Million-dollar deals, Matchbox Ferraris and fireflies at Art Basel 2015

A billion-dollar market, an art playground and a research laboratory – these are just some of the attractions at this year’s Art Basel…

Billion-dollar market

Not only is Art Basel the world’s largest exhibition of 20th and 21st Century art, it also acts as a barometer for the art market. In 2014, for example, the global art market was estimated at around 51 billion euros – some seven per cent higher than the previous year, thanks in part to the central bank’s zero interest-rate policy. Just a few kilometres away from the fair, the Gauguin painting from 1892 – said to be the most expensive painting in the world, having sold recently for 300m US dollars – can currently be seen hanging in the Fondation Beyeler in Riehen. Among the many VIPs who attended the two-day preview this week were numerous ‘super collectors’, such as hedge fund billionaire Steven A. Cohen, who allegedly bought a bronze sculpture by Alberto Giacometti for 141.3m dollars at a Christie's sale in the Spring – a new record price for a sculpture…

Back to the classics

Naturally, Art Basel focuses on trade, with 284 galleries from 33 countries offering works from over 4,000 artists. According to insurer AXA Art, the combined value of these works comes to 3.4bn dollars. And, despite clients’ discretion, nothing could hide the small ‘sold’ indicators on many pieces during the preview days. Given often absurd price hikes and speculation in the market, we overheard some dealers explaining that they would only sell pieces at moderate prices to those who would not return the work to the market again in the near future. Even Mark Spiegel, the Director of Art Basel, was keen to emphasise that this wasn’t some bazaar for billionaires, setting a more conservative tone for 2015’s event. This could be seen on the ground floor of Hall 2, where c.1900 classics and post-War art from names such as Picasso, Giacometti, Magritte and Bacon promise sustainability and stability in the market. Inevitably, contemporary artists such as Cy Twombly, Marlene Dumas and Takashi Murakami continue to dazzle with multi-million-dollar sales. 

Room for ideas

Those travelling to Basel not to buy, but for the special art experience, were not disappointed. Take the over-sized works in the ‘Art Unlimited Sector’, for example. At the entrance to the hall, visitors were greeted with an installation by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, who piled up 760 bicycle wheels forming several towers. Elsewhere, Berlin-based Julius von Bismarck presented a rotating bed and desk, and Shilpa Gupta created an impressive monolith of singing microphones, reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick’s ‘Space Odyssey’. Finally, David Shrigley’s somewhat idiosyncratic interpretation of Michelangelo’s ‘David’ invited visitors to be part of the production. 

Design icons, from petrol stations to wristwatches

This year also marks the tenth edition of the Design Miami/Basel large-format exhibition, held in an opposite hall. On the ground floor, the American hotel king André Balazs curated an exhibition with examples of modular architecture. Next to this, Jean Prouvé’s mock-up ‘Filling Station’ featured a VW Bulli with camping facilities and a pre-fabricated house built in partnership with Ikea. In addition to the great furniture in the exhibition, the galleries' own stands captivated collectors with more unusual pieces such as the GDR toy animals by Renate Müller. Even watch enthusiasts were catered for at Design Miami/Basel this year, with ‘Le Collection’ Heure documenting Steve McQueen in the movie ‘Le Mans’, a Patek Philippe by Andy Warhol, plus the Rolex Daytona chronograph worn by Jackie Stewart and David Brown. 

Matchbox Ferraris and charcoal ice cream

At Art Basel, there are also several mobile fairs and off-location parties and events. Those looking for alternative, young and inspiring artists should head to the former Warteck Brewery, or schedule a tour along the Basel city-centre nature trail. Stop by Davide Balula’s ice cream place, where he aims to infuse the ice cream with flavours such as dirt, charred wood and river, or make your childhood dreams come true with Vik Muniz’s life-size Matchbox Ferrari.

Reflect and stay

It’s hard to switch off from Art Basel – even on the journey home, Facebook and Instagram feeds were still full of items from the show. This year it was the sponsors who really captured our imagination, forcing us to linger and explore that little bit longer. For Rolls-Royce, British artist Isaac Julien transformed the Basel Church of St. Elizabeth with a video installation from an Icelandic cave. A short walk further, and the restaurant Noonh had been taken over by BMW, which showed the result of a creative collaboration with Swiss designer Alfredo Häberli. It also announced the winner of its Art Journey competition, the prize going to Samson Young from Hong Kong. 

Tactful fireflies

The most beautiful exhibit at Art Basel 2015, though, simply had to be Audemars Piguet’s ‘Synchronicity’ installation, created by Robin Meier and curated by Marc-Olivier Wahler. In a huge, dimmed, tropical-climate tent in the Basel Volkshaus, Meier had created an orchestra, with LEDs synchronously bouncing off fireflies in astounding harmony around the heads of the visitors. It’s surprises like that which make Art Basel really worth attending. 

Photos: Art Basel / Design Miami / Liste / Audemars Piguet / BMW / Rolls-Royce / Classic Driver

casquées.........

Gone South with Vita Brevis Films

The open road provides a pathway to the uncontrolled spirit, a state of being that is universally felt yet so challenging to capture through a medium.

Gone South with Vita Brevis Films from VITA BREVIS FILMS on Vimeo.

VDEV Dijon VHC : Lola et Chevron se partagent les victoires

 par Claude Foubert (Endurance-Info.com)

Le plateau de la deuxième manche du Challenge d’Endurance VHC était superbe, quantitativement et qualitativement, avec 26 voitures engagées dont 10 prototypes. Deux courses étaient au menu du week-end.

Course 1

Qualifications

Les protos avaient fait la loi, notamment les deux Lola T288 Châteaux Sport Auto qui avaient nettement dominé la concurrence.

Patrice Lafargue, stakhanoviste de l’asphalte,   avait décroché la pole position avec un chrono de 1’19’’746 sur la Lola n°17 qu’il partageait avec son ‘’vieux’’ complice Frédéric Da Rocha, mais la Lola n°42 de Mathieu et Jean-Baptiste Châteaux n’était pas loin, en 1’19’’972.

Le troisième, John Doe (Chevron B60 Classic Racing Experience n°121) était relégué à plus de cinq secondes, et le quatrième, Franck Metzger (Cesca Grac n°6), à près de sept secondes.

Bernard Moreau, multiple Champion en VHC, était le meilleur des GT avec sa Porsche 911 RSR 3 litres Polybaie n°1, en 1’30’’326, dixième chrono absolu.

Course

La Lola n°17 capitulait très vite, victime d’ennuis mécaniques, et le relais était pris par la Lola T298 n°42, mais celle-ci était  sous la menace de la Cesca Grac de Metzger. Alors que la Lola filait vers la victoire, Metzger recevait un drive through (non-respect du temps d’arrêt imparti mais il sauvait sa deuxième  place devant la March 81 S du team Palmyr de Nelson/Christophe Kubryk, tandis que Bernard Moreau, quatrième et vainqueur en GT, enrichissait sa collection de trophées.

Le résultat est ici

Course 2

Dans cette deuxième course, c’était au tour de la Lola n°42, victorieuse de la manche précédente, de capituler au bout de six tours seulement.

Cette fois cependant, la Lola n°17 de Lafargue/Da Rocha allait baisser pavillon devant la Chevron B60 de John Doe. Patrice Lafargue avait pourtant été le plus rapide en course avec un beau chrono de 1’19’’244, mais c’est bien la Chevron qui l’emportait avec une vingtaine de secondes d’avance.

Metzger avait écopé d’un drive through, comme dans la première manche –même motif, même punition- mais il conservait cependant la troisième place, devant Emmanuel Lion (Osella PA 6 Wassermann Racing n°66) qui devançait lui-même Emmanuel Brigand (Porsche 911 Crubilé Sport n°91), vainqueur en GT devant Bernard Moreau, l’ordre d’arrivée des deux Porsche étant inversé dans seconde course.

Le résultat est là

For The Open Road by Belstaff

Belstaff presents For The Open Road featuring David Beckham, a documentation of five British bikers on a journey from the Goodwood estate in West Sussex to New Bond Street in the heart of London.


 http://www.belstaff.com

deBolex London

deBolex London from Dominic Hinde on Vimeo.

Unique Land Rover Defender marks two millionth car built at Solihull

This one-off Land Rover Defender has been built to commemorate the two million Series models and Defenders built at Solihull since 1947…

It's the little things...

As the Defender enters its final phase of production, Land Rover has aptly created ‘Defender 2,000,000’, a bespoke example marking two million cars and almost seven decades of production at its Solihull factory. Built and assembled with the help of several well-known advocates of the Defender, the car will be sold by Bonhams in December, with the proceeds going to charity.

Special features include engraved/embossed maps of Red Wharf Bay, where the original Land Rover was first drawn in the sand, Indus Silver satin paint, an aluminium plaque signed by everyone who helped assemble the car, and ‘S90 HUE’ registration plates, a throwback to the ‘HUE 166’ plates worn on the first ever pre-production Land Rover.

Photos: Land Rover

You can find many more Land Rover Defenders for sale in the Classic Driver Market.

Imitation game – Auctionata to offer replica Benelli 250 in Berlin

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Whether or not that's the case, we’re utterly taken with this replica Benelli 250 to be offered by Auctionata at its ‘Classic Cars’ sale on 26 June…

Labour of love

An exact replica of the racing 250 from 1968, this Benelli was built to the original plans, comprising authentic parts amassed from markets and classic motorcycle events over a number of years. As such, it apparently runs just like the real one, too. Perhaps most stunning is that custom-built front panel, merging seamlessly with the rest of the petite bike, giving it that unmistakeable, almost romantic ’60s Italian Grand Prix character. We also love the hand-stitched leather seat (in tan, naturally), attesting to the high standard to which the whole bike has been finished. Estimated to fetch between 15,000 and 20,000 euros, it will cross the block at Auctionata’s evening ‘Classic Cars’ sale, on 26 June 2015 in Berlin. 

Photos: Auctionata

Auctionata's two 'Classic Cars' sales will take place on 26 June 2015 at the Autodepot Berlin. You can find the full catalogues listed in the Classic Driver Market.

DEUS BIKE BUILD OFF 2015 TOKYO.

via https://www.facebook.com/pages/Deus-Ex-Machina-Japan%E3%83%87%E3%82%A6%E3%82%B9-%E3%82%A8%E3%82%AF%E3%82%B9-%E3%83%9E%E3%82%AD%E3%83%8A/1398880210395470
http://deuscustoms.com/blog/deus-bike-build-off-tokyo/…

MOKKA CYCLES R75/6 HUSKYMER

There comes a point when it’s time to take the next step with your business. To not move forward and grow, is to sit and stagnate. For many bike builders this point is going from personal or pet projects to commissions. Sure, it provides an element of relief for the builder, a guaranteed sale and a brief to follow. But with it comes new pressures. You’re now building to a spec, another’s idea of what perfection is.

How do you do this while maintaining the style and integrity you’ve based your company on? If you’re fortunate, the client will come to you because of your reputation and the bikes you’ve produced, and they’ll let you crack on. If not, then do you risk turning away a commission because it’s not the right fit..?

Fortunately for Arpi at Mokka Cycles in the Czech Republic, his client shared the same crazy vision he had and trust was implicit from the off. With a number of small capacity builds behind them it was the perfect time for Mokka to step up and tackle a big build, the business growing with the cubic capacity.

The BMW R-series is still a darling of the Alt.Custom world, but a Brat seat and lashings of matt black spray no longer cut the mustard. To redefine the bike would mean changing the familiar silhouette and replacing the domineering BMW tank; something with it’s own character would be needed.

So it was with the discovery of a well used Husqvarna WR tank, that the rest of the build gelled. From that point on each part of the bike was shaped and styled to match and flow with the lines of the Swedish statement piece. And thankfully, it was left in all it’s original glory, Arpi modifying the frame to fit the tank rather than vice-versa.

Regardless of your opinion on mixing up brand names ‘twixt chassis and tank, I think most would agree that repainting an original Husky WR tank would be a crime. Besides it’s iconic red and chrome colour-way, the shape is also instantly recognisable, so to try and disguise it is a futile act.

As with all Mokka bikes, the mechanicals haven’t just received a coat of black paint and a blessing. Engine out and stripped, the tired R75 lump received new pistons, rings, bearings and significant machining of the heads to help it box-on for a few more years. As Arpi challenges himself ever further he made the neat Enduro style exhaust from Stainless steel, swinging up the left side of the bike and out of a drops harm.

With the CNC machine fully fired up, Mokka’s range of custom parts is growing. Besides their beautifully simple handlebar switch gear on the braced bars, the Huskymer features some bar-end turn signals. Made at the client’s behest, they are ‘Bright as hell!’ according to Arpi and will be in the Mokka shop imminently. There’s a whole lot more satisfaction in making items like these rather than just clicking ‘Add to Basket’.

The new subframe stops the black fluted seat abruptly; the main stays rise through the loop to cut it off at the suspensiuon pickups. As the tank sits a little higher than the original the seat swoops upwards with vintage enduro vigour to tie into the slope of the tank.

The bunted seat affords the rear portion some useful storage space, a tin of beard oil and some organic Quinoa can be held in place with the leather strapping if that’s your fancy.

With the engine back in the bike and the chassis built up with refurbished wheels and suspension, the brakes needed a good going over. Fully rebuilt, the calipers got new pistons and seals, while an Accossato master cylinder fires fluid through braided lines. Clamping down on a new Brembo disc, the stopping power should no longer be a white-eyed issue.

Alloy mudguards, a new cloth wrapped wiring loom and minimalist lighting all work together with the tank to give a mid-seventies enduro vibe to the big bad boxer.

The blending of two iconic designs certainly takes chutzpah Getting them to work in harmony as Arpi’s managed with the Huskymer means that Mokka’s first big-cc build will be far from their last. If the reception the bike received at the London Bike Shed event is anything to go by, commissions will be the new norm for Mokka from now on.

Keep an eye on Arpi and Mokka via their FB page for all the latest build updates.

via The Bike Shed