The Third Classic Fusion Collaboration between Hublot and Takashi Murakami Blooms with Vibrant Colors
A day after celebrating his 61st birthday, Takashi Murakami is feeling relaxed as he prepares to unveil his third Hublot collaboration, an all-black Classic Fusion with a multicolored Flower graphic made of precious stones.
What is Murakami’s new project?
As he reclines in a booth in his hotel suite in Chelsea, Manhattan, he asks ”It’s gorgeous with those stones, isn’t it?” And it is undeniably beautiful. As the perfect compromise between the all-black and clear/multicolor versions of the 2021-released Murakami x Hublot Classic Fusion, this design features the artist’s iconic Flower rendered in rubies, sapphires, amethysts, tsavorites, and topaz.
Murakami’s work is always infused with a playful element, despite the watch’s undeniable opulence. A unique ball-bearing system enables the pedals of the Flower to spin with kaleidoscopic beauty and abandon, creating a kaleidoscopic effect. While it is undeniably an impressive piece of watchmaking and expensive catnip for Murakami’s famous friends, such as J Balvin and Pharrell, its inspiration is playfully proletarian. Murakami grins and says, “The inspiration for the face’s rotation came from fidget spinners. Additionally, its 72-hour power reserve allows it to spin for days.
Murakami’s watch features
Murakami hopes that all types of collectors will be able to appreciate the watch, despite the fact that it is visually arresting and not for the faint of heart or wallet. He notes that there are primarily two types of watch enthusiasts who would appreciate it: those who would “boast about [the watch] and flaunt it” and those who would simply enjoy it in private. Regarding this “second style” of collectors, Murakami states, “I have a whole flow of events in my head.” They purchase the timepiece, bring it home, inspect it closely while grinning, wind it, and set it in motion with even greater delight.
The release of 13 new watches, which will be unveiled in full at Watches and Wonders 2023 in Geniva, and 13 NFTs created to celebrate the new designs while also rewarding buyers of the previous two models and collectors of their accompanying NFTs adds another collector’s element to the watch. 12 of the 13 in question timepieces will only be accessible online to owners of the 324 NFTs Murakami and Hublot issued in April 2022. Previously, only owners of one of the first two Murakami x Hublot watches had access to these non-fungible tokens.
Then, if collectors are fortunate enough to purchase one of the 12 available watches, they will also receive the limited NFT that corresponds to it. Then, by April 2024, one of these collectors will be able to purchase this Classic Fusion Rainbow watch if they collect all 12 exclusive NFTs, which are also tradable on OpenSea. In the event that no collector is able to complete the challenge, Hublot will auction off the watch, donating the proceeds to charity.
“We made it clear that we would be adopting new forms of artistic expression when we announced my collaboration with Hublot,” Murakami said. After jointly creating all the timepieces and digital works of art, we are imagining new ways to access contemporary art.
There are also many additional works in progress by the endlessly creative artist. What about the CGI film pushed his studio to its creative limits? He will see it through to the end. Murakami informs us, “I’m going to begin working on the film again,” Murakami added. “When I do, I know that’ll generate a lot of new ideas and you’ll see that reflected in my art.”
source: hypebeast.com
Cover Image Source: luxurytribune.com