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Events

MUMBAI, INDIA

EXTRAORDINARY VESPA INSTALLATION AT THE 2019 KALA GHODA ARTS FESTIVAL

“POWER TO EARTH” IS THE TITLE OF THE WORK, WHERE DECORATED BODIES OF THE ICONIC SCOOTER RISE AROUND THE EARTH, PRODUCED AS PART OF THE “VESPA ART” INITIATIVE AND EXHIBITED AT THE POPULAR MODERN ART AND CULTURE EVENT.

Mumbai (India), 10 February 2019 – The immense cultural heritage of the Vespa, the world-famous iconic Italian scooter brand, has always been associated with art and lifestyle. And it continues to surprise. For example, at the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival (2-10 February 2019, 20th edition), one of India’s best-known cultural festivals featuring art, cinema, literature and live performances. The Vespa installation at the Kala Ghoda Art Festival – entitled “Power to Earth” – is an artistic representation of earth, water, fire, air, ether, metal and wood, which symbolise the power of mobility, a concept spread around the world by the Vespa, and of our responsibility to Mother Nature.

The steel installation pays tribute to Mother Nature through the Vespa bodies representing the elements of the Earth. As part of the Vespa Art initiative, a team of young artists hand-painted Vespa bodies, using a mixture of colours to depict the key elements of nature and create a larger-than-life installation that attracted great interest from the public at the Festival.

Commenting on the work, Diego Graffi, Piaggio India CEO and MD, said: “The Vespa is a work of art and its timeless appeal is deeply rooted in humanity’s cultural heritage. It is one of the world’s most iconic brands, with close ties with art and lifestyle, and celebrates life. The Kala Ghoda Arts Festival has become a symbol of art conservation over the past 20 years, and with the Power to Earth installation we wanted to give art-lovers at Kala Ghoda a glimpse into the world of Vespa Art.”

Ashish Yakhmi, head of the Piaggio India Two-Wheeler business, added: “The Vespa is a perfect blend of style and practicality, combined with comfort and legendary looks. It is our endeavour to bring out the artistic and aesthetic side of the Vespa, its brand ethos and style identity for a younger audience. With this in mind, we decided the artistic arena of Kala Ghoda would be the perfect ground to replicate the designs of nature on Vespa bodies; the work is dedicated to all art-lovers.”

From Vespa Art to the Festival: the Power to Earth installation at Kala Ghoda. The Vespa Art India project was launched in 2018. Vespa invited artists, painters and illustrators from across India to create a sort of fine art collection inspired by the timeless style of the iconic Vespa.

The invitation elicited a broad response with stupendous drawings, which were then selected together with the 7 artists who painted the Vespa bodies during a live event.

The scooter bodies were then fixed to the steel globe, to complete the spectacular installation admired at the 2019 Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, India’s largest multicultural street event, which attracts large numbers of visitors (more than one million) from all over the country.

INFO:

www.kalaghodaassociation.com

VESPA INDIA:
www.vespa.in