Dear Mark,
here are some points of view of mine to your questions.
1) Staring at the beginning of the 20th century around 1915-1920 the Futurists in Italy, hymned
and evoked the "car" - " vehicle" and the velocity as a symbol of the power and development of
the new Era.
The artists Giacomo Balla, Umberto Boccioni and Gino Severini and many more established this
famous Art movement in Italy and in Art history, in order to determine "the idea" of the "car" as
the medium and the symbol of velocity and speed studied and rendered to artistic movement,
related to the new inventions and high technology of that Era.
Andy Warhol, at the late '70s was the one who created the amazing multiple series of cars after
commission of the Mercedes car company. This very important Art collection of Mercedes
Company was shown and exhibited for the first time two years ago at the Albertina Museum of
Vienna where I was invited.
In a parallel way at the late 90's the Lamborghini Automobili, the famous Italian car industry,
commissioned me the commemorative huge piece of art 18sqm "La Storia della Lamborghini 35
years", given that they were interested in my style of artwork. Then Ferrari Genesis followed with
other commissions and F1 work followed in Monte Carlo too in Villa Les Aigles during the F1 races.
Another great artist Ceasar, the sculptor that died a few years ago, one of the most famous of the
century, was inspired by cars and created the big installations of the monumental smashed cars,
exhibited in a big scale exhibition at Palazzo Reale in Milano at the beginning of 2004.
This is an introduction to follow the trends concerning "cars" in arts during the 20th century and
nowadays. The point that the "vehicle"-"car" has been always source of inspiration for many
artists and car designers so far, such as Pininfarina for Ferrari, Chris Bangle for BMW etc. Great
artists like David Hockney, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol etc. have been commissioned to paint
making interventiom on the surface of the car, transforming the car in to piece of Art. I have been
comissioned by Nissan in 1996 to intervene on a Nissan Micra in the same way for the car
companie's collection and show room.
I personally believe that F1 Racing cars as well as supercars ( Lamborginis,Ferraris,Bugatis) are art
themselves, inspiring artists to create art. It is a chalenge, art through art. It has to do with my
tendency to speed, to break the limits to freedom, to reach the eternity, to expand myself through
this expressionistic way.
Actually I think that the wild expressionistic way of my art, which probably represents or symbolize
the rush, the velocity and the wildness of the "theme - subject" has been very attractive for my
collectors, the car brands, galleries and Museums
2) If with the word "economy' you are referring to the economic crisis, I have to admit that two
years ago this crisis had started to affect the art market in Greece, Italy where I also work, Europe
and USA as well. In contrary to the oriental art market which is flourishing. Actually I used to have
enough collectors, companies, fans of my Artwork who supported me. Today the crisis is deep in
the field of arts even the big auction houses like Sotheby's and Bonham's.
Surprisingly the last auction of Christie's in London has reversed the phenomenon of the low
demand and broke all the records in sales, something that is very hopeful for the art market and
its future.
Looking forward to your news.
Best regards. Cordially
Mina