Lexus unveils 8 Minutes and 20 seconds installation at Miami Art & Design Week

Lexus has unveiled 8 Minutes and 20 Seconds, an installation by Dutch solar designer Marjan van Aubel, in the sculpture garden at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami (ICA Miami). Brimming with life and colour, the striking solar sculpture reimagines the Lexus LF-ZC (Future Zero-emission Catalyst) concept car as an interactive experience through van Aubel’s trademark use of solar cells. The installation marks van Aubel’s first public project in Miami and has been realised through design development by spatial and experience design firm, Random Studio.

Named in reference to the time it takes sunlight to reach the earth, 8 Minutes and 20 Seconds uses Organic Photovoltaics (OPV), third-generation solar cells that are both transparent and rich with colour, to translate the LF-ZC into a full-size graphic pattern design.

The installation reacts to the presence of viewers as they move around it. Four motion sensors spark light to bounce and ripple like water across the installation’s base, which represents the car’s EV platform. At unexpected intervals, the artwork springs to life in an ephemeral spectacle: light cascades across it, mirroring the dynamics of the car in motion and the energy of driving. As the day progresses, the warm, sunrise hues reflecting throughout the OPV sheets are replaced by cooler tones.

Throughout the day, the sculpture harnesses solar power, drawing energy from the OPV cells, which accumulate energy in batteries set within the sculpture’s base. This continuous absorption generates a reservoir of power to help sustain the sculpture’s displays and features.

The installation is accompanied by an ambient melody, weaving together warm string instruments, soft piano and chimes that harmonise with the surrounding environment. Intermittently, the melody is embellished with birdsong and other sound effects. At times, the composition introduces woody bamboo notes, a subtle reference to the natural material used in the original LF-ZC’s interior.

The installation is on public view from now until 17 December, and marks Lexus’s second year partnering with ICA Miami, and the brand’s sixth immersive experience during Miami Art & Design Week.

Globally recognised as an advocate for sustainability in art and design, van Aubel is a natural partner to Lexus’s forward-thinking design ethos. Championed for her furniture and lighting design as well as public installations, her work combines solar technology with aesthetic design solutions. Her work is held in the collections of prestigious institutions such as the MoMA, Vitra Design Museum, Stedelijk Museum, and the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Marjan van Aubel commented: “It’s been a joy to bring the LF-ZC concept car to life. Lexus’s ethos towards innovation, craftsmanship, and new material use resonates with my design practice. This installation invites people to interact with light and colour and engages them to imagine a more sustainable, positive future. Through this partnership, I can tell a new narrative of generating energy beautifully.”

Brian Bolain, Lexus’ global head of marketing said: “We are honoured to work with a solar design pioneer as esteemed as Marjan van Aubel. Her singular vision and expertise have resulted in a remarkable installation that illuminates the design essence of the LF-ZC concept. Her dedication to human-first, sustainable design is something we share and value dearly.”

Alex Gartenfeld, Irma and Norman Braman Artistic Director at ICA Miami commented: “Environmental sustainability is a priority for ICA Miami as we have made a year-round commitment to minimising and offsetting our carbon footprint. Marjan van Aubel’s powerful work with Lexus represents significant advances in innovative sustainable design and how global ecological concern drives contemporary solutions.” 

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

About Marjan Van Aubel

Marjan van Aubel Studio is an award-winning innovative solar design practice that brings solar energy into daily life. Designing for a positive future by combining the fields of sustainability, design and technology, the studio is creating lasting change through solar design, integrating solar power seamlessly into our environments such as in buildings and objects, with the goal of making solar power more accessible for everyone. Most notable works are Sunne, Current Table, Power Plant and the roof of the Netherlands Pavilion at the World Expo 2020 in Dubai.

Marjan has collaborated with global brands such as Cos, Timberland, Swarovski with the aim of accelerating the global energy transition to solar. She graduated from the Royal College of Art (Design Products MA) in 2012 and the Rietveld Academy DesignLAB (BA) in 2009.

About the Institute of Contemporary Art Miami

The Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami (ICA Miami) is dedicated to promoting continuous experimentation in contemporary art, advancing new scholarship, and fostering the exchange of art and ideas throughout the Miami region and internationally. Through an energetic calendar of exhibitions and programmes, and its collection, ICA Miami provides an important international platform for the work of local, emerging, and under-recognised artists, and advances the public appreciation and understanding of the most innovative art of our time. Launched in 2014, ICA Miami opened its new permanent home in Miami’s Design District on December 1, 2017. The museum’s central location positions it as a cultural anchor within the community and enhances its role in developing cultural literacy throughout the Miami region. The museum offers free admission, providing audiences with open, public access to artistic excellence year-round.

About Random Studio

Random is a spatial experience design studio and B Corp based in Amsterdam and Paris. The studio focuses on creating spaces that change and evolve through interaction with people, architecture, nature and technology.