Posted on Nov 11, 2016

Renault Kwid Art Car unveiled in Mumbai

Renault’s first Kwid Art Car painted by French artist of Indian origin Shombit Sengupta was inaugurated by Yves Perrin, Consul General of France in Mumbai at ICIA Gallery, Kala Ghoda. The car will be on display at the gallery till 14th Nov as part of “Désordre” an exhibition of Gesturism Art created by Sen.

The Art Car will then be sent to Barbizon, France (10 to 27 December 2016) called the Artists Village in France where Modern Art was cradled since 1870. Thereafter the Kwid art car will travel to international auto shows and art shows, and will finally find place in the Renault Heritage Museum in France.

In the Kwid that Sen painted at our invitation, it’s the first time an artist has narrated a story through his painting style in an art car, in contrast to earlier art cars done by famous artists like Lichtenstein, Warhol, Koons and Calder that showcased the artist’s style of art. I am fascinated by Sen’s bi-cultural aspect in his art. The Kwid art car vividly reflects his French inspiration, Indian colours through ‘Ville Enigmatique‘ where he juxtaposed historical French Bengal and Victorian Bengal with traditional Bengali life that continues till today.

said Patrick Lecharpy, Renault’s Design Director in Paris,

I have always painted on a flat canvas in my Gesturism Art style. Painting on the 3 dimensional volume of the Kwid was an exciting and tough challenge, particularly as I was recounting a story. Bringing a harmonious storyline detailing every corner of the automobile requires extreme self-discipline of art. The best part is, when I relook at the art car today, I am myself getting surprised to discover different areas that I had painted up to 4am in the morning for several days in Renault’s Design Workshop in Chennai.

said Shombit Sengupta.

In his search for a new painting expression to transcend Post Modern Art, and his experience of grappling contradictory cultures, Sen established the ideology he calls Gesturism Art in 1994. This style has paintings and désordre installations in different themes. There are 8 themes with 50 recent 2015-16 artworks being exposed in this solo exhibition which will run upto 22 November 2016 at the ICIA Gallery at Colaba in Mumbai. These themes are Mystic Island, Love & Force, Colour of Dance, Sensualism, Night Spirit, Companion, Breathing France, and a theme on India called Ville Engimatique.

Artist Shombit Sengupta has extended the theme of Ville Enigmatique to the Renault Kwid Art Car. As Mr Lecharpy recounted,

I am fascinated by Sen’s bi-cultural aspect in his art. The Kwid art car vividly reflects his French inspiration, Indian colours through ‘Ville Enigmatique’ where he has juxtaposed historical French Bengal and Victorian Bengal with traditional Bengali life that continues till today.

Shombit Sengupta is an acclaimed international designer in the corporate world. At least one or two products designed by him are used on an everyday basis in their lives by people in Europe, the US, Argentina, Japan, China and India.

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