lifestyle

Royal Salute’s Rare 52 Year Old

Lifestyle / yachtstyle2020

Royal Salute’s Rare 52 Year Old

February 5, 2021
9:53 pm

Royal Salute presents its limited-edition Time Series 52 Year Old Single Cask Finish, inspired by the power of time. By Asaph Low.

The 52-year-old blended whisky has been finished in a single cask for 14 years

Royal Salute has launched an ultra-rare, limited-edition blend known as the Time Series 52 Year Old Single Cask Finish, meticulously and expertly crafted by Sandy Hyslop, Master Blender at Royal Salute.

Blended in the historic Strathisla Distillery in the Scottish Highlands, the Time Series is created in the exacting spirit of Royal Salute’s founding – befitting of royalty, a tribute to the British monarch and the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

An intense fruity combination of aromas greets its owner when nosed, with ripe plum, toffee red apples and hazelnuts covered in dark chocolate prominent.

Of the 52 years of slow, patient maturation of this liquid gold, the last 14 were spent in a single cask, which gives the whisky a soft, creamy texture. On the palate, pear syrup and hints of liquorice enhance flavours of sweet orange marmalade, ginger and scented cloves.

Only 106 bottles were made of the rare blend

“It’s a personal privilege to create such an outstanding whisky for Royal Salute,” Hyslop says. “The longer the whisky matures, the more intricate it becomes.

“With 52 years of ageing, the delicate balance of some of the rarest of our whiskies has created an unrivalled depth of flavour and unbelievably complex characteristic, making for a remarkable expression that perfectly shows that time is a key element of our creations.”

The 52-year-old whisky is a single-cask finish blend housed in a hand-blown Dartington Crystal decanter engraved with a unique number. Every bottle is presented in a five-layered wooden box, each representing a decade of the blend, making it a true collector’s item.

Only 106 bottles were made, further highlighting its rarity. And of the four bottles allocated to Singapore, only three were made available at S$48,888 each. The other bottle was auctioned off during Pernod Ricard Singapore’s 30th-anniversary party, with all proceeds donated to charity.

The 21 Year Old Malts Blend was a Double Gold winner in the 2020 International Spirits Challenge

If the Time Series is out of reach, keep an eye out for Royal Salute’s 21 Year Old Malts Blend, a Double Gold winner in the 2020 International Spirits Challenge.

The Malts Blend is crafted with more than 21 precious single malts, each aged for a minimum of 21 years from the five whisky regions of Scotland, which pays homage to the royal 21 Gun Salute that the brand name draws inspiration from.

Notes of orchard fruits, enriched by subtle spices greet the palate as the profound whisky offers up its harmonious blend of the various single malts.
www.royalsalute.com

To enquire about Royal Salute Time Series 52 Year Old Single Cask Finish, email: admin@lecercle.sg

15 Trailblazing Indonesian Artists in 2021

Lifestyle / yachtstyle2020

Inside the Mind of 15 Trailblazing Indonesian Artists in 2021

February 4, 2021
10:46 am

We set our sights on Indonesia to uncover 15 young and emerging artists making their mark in the country’s vibrant art scene.

By Ryan Mario

Nestled within the eastern continent as the Cradle of Art is Indonesia, an archipelagic country with 17,000 to 18,000 islands lining the equator in Southeast Asia. From vivid and energetic abstract abstractions to highly sophisticated and detailed photorealistic paintings, there is an artform catering to the palate of every individual emerging from the prism of artists residing there. Art Republik skims the talent pool of the land to identify 15 Indonesian artists who are distinctive trailblazers of 2021.

I Nyoman Masriadi

Exaggeration is the name of the game when it comes to the paintings of the 37-year-old Yogyakarta-based artist. Often clad in bulbous bodily features, Masriadi’s figures are often derivations of video games and comics. Through the deformation of his subjects, he recalibrated the perceptions of the human figure and materialised it as his iconic style. His painting, The Man From Bantul (The Final Round), was sold at US$296,800, setting a record for contemporary Southeast Asian art.

Browse his art on: https://inyomanmasriadi.com/

Lugas Syllabus

Surrealistic in a Dali-esque fashion, Lugas’ paintings and sculptures grasp at the viewers’ attention almost instantly once eyes are set upon his works. Pop culture and folklore references poke out from various sections of his paintings, prompting his audiences to draw parallels and reignite memories and experiences of days gone by. In essence, Lugas’ works address the ironies and contradictions in modern society, thus reopening up conversations that would often be pegged as the elephant in the room.

Browse his art on: @lugassyllabus

Soni Irawan

Multi-layered as his art and just as multi-talented, the founder of Jogjakarta experimental band Seek Six Sick has managed to amalgamate the vibrancy and energy of his music into his paintings. With his making of noise rock music as the backbone for his art, the musician cum painter embraces chaos as the core of his creative output. Soni’s jam sessions often involve him filling in the gaps within the existing sounds from his bandmates with his own, and he replicates this approach in his paintings too, making his pieces visual compositions of rock music.

Browse his art on: @soni_irawan_soni

Dedy Sufriadi

Post-Suharto art in Indonesia were often approached with realism, and it was an oversaturation of it that Dedy Sufriadi needed to find an outlet to paint his academic interest in Existentialism. Atop robust colours applied upon sizeable canvases are often scrawls of texts or evocative imageries characteristic of the Expressionism style, and it was in this style that Dedy opted to demonstrate the raw power of his artistic approach. Through this, he questions and re-presents the idea of life amidst the absurdities of living it out.

Browse his art on: @dedysufriadi

Justian Jafin

Collage-like but not, 34-year-old Justian Jafin’s pieces are layered with commentaries on present-day societal issues. Working with acrylics, his style of painting involves creating overlapping layers that cover and uncover the variety of subjects in the piece. This way, viewers will need to observe intently as a story unfolds before their eyes, bringing their focus to their roles in contributing to society and hopefully empower them to bring about change.

Browse his art on: @justianjafinw

Naufal Abshar

Laughter is the immediate byproduct of joy, but Naufal attempts to dissect the layers of the act in his works. In direct relation to his daily life, Naufal draws attention to usually mundane acts and bring them to attention. His interest in questioning the human condition further adds the depth in the conceptual aspects of his art, which complements with and contrasts against the whimsical imageries in the works.

Browse his art on: @naufalabshar

Anton Afganial

Intricately vibrant and chaotically controlled, Anton’s paintings are masses of clashes that spell out his Madurese background in which bold and vibratory colours are very much celebrated by his people. Perhaps the nuances may point to the works of batik paintings, but Anton reveals that that is mostly attributed to his employment of lines that were set to emphasise his shapes and forms in the paintings. Often moved by situations like human conflicts, love, balance, and cultural identity, Anton desires his artistic process to be as intuitive as it is spontaneous. His paintings are, in all, the embodiments of energy, enthusiasm, emotions, contradictions, and curiosity.

Browse his art on: @afganial_

Agus Saputra

The classical Batuan-style artworks originating from South Bali are often dense, dynamic, and detailed projections of legendary scenes or themes from daily lives. Agus adopts this feature within his modern-day rendition of the style to reinterpret traditions through his own lens. His compact landscape of elements that correspond and interact with one another creates a blend of narratives that unfold in different ways for every audience that stands before his art, ultimately making the story-telling process unique to each individual.

Browse his art on: @im.agusaputra

Iwan Suastika

In the eyes of Iwan Suastika, the concept is simple: I am the universe, You are the universe, and We are the universe. Iwan’s visual narratives are surrealistic scenes of humanoid beasts and pop culture references which are heavily imbued with symbols and metaphors. Each piece generates a conversation between the artist and his work, which is later conveyed to his viewers as cryptic messages to be deciphered. This is probably why Iwan stands out as an artistic enigmatologist who shows no end to the creation of his visual puzzles and storytelling prowess.

Browse his art on: @iwansuastika

Dodit Artawan

The conversation often goes like this, “No, they are not photos; yes, they are painted.” A doubletake is often required when glancing in the direction of Dodit’s artworks. Hyperrealistically rendered, Dodit’s Bikini-clad Barbie Dolls and alcohol bottles are direct criticisms of the consumer capitalism problem proliferating on the island of Bali where he resides. The lack of control on alcohol consumption further becomes a question of ethics when underaged teenagers have unimpeded access to purchase alcohols in stores, and he intends, through his art, to lift the carpet off this issue that has plagued the locals for decades now.

Browse his art on: @doditartawan

Nana Tedja

One of the most organically-inclined artists is Nana Tedja, one of Indonesia’s leading female artist who shows no fear in expressing herself within the male-dominated art scene. Bold, expressive, and unapologetically wild, Nana’s artistic approach breaks down the demarcations between herself and her art. True to herself in every sense, she has always intended her art to be an immediate reflection of her character and personality. Abstract expressionism may the style she has gone for, but Nana has reassuringly stated that the sole reason for her painting method was simply based off her preference and mood, and nothing more.

Browse her art on: @nana_tedja

Kencut

Putu Adi Suanjaya, or by his moniker of Kencut, conjures his iconic stuffed doll characters complete with bulging button eyes. The human eye is often known to be the window to the soul, since it easily divulges information, whether intentionally or otherwise, of the person and their emotional state. In his works, he opted to omit said windows and have them replaced with the unassumingly mundane buttons. Yet, the lack of an indication on the beings’ emotions also leaves no trace on the lies that they potentially bear, and it is in this ignorance of all things unsavoury that he creates a pocket of optimism for his audiences to dwell in; a place with no lies is indeed a happy place. His paintings serve as a reminder that life should be navigated through in as much positivity as a child who knows no sins.

Browse his art on: @suanjaya_kencut

Aurora Santika

Aurora’s works, with their flat colours and thick outlines, started out as a hobby, then a cry for help, and later a call for discussion. She used art as a vessel to deliver ideas that would effect action from people as she probes and pokes at issues within the socio-economic dynamic in society. These topics are generally difficult to bring up without adding fuel to the flame, but Aurora believes that art, regardless of medium, is the perfect instrument to initiate conversations on the subjects, especially those on humanity as a whole. Most issues addressed within Aurora’s art are inspired by real-life interactions with people who either act as the perpetrator in said issues, fall victim to them, or are fighting their hardest to eliminate them.

Browse her art on: @aurora_santika

Petek Sutrisno

Part of the young artist generation whose works are heavily influenced by comics, cartoons, illustrations, and pop culture, Petek Sutrisno deliberately incorporates his daily life into each piece of work to portray intended and relatable messages for which his audiences would be able to resonate with easily. Most of his work are visual translations of his childhood experience and current political issues. Flowers are a common sight in Petek’s paintings, and the artist explains that they relate to the elements of love, beauty, and peace, which he religiously incorporates into all of his art. In relevance to current affair, natural elements became a staple in his pieces as a reminder to all that environmental issues are still unresolved and it is everyone’s duty to preserve and not further damage nature and the environment.

Browse his art on: @peteksutrisno

Bahaudin

In some cultures, Bahaudin means “The magnificent of the Faith”. As a young man with a powerful name and an equally powerful set of skills, Bahaudin’s wide-eyed characters are heralds of peace and love. Child-like characters with recognisable superhero comical and cartoonish traits are often at the epicentre of his pieces as he advocates for an anti-conflict settlement of the world around him to hopefully work towards world peace. In an incredulous question posed by the artist, “Aren’t people already bored of disagreeing and spilling their blood on the earth we love?”

Browse his art on: @bahaudin__

Art thrives best in a land where the expression of creativity is unimpeded; as Indonesia entered its post-Suharto era, such the place it became where artistic thoughts, ideas and concepts are constantly taking shape and reshaping themselves in accordance with the shifting sands of modern political perspectives and evolution of traditions held firm.

Tiffany & Co. To Have A New Management Team After Its Acquisition By LVMH

Lifestyle / yachtstyle2020

Tiffany & Co. To Have A New Management Team After Its Acquisition By LVMH

February 1, 2021
2:24 pm

Speculations are pointing towards Alexandre Arnault and Anthony Ledru to take the top positions within Tiffany & Co.

By Joseph Low

[Update: 8 January 2021]

Anthony Ledru has been appointed the CEO of Tiffany & Co., replacing Alessandro Bogliolo while Alexandre Arnault takes on the role as Executive Vice President of Product and Communications leaving his CEO position at Rimowa where he will be succeeded by Hugues Bonnet-Masimbert, the brand’s Executive Vice President of Sales and Client Operations; Michael Burke, CEO and Chairman of Louis Vuitton will also become chairman of Tiffany’s board.

The scion of French luxury conglomerate, LVMH is set to lead the newly acquired Tiffany & Co. with Louis Vuitton’s Head of Global Commercial Activities. Alexandre Arnault, the second oldest son of billionaire Bernard Arnault, is already the CEO of suitcase-brand, Rimowa and joining him is Anthony Ledru who has had vast experience in managing jewellery brands such as Cartier and Harry Winston prior joining the company. The founder of LVMH, Bernard Arnault, has for many occasions, appointed his children to top positions within the company; Antoine heads Berluti and the company’s image and communications division; His daughter, Delphine as Louis Vuitton’s executive vice president while another son, Frederic leads Tag Heuer.

Alexandre Arnault, 28, made headlines across the luxury industry when he was named the CEO of Rimowa in 2017 after playing a pivotal role in LVMH’s decision to buy an 80% stake of the German suitcase brand — he was only 24 when the deal took place — making this the first acquisition the company has done in Germany. Despite the current sluggish economy, Rimowa, under Alexandre Arnault, has been opening up new stores with a concentration in Asia, particularly China. In 2020 alone, six new stores were opened in China, four in South Korean and remaining two in Thailand and Taiwan each. Arnault is bringing in new perspectives to both Rimowa and its parent company, LVMH and now adding Tiffany & Co. to his profile, it would be interesting to see how he is going to lead the American jeweller.

The road to securing a deal between LVMH and Tiffany & Co. was not an easy one considering how much back and forth was done. Lawsuits were filed between the two companies, negotiations were held and then finally a deal was agreed upon last December and the US jeweller is bought over for $16 billion — the biggest transaction to be made in the industry.

Thailand’s Zeavola fulfils eco-luxury mission

Lifestyle / yachtstyle2020

Thailand’s Zeavola fulfils eco-luxury mission

January 25, 2021
5:19 pm

Phi Phi’s only five-star resort, Zeavola is a luxurious yet rustic retreat offering hillside pool villas and beachfront, garden and village suites, with a vision to create “the best possible hotel embedded in sustainability”.

Zeavola is on the east side of the northern tip of Phi Phi Don

It’s fitting that you take an hour’s boat ride to reach Zeavola, whether you arrive from Phuket or Krabi. After all, the name Zeavola is derived from Scaevola taccada, the Latin name of the coastal flowering plant known in Thailand as Rak Talay, which translates as ‘love the sea’.

Zeavola hosted 100 guests last December for the second Blue List Expedition, with 14 yachts making their way from Phuket to the award-winning eco-resort, whose spectacular location in the north of Phi Phi Don offers a warm and colourful welcome.

As you come closer, blue water laps against the white-sand Laem Tong Beach, which is dotted with yellow umbrellas and backed by lush, green rainforest, with teak villas camouflaged in the tropical setting.

View of Zeavola as you get close to Laem Tong Beach

Little is left to waste in Zeavola, which rhymes with Scaevola, so the rest of the plant’s Latin name has been used to name the Tacada beachfront restaurant and bar, which specialises in Mediterranean and international cuisine. Guests also dine at Baxil, a Thai restaurant set back from the beachfront that’s open for breakfast and dinner.

The all-suite resort features 52 villas including the 40sqm village suites, 60sqm garden suites and three 60sqm beachfront suites with sea views. Topping it all off are the sensational 120sqm, split-level pool villa suites on the hillside, offering lofty views over the rainforest and the bay.

Also set on the hillside, the Zeavola Spa is among the main attractions in a resort designed as a getaway to relax, recharge and reinvigorate. The spa offers Thai, Chinese, European and Polynesian therapies, while the experience extends to a steam room, sauna, spa, gym and beauty salon.

One of the 60sqm beachfront suites with sea views

Guests can read, relax and laze in their villas or on the beach, and take cooking classes or a swim in the bay. If you want to head out, a huge range of boat trips and tours let you explore the area’s bays and islands, with options for fishing, jungle trekking and kayaking.

Scuba diving is one of the most popular activities and Zeavola has its own PADI Five Star Centre. Dive trips can be arranged to a huge number of locations within the Phi Phi marine national park, while specialties include wreck, night and deep diving. Zeavola can introduce first-timers to scuba diving using its own pool before taking them on introductory dives, while a full range of PADI courses are available.

On a romantic note, the resort has hosted over 100 weddings, with long-time General Manager Florian Hallermann conducting the ceremony. A resort tradition is that each couple plants a coconut palm accompanied by a placard carrying their names, which can later include those of their children. The Phi Phi islands may be just an hour from Phuket and Krabi, but they can feel like a world away.

The deluxe hillside pool suites are among 52 villas

“Zeavola gives you the time and space to discover yourself and each other,” says Hallermann, who has worked in the hotel industry in Asia since 1990. “It’s a place to create magical memories.”

SUSTAINABILITY LEADER

In this tranquil setting, Zeavola lives up to its billing as a paradise of barefoot luxury, taking guests back to a life of elegant simplicity. This has been Hallermann’s aim since he started managing the resort when the current owner took over in 2008, two years after the opening of the original development.

Hallermann admits he found “the hotel destined for me” in Zeavola, having worked for the likes of Shangri-La, Banyan Tree and Mandarin Oriental during a career that has taken him to seven countries in Asia.

For over a decade, the Austrian has implemented a whole ecosystem of changes at Zeavola designed to improve sustainability, many of which are hidden from view, but apparent to those in the know.

Sunset at Zeavola, named World’s Best Sustainable Boutique Hotel in 2014

In 2014, he travelled to London for the World Boutique Hotels Awards ceremony to collect Zeavola’s award for World’s Best Sustainable Boutique Hotel. The resort is also a member of Green Pearls, a

marketing company promoting unique, authentic and green experiences.

Sustainability is a very real issue in Asia’s most popular tourist areas. In the smaller Phi Phi Le to the south, Maya Bay has been closed since 2018 to allow it to recover from the damage caused by mass tourism, litter, pollution and boat damage since starring in the 2000 movie The Beach.

“There are complexities running a luxury, yet rustic, resort on a remote island,” says Hallermann, who admits it’s more difficult to create a sustainable operation after most of the physical infrastructure is already in place.

However, recent developments include a Reddonatura composting machine that reduces wet waste by up to a staggering 40 tonnes per year, as well as a highly efficient water system that uses reverse osmosis to produce clean water.

Many yachts in the second Blue List Expedition anchored in nearby Nui Bay

Drinking water is provided to guests in glass bottles that can be refilled by staff or by guests at multiple water-filling stations, inspired by RefillMyBottle. The introduction of the glass water bottles for guests and metal bottles for staff has reduced the usage of single-use plastic bottles by 120,000 per year.

Laundry water is now also cleaned and reused for laundry due to a new system that saves over 1.4 million litres of water each year. Meanwhile, the swimming pools now benefit from the Enviroswim ES3 water-purification system that annihilates any bacteria, fungi, and viruses, allowing the resort to discontinue the use of chlorine or any other chemicals.

“We’re striving to protect our precious island home with a self-sufficient lifestyle that will bring benefits for generations to come,” says Hallermann, who says the 150 staff that live on the island are a huge focus of the resort and another of the attractions for guests.

“The Zeavola family is the backbone of the resort and the team strives to please guests by offering unrivalled service with a genuinely warm Thai smile. Zeavola is determined to create natural enjoyment for our guests and staff members. We are passionate about achieving this for the benefit of all.”
www.zeavola.com

Full house for Blue List Expedition in Phuket
The Zeavola Resort and the Phi Phi Islands play host to the second edition of the three-day event, which features 100 guests, 14 yachts and a packed calendar of watersports, beach barbecues and parties.

Exploring 21st Century Watchmaking With Ulysse Nardin

Lifestyle / yachtstyle2020

Exploring 21st Century Watchmaking With Ulysse Nardin

January 21, 2021
12:05 pm

For the last two decades, Ulysse Nardin has been pushing the boundaries of modern watchmaking. Its latest creation packs all its innovations in one model.

By Ashok Soman

A year ago, starting at Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie 2019, CEO of Ulysse Nardin Patrick Pruniaux began to introduce a new concept for the brand: a range of timepieces that were at the forefront of their collections in design, attitude and development. The range was named the ‘X’ Collection, and each model bore a reference to the letter in one way or another. More interesting to collectors was the fact that while the watches were extremely interesting, they were not also extremely expensive. This is all too common in contemporary watchmaking, and Ulysse Nardin deserves plaudits for not following the pack. We would define the ‘X’ Collection as excellent examples of contemporary fine watchmaking. This year, the X Collection adds a bold new model and a powerful new Ulysse Nardin movement. The BLAST is a development that has been taking shape within Ulysse Nardin’s research division for the last two years, and is designed around the movement that powers it: the powerful skeleton UN-172 automatic tourbillon movement.

BREAKING DOWN THE CALIBRE UN-172

Since the BLAST has been developed around this calibre, everything from its case construction, to the skeleton bridges that double as the dial, are built around it. The automatic tourbillon is the first with micro-rotor from the brand, with a three-day power reserve from just one mainspring barrel. This is thanks to the efficient movement design and a slow-running tourbillon at 2.5Hz, steadily oscillating as it rotates around a lightweight cage.

In terms of design, the going train is supported on just the transverse cut-out ‘X’ bridges, which flank the movement, and a skeletonised circumferential backplate that adds structural support. Unlike typical skeleton movements that are usually hollowed out versions of their fully plated calibres, this movement is free of extraneous material. This means it was purpose-built to look and function as it does. Between the two aforementioned bridges lie the moving parts of the going train.

The micro-rotor that drives the automatic winding system is located dial-side, adding to the activity you see on the watch as it swings (when worn), balancing the design of the movement vertically with the tourbillon below. The words ‘Silicium Technology’ are boldly engraved on the barrel. It highlights the silicon marvel that is the escapement with the escape wheel, anchor and balance spring produced using the LIGA process; though, given that Ulysse Nardin has been at the forefront of silicon development in watchmaking for the last 20 years, it is no surprise. Since this is a lubrication-free escapement, that makes performance and maintenance of the watch far better.

A BLAST OF A DESIGN

The name of the model – BLAST – brings a mental image of explosive performance and energy, and its design reflects that strength. Inspired by powerful, precise lines that form in nature and modern, minimalist product design, the watch bears faceted horns around the case middle, bezel and case back. On the dial, a rectangular frame divides the watch into two sections: the hour markers rest on the periphery, as if firing out from the centre of the dial, while the hands emerge from the centre of the rectangle’s frame, with the rotor and tourbillon above and below.

The lugs of the watch remind one of the F-117’s muscled lines, softened with the use of brushed and polished surfaces and lightly rounded edges and corners. The tessellations and hard angles are distinct in wristwatch design, highly modern and one can almost envision it in a matte black; oh wait, that model exists as the Black BLAST, and it is a striking execution, with red accents to add ferocity to the stealth model.

Four versions of the watch exist, themed along the opposing forces of ‘Fire’ and ‘Ice’. The Black BLAST, mentioned previously, is crafted in black DLC titanium for the case middle, and black ceramic for the upper case middle and bezel, with a black rectangular bridge with a double ‘X’ in red and black. The unique part of this watch lies in the balance wheel of the movement, which Ulysse Nardin has developed in red. It is the first time that a moving component of the calibre is developed in a different colour from the original by Ulysse Nardin.

A second ‘Fire’ model features a rose gold case middle with black DLC coating, and upper case middle in rose gold, with faceted gold lugs coupled with a black ceramic bezel. The tourbillon cage is in black PVD and rose-gold coloured, reflecting the bi-colour case. This is the model that graces the cover of this special issue.

Moving on, the two ‘Ice’ models are in titanium (Blue BLAST) and titanium and ceramic (White BLAST). The Blue BLAST model has a blue PVD coating on the titanium bezel, with blue accents on the rectangular bridge, tourbillon cage and ‘X’ frame. White BLAST has a titanium case middle and ceramic upper case middle with a titanium bezel and crown, and accents of grey on the bridges and hour markers. A fifth version of the BLAST exists, a diamond-clad White BLAST model with a unique gem placement that refracts light in a myriad of directions. It is a blinding beauty that reminds one of the icebergs and glaciers in the most remote corners of the world.

Despite the watch being a rather sizeable 45mm around, it does not feel or wear like a large timepiece. The lugs bear down to wrap around even a slim wrist, and the various straps (in rubber, alligator leather or calfskin, as well as velvet or denim depending on which version of the BLAST you are getting) are designed to adhere to your skin comfortably. To match the design of the case, a self-deploying buckle with pushers on either side conveniently releases the strap, further securing the watch on your wrist.

DISCOVERING THE BLAST

To highlight the provocative and powerful character of the model, Ulysse Nardin has chosen a nature photographer, Carsten Peter, to collaborate with. Peter is a photographer of the extreme in nature, and has shot across every element of our world, from the most frigid places to the most fiery. He embodies the raw, explosive nature of the BLAST and we will be looking forward to seeing how he intends to reveal the watch through his photos.

FREAKS OF NATURE

Inspired by the two opposing forces that have shaped our natural world, Ulysse Nardin has taken its greatest icon of the 21st century and merged it with fire and ice

Fire-and-Ice may represent a provocative theme, but these two forces have forged every natural element of this world, to exercise some poetic license. Conceptually, they are the very raw ingredients of what constitutes the watches of Ulysse Nardin. The best representation of this homage to nature comes in the form of two Freak X timepieces, the Freak X Ice and Freak X Magma.

The Freak’s legacy is well-known and frequently referenced across watchmaking history. The orbital movement’s design represents modern watch invention combined with modern watchmaking materials. It was the watch that premiered the use of silicon for Ulysse Nardin and, arguably, the entire watch trade. The Freak X was the first model that bore a conventional crown for ease of use, along with a far more attractive price range. It was the starting point for the X series of watches, and continues to drive the evolution of the brand.

The two models are housed in titanium, the Magma in black DLC-coated titanium and the Ice in a matte white treatment. The outer case, however, which joins the lugs on either end, comes in very different styles. The Freak X Ice’s outer case is in titanium, silvered like the movement components to create an austere white and grey landscape on the wrist.

The Magma’s outer case is crafted in carbon fibre with a red marbled epoxy resin, moulded into the case form. The flaming red colour that criss-crosses the jet black carbon fibre makes it look like layers of fiery lava cooling into volcanic rock.

The flying carrousel on the dial, pivoting on the hour disc of the UN-230 calibre is a marvel to admire. The movement has a large silicon balance wheel, keeping it very light and therefore enabling the mainspring to power this complex movement for up to three days. It also helps to maintain precision and reduce the impact of shock on the moving system.

XTREME SKELETONISATION

Like the BLAST, the Skeleton X distills the mechanical watch to its bare minimum, allowing one to see through time on your wrist

If transparency and clarity are values that you live by, then the Skeleton X is the mechanical watch to match your ethos. The watch is timekeeping at its purest and simplest: a going train supported by just one rectangular bridge with an ‘X’ frame around it, and sapphire crystal wrapping either side of the watch to protect it from the elements. The operation of the entire movement is completely visible.

Collectors who obsess over movement designs and discuss details of movement operations will love this watch, for it leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination. The UN-371 calibre that powers the watch is a redesigned version of the UN-171, with an oversized silicon balance wheel with micro-blade stabilisers and nickel flyweights. It occupies the lower half of the dial, and above is the barrel that keeps it running for up to four days.

The latest model of this watch comes in a new-to-watchmaking material: Carbonium Gold©. Carbonium is a high-performance, carbon-based composite used in aeronautics. Consequently, it is a high-performance, ultra-light material. Carbonium gold is sustainably produced combining gold material with the seven micrometer carbon fibres that create the wave-like black-and-gold case design. It is a stunning model and brings Ulysse Nardin to the forefront of watch innovation once more.

A GREENER FUTURE FOR LUXURYUlysse Nardin has long supported the oceans, as well as the United Nations’ guidelines on Sustainable Development Goals. It is now actively helping to protect our blue planet

Part of what interested Ulysse Nardin in carbonium was the fact that it was more sustainably produced compared with other ultra-light carbon composites. In the last few years, the brand has been focused on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) set by the UN, in particular SDG 14 on enhancing oceanographic knowledge while reducing marine pollution. This is also due in part to its partnership with athlete Ben Lecomte, a marathon swimmer whose accomplishments include covering 1,500 nautical miles swimming the Pacific Ocean. He swam through 330 nautical miles of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in 80 days last year, in order to sound the alarm on plastic waste in the oceans.

Ulysse Nardin also works to actively protect marine life, especially apex predators such as sharks. It has offered a grant to the Azores University’s marine research center to acquire pop up biologging sensors to tag blue sharks in the Atlantic and document our knowledge of this endangered species. Ulysse Nardin works with freediver and underwater photographer Fred Buyle on this front.

Ben Lecomte, marathon swimmer

To support these conservation objectives, Ulysse Nardin is introducing a fabric strap, the R Strap, made from a polyamide yarn woven from recycled fishing nets. The R-Strap is compatible with the Diver models in 42 and 44mm sizes, Marine Torpilleur and Freak X watches. It is 100 percent waterproof, with inter-weaving on the edges to prevent fraying damage due to wear. Even the dyeing technique to colour the material is carried out in a way to minimise environmental impact.

The goal here was to achieve the highest levels of sustainability possible, while creating a product of unmatched excellence. The R-Strap is environmentally friendly, not only in the materials used, but also in how it was made. The same is true of the Diver NET.

THE FUTURE OF WATCHMAKING

The brand has gone even further in pursuit of sustainable luxury watch manufacturing. Working with three Breton designers from FIL&FAB, they built an upcycled concept watch where every trim element is designed to be as low-impact on the environment as possible. The Diver NET has a case middle, back and bezel produced from polyamide pellets produced by recycling fishing nets. The resulting watch is depth-rated to 300 metres so it is quite tough and resilient. The strap is produced from PET plastic recovered from the sea, and even the glass protecting the watch is made from a ceramic glass, not sapphire, produced in the Swiss Jura region. It offers a lower environmental impact in its production compared with sapphire crystal.

The watch is equipped with the UN-118 calibre, with a grey dial with white hour markers and green accents, and a large ‘UN’ logo on the dial. The SuperLuminova used with the watch is in acid green, to match the energetic green on the dial and crown guards. The power reserve display is at 12 o’clock, while the small seconds display is at the bottom of the dial. While the Diver NET may be a concept watch today, Ulysse Nardin intends to find ways to translate the research to commercial use, to reduce the company’s environmental impact. Once again the firm is at the forefront of innovation, envisioning the future of sustainable luxury watchmaking for a new generation of eco-conscious collectors. And that future is exciting to behold.

Rolls-Royce Ghost: Improved & Extended

Lifestyle / yachtstyle2020

Rolls-Royce Ghost: Improved & Extended

January 20, 2021
2:52 pm

The new Rolls-Royce Ghost and Ghost Extended are proof that in enlightened automotive manufacturing, the body and soul of the machine is sublimely intertwined. By Jonathan Ho.

Ghost Extended is 17cm longer than Ghost

Emblematic of spearheading an era of post-opulence, the first Goodwood Ghost was a response to a whole new generation of clients, both in age and attitude. The Ghost is a slightly smaller, less ostentatious Rolls-Royce with the full flavour and provenance of the legacy and luxury that has exemplified the brand since it was founded in 1904.

The most technologically advanced Rolls-Royce yet, the new Ghost reflects a minimalist philosophy that rejects superficial expressions of wealth, underpinning our conversation with Alex Innes, the brand’s Head of Bespoke.

Reverse–opening rear passenger doors

“With a Rolls-Royce, there’s always this sense of etiquette and a feel for having just the right gesture at the right moment, that it’s perceptive to the situation, whether it’s the careful offering of an umbrella from the door as soon as it starts to rain or the fact the coach doors open to the rear to ensure that you can access and egress the car in the most elegant fashion. There is this subtle sense of what’s right. These details extend to people’s perception.”

As a quintessentially British brand, there’s a civility that permeates every fibre of Rolls-Royce’s rigid aluminium spaceframe architecture. Over its 10-year lifespan, the Ghost has become the most successful model in the marque’s history for good reason.

Enormous space and legroom for rear-seat occupants

By listening carefully to its discerning clientele, the Goodwood carmaker set new benchmarks in customer centricity by creating a completely new motor car. Sublimely engineered, hugely charismatic, the new Ghost pushes technological boundaries that appear more the purview of the makers of performance sports cars rather than stately sedans for captains of industry.

Beneath the surface, significant advances were made with the marque’s proprietary spaceframe. A revolutionary development first used on Phantom, then Cullinan, it’s unique to Rolls-Royce and enables the brand’s designers and engineers to develop an authentically super-luxury product, free from the constraints of traditional platforms used to underpin high-volume vehicles.

Fold-out table and multimedia monitor

Rolls-Royce’s Luxury Intelligence Specialists revealed that highly successful, diverse and globalised entrepreneurs and founders spoke of their needs for a vehicle that could be as integrated into their lives as their connected technology. They yearned for a drive that could perform the dual role of day-to-day business and a weekend drive. In other words, a super-luxury saloon that was simultaneously dynamic, serenely comfortable and minimalist.

These were profound learnings. As Ghost clients required even more of their motor car, Rolls-Royce incorporated technology such as all-wheel drive and all-wheel steering, unlocking an entirely new, purposeful personality. Clients soon came to realise that Rolls-Royce could offer more than a chauffeur-driven experience.

The dashboard has an ingenious user interface

Downplaying the Parthenon-esque grille of the Phantom sedan and shifting to nimbler proportions, the Ghost embodies sensuous curves, departing from the high, crisply formal roof and shoulder lines of its brethren, instead opting for billet-smooth body panels and a tapered silhouette.

According to Innes, ‘Post Opulence’ is characterised by reduction and substance. In service to this, the Ghost features exceptional, curated materials and a simpler yet uncompromising aesthetic where design is purposefully limited, intelligent and unobtrusive. What results is a new Ghost. An automobile so precisely tailored to its clients that it appears perfect in its simplicity, belying its remarkable substance.

The interior cabin echoes her exterior, with a clean, almost uninterrupted dashboard and a generous dose of natural wood panelling plus, depending on your choice of bespoke material, some esoteric finishing. A glowing Ghost nameplate on the passenger side uses over 150 LED lights, while 90,000 laser-etched dots disperse some gentle, almost mesmerising ambient lighting.

Unique Ghost nameplate on illuminated dashboard

‘Bespoke’ is not just a buzzword at Goodwood; it applies to the audio system as well. Highly engineered aesthetics incorporate a resonance chamber into the body’s sills, effectively turning the car into a giant sub-woofer.

A home away from home, 18 channels provide 1300W output, channelled through magnesium ceramic speaker cones where active microphones detect frequency imbalances that the amplifier automatically compensates for. CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös calls it “the best way to get through heavy traffic” and we agree.

Presciently and of utmost importance to Rolls-Royce since 2015, a Micro-Environment Purification System with ultra-sensitive impurity sensors detect airborne contaminants, protecting clients from harmful carbon and pollen particles, as well as contaminants.

The analogue dials are supplemented by digital information

One might tolerate the day-to-day reality of traffic, but Covid-19 isn’t really the kind of thing that can be ‘tolerated’. Detecting a threat, the MEPS has a Recirculation Mode that channels all cabin air through a Nanofleece filter capable of removing nearly all ultra-fine particles from the Ghost’s environment in less than two minutes.

It’s very much a driver’s Rolls-Royce. The modular aluminium chassis, with its bulkhead, floor and crossmembers, has been repositioned. Augmented by the world’s first Planar suspension system, the Ghost enjoys significantly improved agility and comfort. One doesn’t so much drive a Ghost as pilot it.

Equipped with the hallmark 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12 engine, delivering 571PS and 850nm, it’s not so much the power and impeccable handling but a holistic concept that Rolls-Royce dubs ‘Formula for Serenity’.

The 2021 Ghost Extended has a 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12

Utilising 100kg of sound-deadening material and know-how, Goodwood’s acoustic engineers identified hidden inputs and examined every component to create a near-silent soundstage. The trick of sound-staging is that anything would be an annoyance in a zero-sound environment. What the new Ghost demonstrates is a suppressed buzz and a ‘cultured’ roar when the twin-turbo power plants kick up a notch.

The new Ghost is perfect in its simplicity, but created with maximum adaptability, a creature in harmony with the needs and multi-hyphenate portfolios of its high-achieving owners and perfectly in tune with thetimes.
www.rolls-royce.com

– The original article appeared on Luxuo.com and in Yacht Style Issue 57

The Rolls-Royce Neon Lights Collection Was Inspired By Sami Coultas’ Travels
Showcasing prestigious Rolls-Royce editions in never before seen shades, this collection mimics the glow of neon lights and its natural distortion at speed.

Justian Jafin’s Paintings Are Mirrors of Society Promoting Change

Lifestyle / yachtstyle2020

Justian Jafin’s Paintings Are Mirrors of Society Promoting Change

January 19, 2021
9:08 am

Indonesian artist Justian Jafin attempts to surface societal issues through his overlays of elements in an almost collage-like manner.

By Ryan Mario

Poetic Society”, 130x180cm, Acrylic, Decorfin Relief Paint on Linen, 2016-2018.

The issues plaguing society are multi-layered when viewed through the different lenses of each individual’s personal experiences. Indonesian artist Justian Jafin’s works are the visual emulations of such multidimensional perspectives as he attempts to surface societal issues through his overlays of elements in an almost collage-like manner. With each subject peeking through from beneath the dominant ones above, we are compelled to sieve through the chaos and identify what matters most in every conflict.

Justian Jafin’s Paintings Are Mirrors of Society Promoting Change

“Society of spectacle in the gold landscape”, Acrylic and decorfin relief paint on Canvas, 600x300cm, 2015-2016. Exhibition Manifesto 6.0 Multipolar at National Gallery of Indonesia 2018

What was art like to you in your formative years?

I was born to artist parents in 1987, so I was almost immediately tossed into the deep end of that proverbial pool. From attending exhibition openings to having routine discussions with my parents and their friends, I was rapidly exposed to the artistic ways at an early age. This became my foundation that got me through my high school studies at SMSR Surabaya and later, my education at the Yogyakarta Indonesian Institute of the Arts. Since my college years, my depth in thinking has increased in proportion to my awareness and understanding of art. Artists may be producing tangible materials to be sold in the open markets, yet I am one who believes in the value of art to transcend its physicality and into its contribution as a discourse for alleviating conflicts. I dare say that I am amply prepared to be the professional artist that I am today.

What are the thoughts and ideas that go into your artworks?

The concepts within my works are mostly based off empirical experiences of mine or of the communities around me. I use art as a medium to address prevalent problems within society and further extend them as prompts for my viewers to develop potential resolutions to these issues. While are may be venerated for its beauty and capability of bringing joy and entertainment to the masses, I look beyond these ephemeral superficialities and into its prospect as a vessel of education and information dissemination.

While visual aesthetics may take a backseat to the concepts within my works, I have always kept the two congruent with each other, whereby the style I decide on complements the idea I evoke within a work. Thus far, my style of painting involves creating overlapping layers that cover and uncover the variety of subjects in the piece, resulting in a composition that resembles that of a collage. This way, viewers will need to observe intently as a story unfolds before their eyes, bringing their focus to their roles in contributing to society and hopefully empower them to bring about change.

Aside from social issues, how have you positioned your art to push the Indonesian art industry further into the spotlight?

Art and the act of creating have always been part of our Indonesian culture. When we think Indonesian art, big names like Raden Saleh and Affandi come to mind, and places like Ubud or Batuan even have the art styles named after them. People from all walks of life and from far and wide converge on Indonesia to revel in our rich artistic climate, so we naturally would see a “Boom” phenomenon in which there would be an increasing demand for art from the region every 7 to 10 years. Indonesia experienced this “Boom” back in 2008, and since then, the demand for art has been on a slow decline in the years to come. I think that the local art market should not be too reliant on these peak periods to push for more works into the public spaces. Instead, I intend to use my art to bring the public into our creative spaces to show them that art, in fact, intertwines entirely with everyone’s way of life, and that there should not be a boundary between the two. The fusion of art and society is an important aspect to mutually reinforce the roles of both. This is why I choose to use my paintings to broach difficult social and political topics that are often swept under the rug.

What are the upcoming plans on your art showcases?

I am currently hosting my first solo exhibition with CG Art Space and my body of works will be exhibited at Art Jakarta in December. In the following year, there will also be a second presentation in the same gallery, where the attending audiences will be encouraged to interpret and respond to the works on display.

Catch a glimpse of Justian Jafin’s socially-charged artworks through his Instagram (@justianjafinw).

–

Contact info:

Justian Jafin is contactable via Instagram and justianjafin@gmail.com

CG Art Space Gallery which showcases Justian Jafin’s work is contactable via Instagram or christianagouw@gmail.com.

Bell & Ross BR01 Cyber Skull extends the watchmaking into the World of Art

Lifestyle / yachtstyle2020

Bell & Ross BR01 Cyber Skull extends the watchmaking into the World of Art

January 7, 2021
9:41 pm

Avant-garde and sculpted, the Bell & Ross BR 01 Cyber Skull reinvents the popular skull watch it pioneered.

By Jonathan Ho

Human civilisation has a mixed relationship with the visual motif that is the skull. While the most common symbolic use of the skull is as a representation of death, mortality and the unachievable nature of immortality, Vikings of the first millennium to the paratroopers of the Second World War, including the pirates of the 17th and 18th centuries have used representations of the skull as a prominent warlike symbol.

Suffice it to say, Death’s heads are found throughout art history as well.To those without finely tuned aesthetic judgment, Stephen Gregory’s jewel-decorated human skulls look like they’ve inspired Damien Hirst’s diamond-encrusted skull For the Love of God, but Gregory tells Guardian UK, “My skulls and his are very different objects.” What Damien has done to skulls, casting it in platinum and encrusting it with diamonds, Bell & Ross has done to watchmaking with the potency of humanity’s most recognisable emblem.

When Art and Watchmaking Combine, What results is the New Bell & Ross BR 01 Cyber Skull

Naturally, Bell & Ross has developed other variants of its famed Skull. While the skull is a literal personification of death (and in the case of the paratroopers, “Death from above”), the skull has other poetic and philosophical implications. It symbolises the fragility and brevity of life, particularly in works of art. Venetian painters of the 16th century elaborated moral allegories for their patrons, and memento mori was a common theme: translated “remember you must die” is a constant reminder of one’s own mortality despite the immense scientific advances made during the age of the Enlightenment, recalling the gruesome depictions in ancient paintings or in curiosity cabinets owned by humanists during that Age.

Día de los Muertos or the Mexican Day of the Dead is associated with the Catholic celebrations of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, held in November, mocking death by wearing the famous calaveras, artistic representations of skulls, typically rendered in bright colours in opposition to the usual association of black or charcoal funereal hues. This irony is similarly expressed by the BR 01 Cyber Skull in revealing a mischievous smile when its mouth is opened. It has a timelessness displayed in its faceted relief, conveying an ancient symbol in an ultra-contemporary style.

Reminiscent of Jose Guadalupe Posada’s satirical work with the laughing skull, the Bell & Ross BR 01 Cyber Skull revisits its famed motif with a design far from the vintage style that is usually associated with the Skull. When last we saw a skull watch, they were either matched with primal tattoos or carved in the style of the Jolly Roger, this time, the BR 01 Cyber Skull establishes itself in contemporary modernity. A watch with several faces (and facets), angular like an F117 Stealth Bomber which projects this watch artpiece firmly in the 20th century and the future.

The Bell & Ross BR 01 Cyber Skull is where watchmaking, design, symbolism and bold creativity With its cut sides and sharp edges, the angular silhouette of the BR 01 Cyber Skull ably conveys Bell & Ross heritage for military aviation inspired timepieces. Modelled like the fuselage on an F117 fighter plane, the facets are meant to deflect radar waves rendering the stealth bomber invisible. While this concept is applicable to military jets and sophisticated military ships, in order to conceal their visual identity as much as possible, this technique renders the Cyber Skull watch highly noticeable instead.

Additionally, Bell & Ross has chosen to adorn its Cyber Skull with black matte ceramic. This anti-reflective colour is also used on some military vehicles. Its glazed superstructure is reminiscent of the canopy on a jet. More than just a colour, the new black matte used on the watch gets its depth from a ceramic used to match its design. Its lines, structured like those of a fighter plane, pass under the radar and establish a new design language which bellows in loud contrast to the over-done trends for luxury sports watches and classic watchmaking shapes that favour curves and roundness.

The architecture of the new BR 01 Cyber Skull establishes the brand’s creativity whilst respecting its military and aviation roots. Each element of the watch, the case middle, bezel, crown, skull, crossbones, is structured within the many faces that sculpt the surfaces, creating remarkable depth; metaphorically escaping the radar but attracting attention.

The BR 01 Cyber Skull is Whatever You Perceive it to be

In the same way an artist creates a subjective experience through works that are interpreted in their own way by each person that views them, the new BR 01 Cyber Skull reveals itself fully through the experience of those who wear it. Quite simply, it is akin to Hirst and Gregory’s own creations, treading similar yet divergent paths. Hirst puts eyes in his – so the skulls look back; you interact with them. Damien’s possess the ultraluxe flair of diamonds that one doesn’t quite get one’s eyes to really focus on its countenance.

The new Bell & Ross BR 01 Cyber Skull too reveals a fascinating approach to perceived reality: depending on how you look and which facet you start from – the objet d’art appears either futuristic origami thanks to its angular style evocative of an ancestral art of folding, or a pensive if puzzled face (given the raised “eyebrows”), or an awkward Iron Man (the mouth agape), or a genteel Jolly Roger, given the gentleness and subtlety of the crossbones which serve as bridges for the calibre.

A work of traditional watchmaking and yet possessing a visage of modernity, there is no doubt that the faceting of lines is a nod to the digital arts. When a digital image is still, you can see the pixels that it is made up of, a result of the grained, textured surface of the skull and crossbones which dominate your attention so completely.

As an innovative work of its time, the BR 01 Cyber Skull raises questions by capturing people’s eyes with a work of sublime animation: Trapped between two pieces of sapphire crystal, the screwed-down skull and crossbones possesses a jaw which seems to levitate, an automaton powered by the concealed BR-CAL 206 hand-wound movement, ingeniously disguised under the faceted decoration. To make it invisible to the eye, the main plate closely follows the shape of the skull, while the bridges extend up to the four corners of the case, hidden by the tibias. An architecture like this makes the skull appear to float weightlessly inside the case. An impression which is enhanced by the total transparency of the dial, highlighted solely by 12 baton-shaped indices. Only when the watch is turned over is the key to the mystery revealed through the sapphire crystal case-back. This phenomenon is further amplified by the middle of the faceted case with no lugs, also made from black matte ceramic.

The jaws continue to “snigger” when the spring is wound, one of two signs of “life”, the other being the balance spring obviously beating within the brain of the skull – as if to say, the consciousness of man resides in the head rather than the beating organ which keeps our life force flowing at the center of our chests.

The luxury sports watch aesthetics come courtesy of its natural purity of design: lugs carefully integrated into the mid case with the housing for the rubber strap cut out of the volume of the case, measuring 45 mm x 46.5 mm. Its luxurious swagger is further enhanced by the choice of ceramic in creating this post-modern Skull watch. A high-tech material that is solid yet lightweight, the ceramic acquires its legendary hardness, density and resistance in the appearance of black matte, a colour that cannot be achieved with traditional watchmaking materials. The facets of the new Bell & Ross BR 01 Cyber Skull are consequently achieved using diamond powder to cut the angular surfaces in the same way jewellers cut a precious stone – no mean feat.

Avant-garde and sculpted, the Bell & Ross BR 01 Cyber Skull reinvents the popular skull watch it pioneered. In this latest opus, Parisian aesthetic sensibilities and Swiss watchmaking prowess move art and watch lovers alike; an ultra-modern watch which invites one to ask the question: is there new life in a (watch) world that has constantly re-tread old ground? The new Cyber Skull appears to say a resounding, “Yes!”

The BR 01 Cyber Skull is Whatever You Perceive it to be

Movement Manual winding calibre BR-CAL.208, developed with Concepto, with 50 hours power reserve
Case 46mm matte black ceramic with 50 metres water resistance
Strap Rubber
Price EUR 9,900

Silent Resorts Takes First Steps

Lifestyle / yachtstyle2020

Silent Resorts Takes First Steps

January 5, 2021
6:31 pm

Building on the solar technology developed for Silent-Yachts catamarans, Silent Resorts is launching its first yacht-and-villa retreat in the Caribbean, while Asia is in the plans as the new company looks to grow a global network of exclusive, eco-friendly holiday destinations.

Silent Resorts developments feature a docking system and Silent-Yachts solar-electric catamarans

As the world leader in solar-electric luxury catamarans, Silent-Yachts has displayed a particularly global vision. The brand’s Silent 55 is built in China. Its new Silent 60 is being built in Thailand. And several units of its future flagship 80 are under construction in Italy, where more 60s are being built to cope with demand for what’s already the brand’s best-selling model.

Yet before hull one of either the 60 or 80 have touched water, Austrian Michael Kohler, the company’s founder and CEO, has joined forces with American architect Victor Barrett to create Silent Resorts. Their mission? To develop solar-powered beachfront resorts featuring Silent catamarans as floating villas.

Designed to be sustainable, eco-friendly and built with a ‘light touch’, these resorts are more than just a cute concept. They’re happening, starting in the Bahamas with the 30-acre Silent Island located in the district of North Eleuthera, which has its own airport and is a 55-minute flight east of Miami.

‘Silent Island’ in the Bahamas

Barrett, CEO of Silent Resorts, says Silent Island will accommodate eight catamarans at sea and 16 villas on land, with the first few units scheduled to be ready by late 2021. The forward-thinking property will include a clubhouse, spa, pool and water toys, all eco-friendly as per the company’s tagline: ‘Live Fully, Tread Lightly, Stay Silently’.

Silent-Yachts’ luxurious 60 and 80 catamarans, measuring 18m and 24m respectively, each have four guest cabins with ensuite bathrooms, a large saloon, dining area and galley, as well as outdoor social areas in the aft cockpit and on the foredeck and flybridge.

At any time, guests staying on the catamarans are free to set off on a cruise and start exploring the surrounding region, whether for a few hours, few days or few weeks.

Along with its catamarans, Silent-Yachts is supplying the solar-electric technology that will power the villas, communal facilities and infrastructure for a fully integrated, carbon-free property.

On land, Silent Resorts developments feature beachfront villas, a clubhouse, pool and spa

“You can start your vacation on the yacht and finish in a villa, if you want, or the other way around,” Barrett says. “The power systems on the villas and yachts are matched, so they can balance themselves. When a yacht pulls up to the resort, they can plug in for power or transfer excess power to the island. It’s a very symbiotic and balanced system.”

In fact, the designs of the catamarans have even influenced the new villa concepts, according to Barrett.

“We’re designing the one-storey villas to mirror the catamaran layout, with suites on either side of a big, open living room and kitchen in the middle. You can also have a staircase to the sunset deck or ‘flybridge’ on top, like the way the catamarans are laid out,” he says.

MEETING OF MINDS

Like Kohler, Barrett has a very global outlook and his recent bases have included landlocked Austria and the African island nation of Mauritius, where he founded his company TrueDesign.

The globetrotting American has worked on projects in North and Central America, the Caribbean, Middle East, Africa and Asia, including in Indonesia and China, where he spent two years as a Senior Architectural Designer for Atkins a decade ago.

Victor Barrett, co-founder and CEO of Silent Resorts

Having helped develop high-end resorts for the likes of Six Senses, Como and Aman, he was recently working for the TradeWinds yacht charter company, building a beach club in the southern Caribbean until Covid-19 halted its development early last year.

It was then he returned to Austria and pitched his idea for Silent Resorts to Kohler, having become aware of Silent-Yachts while the pioneering yacht builder was exhibiting at a boat show in Miami.

“I was thinking of better ways to build resorts on islands,” Barrett said. “That’s when I called Michael and proposed we use his yachts as villas for these beautiful, remote locations, so we don’t really damage the islands.”

Kohler was receptive to the concept, having previously approached multiple luxury resorts with the idea of buying Silent catamarans to use as an added attraction for guests and extra rooms when required.

Michael Kohler, founder and CEO of Silent-Yachts and co-founder of Silent Resorts

“When Victor told me more about his idea, I was very happy because it was a better version of what we were previously trying to do with resorts,” Kohler said. “This time, it’s not working with an existing facility that has already had a negative environmental impact on the island, as you see so often.”

Silent Resorts offers a flexible build solution that includes pre-engineered villas and other structures, while even the villa pools are modular, made in Canada. Land-based infrastructure, such as water purification, wastewater processing and solar-power systems, is containerised.

The villas at the first resort in the Caribbean will be built from sustainable hardwood and prepared in Belize – another country Barrett has worked in – while there will also be components from Indonesia for interiors and furniture.

The floating docking system is also modular, while the Silent catamarans can be shipped in or make their own way, depending on where they’re coming from, before serving as sustainable floating villas.

Silent Resorts uses the same solar-electric technology used by Silent-Yachts, with catamarans and villas drawing from the power grid and contributing to it

“With Silent Resorts, we have a green approach from the start,” Kohler says. “All the components of one villa are in one container. We put it together and there’s no waste material, nothing to contaminate the island or bay. We can take it away at any time, which is what we mean when we describe the resorts as ‘reversible’.

“It’s a much more flexible system, with almost no negative impact on the environment. Whatever we bring, we can remove. Victor’s idea was very, very smart and is a perfect match for our Silent catamarans.”

GLOBAL MEMBERSHIP

Silent Resorts is based on a membership model, so each member has access to the resort and future sister facilities for six weeks a year, and is effectively a part-owner of the property, including the catamarans.

Joining fees will range from about US$300,000 to US$500,000, with annual fees on top, although Barrett says they will be minimal compared to other properties due to the low-maintenance nature of both the resort and the catamarans.

“A member can say, I’m coming for 10 days and I want to spend five days in the villa and five on a yacht. That yacht can move around, stay in a cove overnight, go where you want in the region,” he says. “From Silent Island, there are thousands of islands nearby like the Exumas and you can choose your itinerary each day. The guest experience at Silent Resorts will be unique.”

Starting in the Caribbean, Silent Resorts is looking to grow its network of beachfront yacht-and-villa resorts across the globe, including in Asia

Conceived during the Covid-19 era, the Silent Resorts model also fits with what Barrett believes will be a growing emphasis on quality, experience and duration for luxury travel.

“We believe people will take fewer vacations, but that holidays will be longer and of a higher quality. It won’t be unusual for people to travel for two or three weeks,” he says. “Due to Covid, I think the growth areas in luxury tourism are going to be yachts, private islands, private villas and private aircraft, rather than the traditional hotels and resorts.”

Along with getting the first resort up and running this year, Silent Resorts is also looking to build its network across the globe and is scouting for suitable sites at idyllic beachfront and island locations. The company states that a turnkey resort can be operational in 18 months or less in any location worldwide.

“The plan is to have five more resorts around the globe within five years and when you become a member of one location, you can use any of the locations,” Barrett says.

As well as a place for catamarans to berth, the docking system has the potential to provide on-water facilities

“For the Bahamas resort, the US is an obvious target market for members, but we’re getting interest from all over the world. Europe is the next big market for such members, so we’re also looking for a site in the Mediterranean and maybe the Middle East.

“We then want to circumnavigate the globe, so we’re considering Asia – especially Indonesia – as well as Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and the South Pacific.”

Only a few years ago, Silent-Yachts’ proposition of 100 per cent solar-powered catamarans seemed admirable but ambitious, too niche to sustain mass production. However, the company’s huge increase in sales over the past year or so have shown that such technology is becoming increasingly sought after by conscientious owners.

Barrett is similarly confident that Silent Resorts will lead the way in sustainable beachfront destinations and says the initial feedback has been encouraging.

“The appeal of 100 per cent solar-powered, green resorts in beautiful destinations, responsibly developed and managed, connecting the worlds of luxury yachting and luxury villas, is very powerful,” he says. “And in terms of what we’re doing, there’s zero competition. We’re the first.”

www.silent-resorts.com

www.silent-yachts.com

The original article appeared in Yacht Style Issue 56 (Nov/Dec 2020)

First Silent 60 due in January 2021
Four units of the brand’s best-selling Silent 60 powercat are under construction in Thailand.

Aurora Santika Depicts a Dream-Like Escape From a World Plagued By Social Injustice

Lifestyle / yachtstyle2020

Aurora Santika Depicts a Dream-Like Escape From a World Plagued By Social Injustice

January 4, 2021
10:54 am

Aurora Santika’s surreal depictions of society are indisputably grounded in truth and impossible to overlook.

By Julia Roxan

Aurora Santika

“To live as a good person is to contribute goodness to other people, as best as one’s able to.” She may not be a superhero, but Aurora Santika is most definitely not a stranger to the innumerable adversities of this world. As one of many women in her generation battling the good fight against social inequality and injustice, this young and idealistic Indonesian artist is a force to be reckoned with. Armed with a robust familial support system, the happiest of childhood memories, keen observational skills, alongside an intricate understanding and unique outlook on her surroundings, Aurora Santika’s surreal depictions are indisputably grounded in truth and impossible to overlook.

Aurora Santika Depicts a Dream-Like Escape From a World Plagued By Social Injustice

(2020), Aurora Santika – A Vision of Mankind Triumphing Over Demise, (part of In Between Worlds series), AOC, 180 x 300 cm

You were born in Bogor in 1996, you are now established in Yogyakarta and you have been studying Fine Arts at the Indonesian Institute of the Arts (Yogyakarta). Tell us more about your first steps as an artist?

As a child, I didn’t care about being a professional artist. I was, bluntly put, a nerd. I spent my days reading about the mystery of nature, the gallant tales in history of mankind, the wonders of science. That’s not to say that I had no artistic inclination. My parents were lenient enough to let me fill the house with ‘decorative crafts’ which included temporary installations in their bed and a makeshift playhouse with painted cardboards in the living room. I did paint sometimes, and I managed to win a poster design competition in my hometown during middle school, but the rest of my teenage years was mostly focused in academics.

I was in my final year of high school when I seriously considered art as a career option, to my dad’s dismay at the time. My sister and some of my parents’ friends (including the artist Hardi of Gerakan Seni Rupa Baru) helped assuring my parents enough to give me permission for applying to a Fine Art major at Indonesian Institute of the Arts Yogyakarta in 2013. Hardi’s friend, the curator Mikke Susanto, guided me in polishing my skills for the entrance exam which I then passed.

I learned a lot during my study in the Indonesian Institute of the Arts. In my second year, I joined the Tulang Rusuk community where I became acquainted with young female artists such as the Hasibuan sisters (Camelia and Reza Hasibuan), Harindarvati, Rika Ayu, and others with whom I have exhibitions together. At some point in college, I also began doing commissioned illustrations—an experience that, combined with my ever growing fondness for good novels, ballet symphonies, and comic books, was pivotal in shaping my visual style to be the way they are.

However my professional career in fine art didn’t kick into gear until my solo exhibition “Breaking Through” in 2018. The show, curated by Suwarno Wisetrotomo and held in Taman Ismail Marzuki, later opened the path for me to participate in projects such as the collaboration with Disney Indonesia in 2019, collaboration with Ferial Affif and 8 other artists for Biennale Jogja XV, and several shows with Kohesi Initiatives.

(2020), Aurora Santika – 5 Minutes Conversation With The Universe, (And Why There Can Never Be Peace), (part of In Between Worlds series), Acrylic on canvas, 180 x 150 cm

You mentioned several times across past interviews “There are many reasons why a person create an art. For me, art is a way to communicate to other people what can’t be said or written or shown in any other way”. This is a strong statement, can you elaborate further?

Art to me started out as a hobby, then a cry for help, and later a call for discussion. The last two have one thing in common: to deliver ideas that would push people into an action, whether that action is directed toward themselves, to me, or to others. If I could convey these ideas well and safely enough through everyday words or other communication mediums without them losing their intended effect, then there would be no need for me to bother creating art to begin with.

Sometimes, there are ideas that would not be well received nor had much of a good impact unless they were delivered in subtlety due to the circumstances surrounding their birth and the environment in which they were to be published. Things like sexuality, critics on ideologies, and even bits of commentaries on the socio-economic dynamic within a society (which are also related to the aforementioned subjects) are generally difficult to be brought up without adding fuel into the fire. They require delicate handling. Art, which is not only limited to visual art, but also includes all kinds of artistic mediums, is a perfect instrument for that.

On the other hand, there are ideas like personal encouragement to strive for the better that would mostly not be taken seriously unless they were delivered in a more implicit manner. As I personally experienced, sometimes it is more effective to motivate others (especially strangers) to keep going in life by having them enjoy a story of protagonists fighting adversaries rather than tapping their shoulders and saying, “Don’t give up.”

2017), Aurora Santika – Breaking Through, (part of the Paper Airplanes series), Acrylic on canvas, 120 x 100 cm

Your art tackles social issues, particularly on the women’s side (rape, prostitution, couple). Your series are delivering powerful messages. Do you consider yourself an engaged artist?

I speak from a woman’s perspective simply because I happen to be a woman, raised as an educated woman and dealing with woman-related problems. However that does not mean that I limit myself to specific topics only. While I do at times tackle issues like rape and prostitution that often involve women (and children), my main concern has always been humanity as a whole. I want to help people live a more fulfilled life by helping them be better in understanding themselves and the things that happen around them. A lot of the issues I address in my art are inspired by real life interactions with people who either act as perpetrator in said issues, fall victim to them, or are fighting their hardest to eliminate them. Whether that makes me an engaged artist or not… I think that’s for the public to decide.

(2018), Aurora Santika – History Repeating Itself, (part the Snakes and Rabbits series), Acrylic on canvas, 100 x 100 cm

Childhood memories, good and bad, are at the core of many of your series. Is this reflecting your personal introspection work?

All of my works are practically born from contemplation and introspection since those are necessary in interpreting what I have observed of my surroundings, but I assume you were talking about specific works that particularly focused on childhood reminiscence. I see the majority of my childhood as happy times gone by, which is why I sometimes turn to it whenever I need to take a breather or when I simply miss my family.

(2019), Aurora Santika – The Quest for Dawn, (part of In Between Worlds series), AOC, 120 x 100 cm

How would you define your style?

Surrealism + romanticism sprinkled with pop influences.

The surrealistic and romantic aspect comes from my desire to create fictional stories set in a dream-like world that parallels the reality we are living in. The pop part has more to do with technicalities, as I often derive visual inspirations from products of popular culture.

(2018), Aurora Santika – A Family Dinner, (part of Snakes and Rabbits series), Acrylic on canvas, 100 x 150 cm

What is the role artists play in society? How do you view the current art scene in Indonesia? How important is the space given to artists in modern Indonesian society?

I believe artists as human beings have responsibilities to bring improvement to their surroundings. My mom told me, “To live as a good person is to contribute goodness to other people, as best as one’s able to.” I have seen other artists do this, whether as individual or a collective. Taring Padi actively hold protests (through art campaigns) in defense of those exploited by capitalistic endeavours. A senior artist and an acquaintance of mine, Ayu Arista Murti, recently co-founded the collective Tactic Plastic and Galastica which focused on upcycling plastic waste into a body of art. Heri Dono, an even more senior artist, wittily speaks up about problems in our society, educating his audience through unique paintings and installations that heavily borrows elements from traditional Javanese culture such as wayang. I may not be in the level of these people yet, but I’m doing my best to contribute at my own pace.

Regarding the current art scene in Indonesia, I see that there are many artists (emerging or established) and very few local galleries available to showcase them. While some artists—particularly illustrators—have taken this responsibility into their own hands to successfully promote their brand independently using social media, I still think that Indonesia needs more art-educated people with a heartfelt dedication to help artists with career management. More support (and encouragement) from the government would be great too.

Art itself has been integrated in varying degrees into the life of many Indonesians (this might have something to do with a growing number of art graduates and the economic growth in recent decades) although contemporary art at times is still seen as a privilege to those in more developed regions. Despite this, a profession as an artist is still questioned to be a real job by a lot of people and I’ve had experiences being asked, “So what do you actually do for a living?”.

(2020), Aurora Santika – summerwind #2, Gouache on paper, 21 x 29.7 cm

The five words that best describe your art?

Dramatic, human, narrative, analogous, dreamlike.

(2020), Aurora Santika – Between the Heavens Wrath and the Underworlds Generosity, (part of In Between Worlds series), AOC, 180 x 300 cm

In which city can we expect to see your next solo exhibition?

I have plans with Kohesi Initiatives in Yogyakarta. The date is still in discussion, but probably sometime within the next two years.

(2017), Aurora Santika – The Chainholder, the Pimp, (part the Snakes and Rabbits series), Acrylic on canvas, 120 x 120 cm

Can you let our readers know which is your favourite art museum in Indonesia?

Unfortunately I have been to galleries more often that I do to art museums. I can attest that the OHD museum in Magelang have good collections, but I’ve heard greater things about MACAN. I would love to check it out the next time I’m in Jakarta.

(2019), Aurora Santika – Stormy Seas Outside, Deep Jungle Inside, (part of the Paper Airplane series), Watercolor, ink, on paper, 60 x 50 cm

Where can we see some of you work online, are these for sale?

You can check out my Instagram, and contact me should you need a thorough portfolio of available works, or visit Kohesi Initiatives’ website. For merchandises, check out Kita Art Friends’ page.

(2019), Aurora Santika, “…of Crushed Dreams and a Leap of Faith”, mixed media, collaboration with Disney Indonesia for the release of Maleficent II: Mistress of Evil.

If you were to name one mentor who has inspired you in your life and path as an artist, who would that be?

I have to mention multiple people instead of one:

My parents,
Suwarno Wisetrotomo, a curator and my professor in college,
Every other person who left an impact in my life—however little—be that other artists, my other professors, my friends, my favorite musicians and movie directors, great writers I admire, and even strangers I talk to in the streets.

–

Contact:

Aurora Santika is contactable through Instagram, or via Email at aurorasantika.fineart@gmail.com, whilst Kohesi Initiatives in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, which showcases a selection of her work is contactable through both their online platform and kohesi.initiatives@gmail.com.

Beauty, Brains & Brawn: The Mercedes-Benz E-class evokes desire

Lifestyle / yachtstyle2020

Beauty, Brains & Brawn: The Mercedes-Benz E-class evokes desire

December 31, 2020
3:51 am

Brimming with high-tech features, an exquisite interior, and the smoothest drive ever, the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class reimagines the automotive future with unrivalled intelligence and creativity.

By Jonathan Ho

From electric mobility to ride-sharing—the automotive industry has had to deal with quite a few of the major disruptions. This is not even accounting for environmental roadblocks like compliance with ever-stricter climate targets, fiercer competition, the digital disruption and a global pandemic.

Meanwhile declining sales figures worldwide are being further exacerbated by the Covid-19 scourge which has caused unprecedented damage to many economies; but lately, Mercedes-Benz has made an unprecedented effort in regaining the hearts and minds of consumers wondering what the “new normal” for the auto sector will look like.

Silver-metallic Mercedes-Benz E-Class Sedan

The New E-Class heralds the Exceptional

A pioneer of the automobile, the Stuttgart based marque often seeks innovations which provide for pleasant, safe and resource-friendly mobility, and in the E-Class, the Mercedes-Benz heralded a truly exceptional vehicle. Brimming with high-tech features, an exquisite interior, among the smoothest drives ever, the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class epitomises sophistication and uncharacteristic intelligence

“The interface with the driver is not something that we would like to outsource to somebody else.” – Chief Executive Ola Källenius

Having spent years—and billions of dollars— most carmakers including Mercedes-Benz have prepared for a shift in production toward electric vehicles, but the real battle front is coming from what used to be an unrelated sector: information technology – the field which gave us ride-sharing apps. A new breed of digitally “connected” savvy consumers, growing dependent on the new genre of peer-to-peer ride-sharing is proving to be an even greater disruption to the traditional business strengths of car manufacturing.

According to business intelligence consultancy Deloitte, CASE (connectivity, autonomy, shared mobility and electrification) technologies are causing wholesale transformation of the global automotive sector; while no single development will doom the industry, it is the convergence of these technologies and the backdrop of looming macroeconomic headwinds which will shape global car manufacturing over the next decade. In light of this, Mercedes-Benz is just one of two German carmakers working on a proprietary operating system that will run not just Mercedes’s infotainment system but also crucial elements of the driving experience, including self-driving features and battery management. Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Chief Executive Ola Källenius said, “The interface with the driver is not something that we would like to outsource to somebody else.”

Indeed, a leading search engine provider is currently trialing their own autonomous smart vehicle (yet another threat), continues to refine a vehicle-centric edition of its popular smartphone software, CEO Källenius is right to not want to cede control of such a crucial element of the driving experience given that just 9 years ago, app companies like Uber wasn’t even on anyone’s radar and today, they’re largely considered one of the biggest disruptors to car ownership.

BEAUTY: A PHILOSOPHY OF SENSUAL PURITY

The designers in Stuttgart had conceived of a philosophy of sensual purity, a delicate balance of aggressive masculinity and the sensuousness of well sculpted, seamless elements: Think the physique of bodybuilder meets male gymnast. It’s these unexpected moments where high-quality materials snuggle up to gently curved trim parts, which run like waves from the dashboard to the doors. Or the flex-worthy power domes which capture the power and stance of the E-Class, matching other bold and eye-catching elements in the grille and wheels which truly sets this vehicle apart from anything else on the market.

The stimulating contrast of the new Mercedes Benz E-Class is achieved via creative use of materials, colour, and form in places one might not expect . Inner beauty matches its exquisite exterior as you find yourself in the embrace of inviting leather seats in both the driver and passenger sections. These comfortable environs make ample (and intelligence) use of proportions and design to achieve a sense of energy and harmony which permeates every fibre of the E-Class from frame to wheels.

Mercedes-Benz E-Klasse Limousine, 2020, Outdoor, Exterieur: mojavesilber metallic, AMG-Line
Mercedes-Benz E-Class Sedan, 2020, Outdoor, exterior: mojave silver metallic, AMG line[/caption]

Arguably, the most enlightened aspect of E-Class aesthetics extends to the nigh miraculous ability of the designers to join two opposing concepts like Freeform & Geometry. Mercedes-Benz accomplishes an aesthetic impossibility simply by applying these philosophies in different areas of the car: The core of the car uses “clear, comprehensible shapes” (geometry) while the styling embraces “sensual, sculpted surfaces” (freeform).

If eyes are the windows to the soul, then the E-Class possess ‘eyes’ (read: headlights) which telegraph a sophisticated automotive spirit, creating a visage for the E-Class that is alluring yet powerful with refined, precise and sculpted ‘windows’ which peer deep into the heart of Stuttgart’s latest magnum opus.

It’s hard to deny the natural chemistry and undeniable attraction when feels when you gaze upon the E-Class’s natural perfection ; an alchemic composition of haptic materials, colours and moods, combined with surprising muscular forms like a crouched panther is evocative of a rearing its haunches, its power, tamed under your control.

Mercedes-Benz E-Klasse Limousine, 2020, Studio; Interieur: Leder Nappa nussbraun/schwarz, Zierteile MetallstrukturMercedes-Benz E-Class Sedan, 2020, studio; interior: Nappa leather nut brown/black, metal-weave trim parts

Brains: More Driver-Centric than Ever thanks to MBUX

While the Mercedes-Benz operating system, MB.OS, is not expected to manage Mercedes’s automobiles until 2024, what the new E-Class demonstrates today is an automotive future not unlike the one presented with the world’s first smartphone – the iPhone: with the E-Class, screens have become the heart of the driving experience. The Widescreen cockpit which is made up of two 12.3-inch screens (media display touchscreen and instrument cluster) transforms Mercedes-Benz’s latest car into a bonafide smartcar. Instead of the old rotary dial controller, you get touchscreens, and a touchpad on the center console, including a built in a voice assistant, not unlike Siri. But these are just the mere metaphorical ‘dressing’ on the core of the E-Class experience: a truly evolved driving experience.

Yes, the E-Class is currently fully mapped for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto but it is clear that the marque is pushing for sheer driver satisfaction with their eventual OS.

It used to be that mere weight or pressure on the steering wheel alerted the car to your presence but now, the new E-Class steering wheel features capacitive hands-off detection: a two-zone sensor pad in the steering wheel rim where sensors on the front and reverse sides of the rim register whether the driver’s hands are on the wheel. If the system detects that the driver does not have their hands on the steering wheel for a certain time, a warning cascade is started, which finally activates Emergency Brake Assist if the driver continues to be inactive.

Engineers thought of everything

Gone too are awkward manual controls, Mercedes-Benz embraces the future with capacitive Touch Control buttons integrated into the steering wheel spokes, with thoughtfully arranged jointless control arrays divided into functional groups allowing intuitive operation using swiping gestures and pressing the familiar symbols, much like touch impulses on a literal smartphone. User friendliness and thoughtful intelligent choices permeate every inch of the E-Class right down to its leather fibres (we’ll get back to that in a moment).

With the latest generation of Mercedes-Benz driving assistance systems providing cooperative support to drivers, you don’t ‘drive’ the E-Class but rather ‘command’ it: Digital solutions such as the networking of safety and assistance systems ensure that the E-Class is probably the most intelligent saloon in its segment. The new E-Class actively assists the driver when things get critical to prevent unfortunate outcomes.

Alongside an enhanced multi-purpose stereo camera behind the windscreen and new multi-stage radar sensors with adjustable range and opening angle around the vehicle, the numerous networked sensors include ultrasonic sensors and the 360° camera’s lenses provide the on-board systems with a continuous stream of data allowing analysis of complex traffic situations. When the Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC with route-based speed adjustment is turned on, the E-Class is now able to respond to Live Traffic Information before the driver, radar or camera sensors are able to detect a traffic obstruction. In short, the raw intelligence of the E-Class provides better detection of potential dangers on the road, and further enhancing the functionality provided by the safety and assistance systems.

This results in an especially high level of active safety: the vehicle is able to react intelligently and rapidly if the driver fails to respond. Like the fore-mentioned Emergency Brake Assist, Active Brake Assist uses satellite and sensor data on the movement of the traffic ahead which and in many situations, use autonomous braking when necessary to prevent a collision or mitigate its severity. The system is also able to brake for stationary vehicles and crossing pedestrians at typical city speeds and even to prevent collisions, depending on the situation.

While massage functions in the car seat are still rare, they’re a common enough feature in premium offerings for many luxury carmakers but what really takes the cake is something the maker of the new 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class calls “seat kinetics”. The driver’s seat of the E-Class actively conforms to your body and on longer drives, makes a variety of subtle yet crucial shifts to alleviate discomfort arising from being in the same seated position for so long. A touch interface allows you to make ‘shaped’ adjustments by allowing you to ‘draw’ your desired seat posture on the screen allowing for maximum comfort.

Teases at an Extraordinary Future

Based on an intelligent algorithm that approaches some semblance of artificial intelligence, the new E-Class is also able to make driver comfort recommendations according to biofeedback data retrieved from appropriately compatible Garmin wearables; personal values such as stress level or sleep quality optimise the precision of the comfort control programmes’ recommendation. Via the Mercedes me App, the smartwatch sends vital data of the wearer to the vehicle, e.g. pulse rate, stress level and sleep quality, ensuring that the driver feels well and relaxed even during demanding or monotonous journeys.

Depending on driver stress levels, Mercedes-Benz astute “Energizing” programmes are active for ten minutes. They are visualised on the media display with colour graphics, and backed by suitable music and suitable lighting mood provided by the ambience lighting.

With over 14 million Saloon, Estate, Coupe and Cabriolet models delivered since 1946, the E-Class is the best-selling model series in the history of Mercedes-Benz. It is perceived by many as the “heart of the brand”. Contemplative and considerate, the 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class teases at an extraordinary future beneath its clean yet emotionally appealing design. The wealth of innovations in the area of the driving assistance systems make an incredible counter-argument to one of the company’s harshest critics – Mark Wakefield, an industry analyst commented, “There are a lot of economies of scale in software development. Auto makers who want to get more programmers and do the work themselves are generally underestimating the costs.”

What begins to be clear is that at Mercedes-Benz, there can be no price to sheer driver-centrism and with more than 1.2 million customers around the world have bought a current-generation E-Class Saloon or E-Class Estate, this complete package of emotional appeal and intelligence is undeniably successful.

Inside the Mind of Mojoko

Lifestyle / yachtstyle2020

Inside the Mind of Mojoko

December 29, 2020
3:14 pm

Iran-born Steve Lawler was raised in Hong Kong, educated in Europe and has lived in Singapore since 2003. As Mojoko, he mixes Asian and Western influences with B-movie sensibility to produce art that pops and dazzles the eyes. Interview by Julia Roxan.

Mojoko spent 16 years in Hong Kong and has lived in Singapore since 2003

Mojoko – real name Steve Lawler – had quite the global journey before moving to Singapore. Born in the Iranian capital of Tehran, the Brit spent 16 years in Hong Kong before studying graphic design at the University of Brighton.

In 2000, he moved to northern Italy to attend Benetton Group’s prestigious Fabrica art residency in Treviso before kickstarting his interactive design career with a year at the Diesel headquarters.

Moving to Singapore in 2003, he climbed through the creative ranks as an artist, designer, curator and creative director. He established the Kult studio in 2007, later adding a magazine of the same name and opening a gallery before leaving the company after almost a decade, having built a reputation for curation, installation, interactive design and fine art.

Having worked with a global network of over 600 artists, designers and animators, Mojoko is currently the Creative Director of The Unusual Network, an international collection of creators, and Head of Creative at EYEYAH!, which he co-founded in 2017.

As a Brit raised in Hong Kong, can you explain why the city has had a lasting influence on your art?

Hong Kong was an overload on the senses. The neon lights, the volume of people, the sights and smells were intense. The energy is infectious and the juxtaposition of Western and Asian culture was everywhere – Chinese movies with English subtitles, Rambo movie posters with Chinese typography. I found it fascinating and still do.

There is definitely an air of nostalgia about it for me, but it was so futuristic and still feels like one of the most exciting cities in the world.

Alternative and obscure movies have had a big influence on Mojoko

Do you still feel British, having lived in Asia for so long?

I think I have a British sense of humour, but I’m not particularly patriotic about the UK. I still look to it as a benchmark for creativity and quality content, but I do enjoy a global perspective on all things art, music and film.

Who has most inspired you in your path as an artist?

During my second year at university, we had a film module led by Dr Chris Mullen. He introduced me to the visual telling of stories and world of alternative cinema. He was the most knowledgeable person across so many subjects and has one of the largest, most comprehensive archives of imagery online.

Lawler at work in his studio; Photo: Brilliant Prints

Mojoko sounds funky and rather universal, like it could come from Japan, Indonesia or Nigeria. When did you adopt this artist name and where did it come from?

Actually, the name comes from the printing process CMYK. I was playing with colour values on my computer and I noticed M=0 Y=0 K=0. It just resonated with me, and yes, it felt like it could be African or Japanese or Indonesian, so I loved that versatility of the moniker.

Your art is strongly inspired by B-movies, trash TV and alternative culture. When did it all begin?

I think it was born by rejection of the mainstream. I always hated pop music and big Hollywood films. I found alternative music and culture much more exciting and unusual. For example, in a VHS video rental store, I was much more glamoured by the graphics and titles of the weird sections than the blockbuster films. They were much more intriguing and explicit.

Silkscreen on ceramic tiles in antique redwood frames, created for Art Stage 2017

Has collage always been at the core of your creative process?

Everything I do has an element of collage. It’s the interplay between two separate ideas which create a spark. The creative process is very much started by linking two previously unlinked ideas. This idea multiplies with more and more elements, so the trick is to try and control or guide it so that your concept or theme is understood.

Tell us more about your collection of comic books, advertisements and B movie posters.

I must have started collecting around the late 1990s, everything from Rave flyers, typography, vintage catalogues and stuff like that. It just became a habit to seek out the obscure things in flea markets and jumble sales.

I used to make scrapbooks and then anything that wasn’t cut up was put into a kind of filing system. I keep on searching for new (old) things. That’s what keeps me going and triggers inspiration. And yes, online has become a valuable resource for finding things, but in Asia there is very little 1960s and 1970s pop culture documented online. You have to dig for that the old-fashioned way.

The Secret Room exhibition in Singapore

Tell us about The Secret Room, your recent show in Singapore.

The Secret Room delved into the mystery and intrigue of the past, but with a modern twist: deconstructed antiques, traditional paintings and objects infused with contemporary internet culture. The installation featured over 20 new artworks in varying traditional mediums, such as rosewood furniture, lanterns, ceramics and glass, but with a modern twist.

What are your thoughts on Singapore’s art and design scene?

I think the biggest problem is, and will continue to be, that artists can’t afford spaces to create and show work. The scene is primarily gallery driven, which means non-commercial work has very little opportunity to grow its influence. Artist-run spaces are always where you see the most progressive work and we should recognise and try to nurture that.

The Secret Room exhibition in Singapore

Having worked in the likes of Singapore, Tokyo and Taipei, are there any other big cities you’d like to work and exhibit in?

I’d be happy to have more shows in Europe – Paris, London, Amsterdam, for example. I’ve sold works and have some great buyers there, but never had the opportunity to showcase there. I look forward to that.

Are there other countries in Asia that appeal to you because of their artistic scene?

I’ve always loved the visual power of work from the Philippines and Indonesia. They would be my favourite Southeast Asian countries, closely followed by Thailand. However, I’d have to say Korean art has excited me the most over the years. Always pushing forward, a real thrust for originality seems to be a driver there in terms of medium and subject matter. Their harnessing of kinetic sculpture and craft is most impressive.

Artwork displayed on the artist’s website mixes west and east, classic and modern

You’re popular among many art collectors across the region, but is any of your work displayed in museums?

I’ve had a number of works featured in museums, but most of them were temporary. The Singapore Art Museum has been the biggest Patron, commissioning a mix of digital installations and sculptures over the years. I have some museum projects in the pipeline, but they are still under wraps for now.

Where can people see your work online?

The most up to date place to see what I’m up to is Instagram (@mojokoworld) and if you are looking for archive projects and prints, it’s best to visit mywebsite.
www.mojokoworld.com

Indonesian Artist Bahaudin Seeks To Exhaust All Means of Peace Through His Vibrant Paintings
“Aren’t people bored to disagree and spill their blood on the earth we love?”, our differences are what make this life beautiful, but it wouldn’t it be nice to find some common ground? By Julia Roxan

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