Post-war Italian design was a huge source of inspiration for designer Marc Newson. “I was amazed by the seamless ability of designers and industry to produce every conceivable type of industrial product, from furniture to automobiles”. Now he has done a reinterpretation of one of the icons of Italian design, the Riva leisure speedboat.
The exhibition “Marc Newson: Transport” at Gagosian gallery New York shows for the first time Aquariva by Marc Newson, which draws on the contemporary Aquariva and its predecessor of the 1960s, the Aquarama. Apart from giving it the typical Marc Newson feel, Newson used ideas imported from his work in automotive and aerospace design, including the use of phenolic textile composite in place of traditional mahogany for the deck; anodized aluminum for handles and holds; a streamlined instrument panel, and a wrap-around laminated windscreen made from a single sheet of glass. Aquariva by Marc Newson is produced in an edition of 22 and produced in the original Riva boatyards.
Also on display are MN Special (2008), a lightweight carbon fiber bicycle designed for Biomega; EADS Astrium Space Plane prototype (2007) designed for commercial space tourism; Kelvin40 (2003), a small jet plane; Zvezdochka trainer for Nike (2004); Nickel Surfboard (2006); Ford 021C urban concept car (1999).
Marc Newson was born in Sydney, Australia in 1963. He studied sculpture and jewelry design at Sydney College of the Arts. He lives and works in London. Parallel to his career as an industrial designer, he has exhibited limited edition works and projects in galleries and public institutions since 1986, including Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, Paris (1995, 2004), Powerhouse Museum, Sydney (2001); the Groninger Museum, Netherlands (2004); and London Design Museum (2004-2005). Marc Newson had his first major exhibition with Gagosian New York in 2007.
Marc Newson: Transport at Gagosian Gallery, New York. September 16, 2010.
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