Embracing beauty of imperfection – Inspired by the Japanese concept of Wabi-Sabi, a worldview centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection, American artist Daniel Arsham has reconceived his original 1955 Porsche 356 Speedster. According to Porsche, it took two years for the designer to bring his vision to life. For the exterior, Arsham worked with Matthew Ammirati from Bridgehampton Motoring Club and John Willhoit from Willhoit Auto Restoration to strip all of the paint from the car, removing the original finish and years of previous restorations. This process revealed all of the welds and pit marks of the nearly 70-year-old car in their raw, but well-loved state.
“The 356 sits in such an interesting position within the Porsche catalog as the starting point for the heritage brand,” says Arsham. “The nearly 70-year-old vehicle contains the roots of the modern Porsche brand that we know and love in the purest form.”
An Interior of Japanese Craftsmanship
For the interior, the artist worked alongside Japanese fashion designers Motofumi ‘Poggy’ Kogi and Yutaka Fujihara to outfit the complete interior with traditional Japanese fabrics**, including** indigo-dyed boro, Sashiko-stitched canvas, and Japanese denim produced in Okayama.
“Throughout my career, I have looked to Japan as a source of inspiration for their love and dedication to craft. These sensibilities were the base for the Bonsai 356. We produced all textiles in Japan using traditional craftsmen.” says Arsham in a press release.
The Signature Bonsai Emblem
As the project’s finishing touch, the artist has added a patinated bronze 3D relief in the shape of a Bonsai tree to the engine grille. More details on the collaboration can be found on the official Porsche Newsroom.
The car was unveiled at The Bridge event in the Hamptons, and Porsche Japan plans to exhibit the 356 Bonsai in Tokyo at the end of the year.
Images Courtesy of Porsche