlight. Porsche’s “The Art of Dreams”, an exhibition series launched in 2021, is one of Porsche’s two art projects, alongside its Global Gallery.
It seems the brand is putting a strong emphasis on art and culture these days, which we are certainly embracing – as we know, mobility and lifestyle are intimately intertwined, and what could be better than mixing beautiful art with our favourite iconic vehicles?
Porsche’s “The Art of Dreams” Project
Launched in October 2021, the interactive project started with a first installation in Paris with a piece by French artist Cyril Lancelin that was also exhibited later in Singapore. With the aim of exhibiting in all major cities, the installations are themed around dreams, observed from different perspectives.
Shown at the Musée de la Mode , the first installation, titled “Remember your dreams” invited the viewer to pause for a moment and get lost in its optimistic colour and surprising structure. “Take some time to breathe. Transcend the moment. Remember your dreams.” The same piece was also exhibited in Singapore’s Marina Bay last January, with a resounding success.
“Everywhereness” at Milan Design Week
For this third installation and design experience, Porsche couldn’t have chosen a better playground – Milan Design Week, which runs parallel to the world-famous Salone del Mobile. Located in the courtyard of the beautiful Palazzo Clerici, a former Milanese palace, this was the perfect spot for Porsche’s first Milan Design Week appearance.
“We are delighted to be a part of Milan Design Week for the first time. It’s the perfect environment for continuing our successfully launched exhibition series. Design, creativity, the connection between humans and technology, and the theme of dreams – all of this is a very good match for our brand, and Ruby Barber has transformed this into an artwork in an inspiring way. We hope that her surreal labyrinth will stimulate and delight many visitors to the Design Week.” – Robert Ader, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at Porsche
Taking place for a few days only, the ‘Everywhereness’ installation was a labyrinth of wild roses, bringing into question the relationship between nature, human-made spaces and technology. A section of the footpaths was made of mirrors, while live drones added surreal effects to this otherwise ethereal experience.
In these beautiful and historical surroundings, the hundreds of roses and high-rising greenery created a sensation of truly being engulfed in nature, all while still being surrounded by the man-made: technology, the building itself, mirrors…All reflecting back to its visitors their place within this “dream.”
Alongside the artist’s botanic installation is a 1972 Porsche 911 S 2.4 Targa in the form of a restored unique piece. The car was first presented to mark the 50th birthday of Porsche Design. In addition, TAG Heuer will accompany the exhibition as its timekeeper, communicating the performance times of the art installation to the audience.
Ruby Barber
The Australian artist and florist who founded Berlin’s Mary Lennox located at Soho House, specialises in Flower Styling, Botanical Design and Botanical Consultancy. She has created beautiful floral designs and installations for many household brands, including Dior, Hermès, Amex, Cartier and many more, and continues to create large-scale yet intimate pieces.
Her studio Mary Lennox was named after the protagonist of Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel The Secret Garden, a story which celebrates the beauty, mystery and rejuvenating qualities of nature. Ruby's first studio also found itself on the corner of Mary and Lennox Streets in Sydney, Australia.
Based in Berlin since 2012 and operating worldwide, Studio Mary Lennox works on a wide range of projects across different disciplines, with services that include botanical brand image consultancy, creative and artistic direction, concept creation and creative strategy, content development, scenography, set design and large scale installation work.
For this particular project, Ruby wanted to take advantage of working with Porsche to create a piece that explores the connections and intersections between the human environment and the natural world, with an emphasis on technology, architecture, design and beauty.
“The title ‘Everywhereness’ came to our mind while exploring the possible futures of botany and technology and the spaces these entities could inhabit. Everywhereness’ isn't tied to a single moment or place; it is rather a feeling of expansive possibilities in infinite environments.“ – Ruby Barber
Art at Porsche
With both “The Art of Dreams'' and Global Gallery projects, Porsche is really giving a new place to art within their brand: "The Porsche philosophy is about fulfilling a dream – not only in terms of sports car manufacture but from a social perspective too. Our aim is to inspire people and offer concrete support to help them realise their dreams," said Robert Ader, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at Porsche. "These new projects involving artists represent this commitment. We are getting involved in the world of digital art as much as we are in the implementation of physical installations. After all, aesthetics, design and innovation are all topics that resonate with Porsche."
Pictures: Porsche