since 1976
since 1976
Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) and new media art collective Filamen made history with the launch of Accelerated Futurescapes, a collection of exclusive Arteon NFT.
Four one-of-a-kind crypto art based on the flagship Volkswagen model are available for purchase on Pentas, a leading South East Asia NFT platform powered by Binance Smart Chain. The NFTs are also presented on Filamen’s virtual gallery and co-curated design research platform, No-to-scale.
NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, are unique digital assets based on blockchain technology that allows for digital ownership. As each piece is uniquely certified with no one piece is the same, it is expected to appeal to art collectors and Arteon enthusiasts alike.
VPCM Managing Director, Erik Winter expressed the brand’s excitement to be part of the NFT space. “Volkswagen have always been at the forefront of digitalisation initiatives in Malaysia, and pushing digital boundaries is something we constantly strive to do.”
“What more, to empower young local artists and be a part of their journey to explore and widen their creative range has been truly inspiring. Of course, the collaboration had to star the Arteon, which offers the perfect combination of avant-garde design with dynamic handling. With this collaboration, we are once again setting new standards, and we thank Filamen in realising this dream with us,” he added.
Filamen co-founder Abdul Shakir Abu Samah shared Erik’s opinion on the collaboration. “It has been a thrilling journey for us at Filamen, and we thank Volkswagen for this opportunity. We saw the project as a digital exploration of the relationship between the car and aesthetic imagery and the artworks are distinct visions of the Arteon, exemplifying a car beyond just a vehicle. What we wanted to do, at the heart of it all, was to express human emotions inspired by the Arteon.”
Up-and-coming Filamen artists, Syed Mohamad and Jason Choo, were commissioned to create the NFTs, and the results were four “otherworldly”, visions of the future inspired by the Arteon’s design and performance - from the sound, to shape, and the little details that matter.
Syed's work revolves around the themes of ‘energy’ and ‘motion', manifested into an oscillating landscape of particles that ebbs and flows. Though digital, the work mirrors natural phenomena such as waves on the ocean surface - mesmerising pieces that hint at poetics within an unseen technological framework.
“This project has opened my eyes to looking at a car from a different perspective. Being able to explore every inch of the Arteon and to then express my emotions through my art, whilst remaining true to not just my artistic style - but the Arteon’s DNA, was a rewarding experience,” says Syed.
Where Syed's art was more concerned with abstracted notions of unseen forces at play, Jason, on the other hand, focused on fictional imagery. His interest lay in visualising the performative aspects of the car in faraway worlds. Using themes such as 'life' and 'flight' to represent the Arteon's intangible dimensions, Jason's work acts as a mediator between him and the audience, relaying the artist's feelings on the Arteon.
“The marriage between art and technology have always intrigued me. As an artist, I appreciate Volkswagen's approach towards innovation, and it was thrilling to be able to interpret and transform the Arteon beyond just a vehicle, and give it life within my art,” explains Jason.
The NFT project is the second art collaboration to feature the Arteon. In 2019, VPCM partnered with Wei-Ling Contemporary art gallery on “Makings of a Masterpiece”, which featured 13 Arteon Art Cars by 13 local artists that were then successfully auctioned off for charity.
All four Arteon NFTs are available for viewing at http://www.wearefilamen.com/thearteoncollection and purchase at https://app.pentas.io/volkswagen
