The makings of a masterpiece: Volkswagen collaborates with Wei-Ling Gallery on Arteon art
− The collaboration takes place to celebrate the stunning all-new Arteon R-Line.
− 13 renowned names in the local art scene lends their talents to create exclusive one-off pieces of art on the Arteon based on corresponding artwork from the Gallery’s ‘18@8 Turning Points’ exhibition.
− All art cars will be auctioned off, with proceeds going to charity.
KUALA LUMPUR – Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) and art powerhouse Wei-Ling Gallery today announced a collaboration in conjunction of the launch of the all-new Arteon R-Line, featuring the talents of 13 Malaysian artists. This landmark collaboration offers collectors and art enthusiasts the unique opportunity to own scale models of the Arteon that have been transformed by the artists into unique sculptures. The art pieces will be sold via auction, and proceeds from the auction will be channelled to the Breast Cancer Welfare Association (BCWA). The Arteon is Volkswagen’s flagship model and offers the perfect combination of avant-garde design with dynamic handling. Its name is a true reflection of its appearance – ‘Art’ describes the fastback’s harmonious lines and emotionality, while ‘eon’ identifies’ it as a premium Volkswagen model. Visually breath-taking from any angle, the Arteon represented a turning point for the brand as the first of a new generation of Volkswagen models that are more evocative in design and emotionally appealing. It seemed befitting then that the Arteon project is an extension of the recent “18@8 Turning Points” exhibition by Wei-Ling Gallery. The exhibition was curated with this idea in mind and explores the 13 artists’ pasts through different philosophical, technical and aesthetic approaches, in the form of thought-provoking art pieces that reflected on this ideology. Prominent Malaysian artists who participated in this project includes Anurendra Jegadeva and Ivan Lam who recently represented Malaysia at the 58th Venice Art Biennale, Hamidi Hadi, Yau Bee Ling and Choy Chun Wei.
Directly linked to the artists’ original pieces from Turning Points, the Arteon art pieces are both evocative and bold. Anurendra Jegadeva’s Arteon was inspired by ‘A Garland for My Father’, presented as a portrait of his father surrounded by light boxes, featuring archival photos of family members and their Volkswagen Beetle. Wong Chee Meng’s ‘The Yearning Realm’, with a unique painting approach in which layers of images are juxtaposed to form an illusion, this reflected onto an Arteon through the same use of red and blue lenses. Erik Winter, the Managing Director of VPCM shares his enthusiasm on the project, saying that the arrival of the all-new Arteon R-Line and the collaboration presented the opportunity for the brand to engage with art fans. “As a group, Volkswagen continues to promote worldwide support for arts and culture, and we have had collaborations in the past with local talents. Wei-Ling is a household name in the art fraternity here and abroad, and we are thrilled not only to be supporting this effort to deepen people’s understanding to the influence of art in our lives with our latest product, but to also be doing our part for a good cause in conjunction with Breast Cancer Awareness Month.” “The Arteon is a masterpiece on wheels, and this message really has been translated in every art piece. The dedication of these artists and the thought process that has gone through transforming the scale models into such amazing pieces of art, each with their own narrative, is nothing short of inspiring,” he adds. Founder and Gallery Director Lim Wei-Ling echoes this sentiment. “It is indeed heartening and encouraging to see that Volkswagen is so supportive of the arts both internationally and on a local level. In a country like Malaysia where exposure to the arts is limited, it is through initiatives and collaborations like these that we are able to create more awareness on the important roles that artists play. Artists are the observers of our times – documenting, capturing and enshrining the times through which they live, within their works.” “Each work of art created for the ‘Turning Points’ exhibition has been a personal reflection by the 13 Malaysian artists involved in this project. The stories encased within the works are inspiring, cathartic and moving. In collaborating with the Arteon, these artists have individually created a unique art car that is and will be highly collectible, as they are ‘one of their kind’ in the world. We are honoured and delighted to be working with Volkswagen on the auction of these Arteon art cars to raise both awareness and funds for BCWA.”
All 13 Arteon sculptures will be available for online viewing and bidding at arteonartcar.com, or at Wei-Ling Contemporary at The Gardens Mall via appointment by calling 03-2282 8323. Bidding closes on the 1st of October 2020 at 5pm. The all-new Arteon R-Line is priced at RM225,490 and comes with 3 years free maintenance, 5 years unlimited mileage warranty and 5 years roadside assistance. With the current sales tax break, the recommended retail price of the all-new Arteon R-Line is RM220,043.28 until the 31st of December 2020.
FULL LIST OF ARTISTS
1. Anurendra Jegadeva
2. Cheng Yen Pheng
3. Chin Kong Yee
4. Cheong Kiet Cheng
5. Choy Chun Wei
6. Cheong Kim Chiew
7. Chen Wei Meng
8. Hamidi Hadi
9. Ivan Lam
10. Rajinder Singh
11. Sean Lean
12. Wong Chee Meng
13. Yau Bee Ling
