As a kid obsessed with designing and making things, post-war Italian design was a huge source of inspiration. I was amazed by the seamless ability of designers and industry to produce every conceivable type of industrial product, from furniture to automobiles. My own career has undoubtedly been influenced by the Italians’ impact on so many areas of design.
—Marc Newson
Gagosian Gallery is pleased to announce “Transport,” a thematic exhibition by Marc Newson that brings together for the first time all of his major designs and realized products for transport and human locomotion since 1999.
“Transport” will premiere Aquariva by Marc Newson, Newson’s reinterpretation of the famous leisure speedboats produced by the iconic Italian boatmaker Riva. Drawing on the contemporary Aquariva and its predecessor of the 1960s, the glamorous Aquarama, Newson has infused the classic model with his streamlined and forward-looking style using ideas imported from his innovative work in automotive and aerospace design. These include the use of phenolic textile composite — a durable laminate made from linen and resin that made its first appearance in Newson’s furniture designs in 2007 — in place of traditional mahogany for the deck; anodized aluminum for discreet hooks, cleats, handles, and holds; a streamlined instrument panel, and a wrap-around laminated windscreen made from a single sheet of glass. The modified interior – upholstered in the collector’s choice of punchy colors including a vivid turquoise as an update of the original tone used for the Aquarama — includes separate driver and passenger seats, and a functional dining area. Aquariva by Marc Newson, custom-built in the original Riva boatyards, is produced in an edition of 22 and available exclusively through Gagosian Gallery.
Situating Aquariva by Marc Newson within the breadth and reach of Newson’s enduring obsession with human and mechanical locomotion, “Transport” explores the full range of his vehicle design. Some have been commissioned by leading international corporations specializing in automotive, aerospace, and nautical design, others designed for pure pleasure. From MN Special (2008), a lightweight carbon fiber bicycle designed for Biomega, to EADS Astrium Space-Plane prototype (2007) designed for commercial space tourism; from the mirror-like Nickel Surfboard (2006) designed for competitive tow-in surfing, to Kelvin40 (2003), a small, idiosyncratic jet plane named after the main character in Tarkovsky’s Solaris and commissioned by Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain; from the “convertible” Zvezdochka trainer for Nike (2004), designed for general use by Russian cosmonauts in the International Space Station and named after the fifth Russian dog in space, to the endearing Ford 021C urban concept car (1999), Newson’s imagination reveals a sense of playfulness and fun behind the requisite rigor of the modern design mind.
