Porsche has a rich history of art cars, ranging from Janis Joplin’s psychedelic 356 to Richard Philip’s 911 RSR from 2019. Porsche decided to give the Taycan to 2 artists for its latest art cars.
Art Battle is an international competition that places up-and coming artists under a competition. The partnership was made possible by the automaker. For a recent round of Art Battle Canada, two artists, Rei Misiri and Megan Claire Keho, used the Porsche Taycan 4S as their canvases.
At an event dubbed “The Art of Electric,” Misiri was given a black Taycan. Toronto-based artist in calligraphy, Misiri specializes on murals and cars. His work is “inspired by different cultures and aesthetic elements from nature,” he explains. His favorite technique is the use of bold but delicate pen and brush strokes in metallic paint against a black background, and the Taycan was no exception.
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Keho received a white Taycan, in contrast to Keho who works with brightly colored wall art and was gifted a Taycan. She says she’s inspired by “people fighting for others and [tries] to create public spaces where important conversations can be had.”
Artists were given two hours to build their art cars. Then they were asked to show off their work to a group of people. This art battle was livestreamed online for viewers to view, so that they could vote on the winner.
“The pressure’s on,” said Misiri, “but it’s good pressure. Time is limited so you have to be a bit more strategic, but you also have to make sure to be in a good mood, feeling inspired and there to have fun and share what goes on in your mind!”
Keho, on the other hand, found the Taycan’s curves to be inspiring.
“The Porsche Taycan has got some really sweet curves,” she said. “She’s electric, she’s responsible but she’s also hot, and you don’t always see those two paired together. I want it to look the way it feels when you drive it—that soul connection where your car becomes an extension of your body.”
Misiri’s black-and-metallic Porsche won the contest by a narrow margin. He will now have the chance to compete in the Art Battle Toronto Finals. He will be eligible to compete at the National Championships if he is successful there.
Porsche Canada will use the cars at events but the cars are not allowed for artists to drive. Porsche claims that the cars will ultimately be sold. However, Porsche states that artists had actually created wraps for their vehicles, which will be removed before they are put on sale. Feels like a missed opportunity to me, but I guess I don’t know much about art.
