Fort Lauderdale 2013
1959 Cadillac Fleetwood Limousine
Laurence Gartel "Art Car"
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$44,000 USD | Sold
| Fort Lauderdale, Florida
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- Well-known Florida-based "art car"
- Essentially stock, except for finish, and very nice classic design of Cadillac limo
- Used for adult beverage introduction and further promotion
- Unveiled at the prestigious Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance
- Imagery contains iconic images tied directly to the years they were manufactured
One of two “art cars” commissioned by an alcoholic beverage brand and unveiled at the prestigious Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance. The classic vehicle is essentially stock other than being transformed into a rolling canvas, its body covered completely with incredible, vibrant art that captures the energy, history and passion of South Florida. The art concept car is the creation of renowned artist Laurence Gartel, who is regarded as the father of the digital art medium.
“Laurence Gartel’s passion for the cutting edge is what led me to commission him to create these amazing vehicles and to help launch the SXLiquors brand,” said CEO David Knight. “We challenged him to create ‘period cars’ that exude the excitement and Miami cool that define SXLiquors, and he certainly delivered.”
Gartel, whose work appeared in the Museum of Modern Art before his 25th birthday, and whose designs have graced the covers of leading magazines including Forbes, has described the cars as “history lessons” whose imagery contains iconic images tied directly to the years they were manufactured.
“On the 1959 Cadillac I depict the space race against the former Soviet Union as well as Castro’s influence and the addition of Hawaii as America’s 50th state,” said Gartel. “The tiki and Polynesian themes became a lasting trend, but their roots were in 1959, so you can see them throughout the design.”
Gartel added that the designs on the cars are intrinsically linked to Florida, which is the home of the commissioning brand. “The SXLiquors brand brings back the feel good spirit of a lost era,” said Gartel. “I was sensitive to the brand’s mission and wanted to deliver their voice through the cars. They are a complete synergy of time, space and mind.”
From its start the brand has embraced artistic design, fashion and style as core elements of the company. SX sponsored a charitable event at Miami’s Art Basel in December 2011 that had 17 South Florida artists paint bottles of its tequila and rum. The proceeds from an auction of those pieces were used to support breast cancer research.
The brands spirits are delivered in striking glass bottles which evoke the female form and have received awards for design, much in keeping with the spirit of this striking, artistic design.