In the eyes of the beholder, every car is unique with its own personality. Lexus takes this a few miles further. Working with a London-based tattoo artist, the manufacturer has transformed a UX to become utterly one-of-a-kind.
In the eyes of the beholder, every car is unique with its own personality. Lexus takes this a few miles further. Working with a London-based tattoo artist, the manufacturer has transformed a UX to become utterly one-of-a-kind.
Alongside the tattoo artist legend Claudia De Sabe, the tattooed UX crossover is a response to
‘celebration of fine craftsmanship and traditional Japanese artistry’.
Tattooing The Lexus UX
Armed with a Dremel tool, in place of her trusty tattooing needle, De Sebe and her husband, Yutaro, got to work on a pure white UX. As they worked their magic, the car became alive with Japanese details, including a koi carp stretching the length of the vehicle on each side. The striking contrast between the orange-gold of the fish and the monochrome wave paintwork produces a completely unique aesthetic unlike any other in the motoring world. It combines cultural roots with contemporary design in the most unprecedented way; a modern-day mural that transforms the shell of a UX.
Over six months, and working eight hours a day, five days a week, the design came to life. It took over five litres of paint to complete the tattoo, and a layer of lacquer to protect it. The results are worth every second of time and every drop of paint (and every bead of sweat…).
Though a design such as this is priceless, While the paintwork alone is valued at £120,000, a design like this is priceless. Lexus has not valued the vehicle, but considering its new one-of-a-kind status, it probably won’t come cheap.
Why Tattoo The UX?
In her statement, De Sabe said: “When you tattoo a person, you have to think about the muscles and tissue beneath the skin. With the car it was about the way the bodywork changes shape over the framework.” The Lexus UX was specifically selected for the role of tattoo model for its streamlined shape. She continued; “Everything from the lines on the side of the body to the shape of the windows, everything is just so dynamic and beautiful. It was a perfect fit for the design and the concept itself”.
We certainly hope to see more such dramatic and artistic designs on cars as we progress into a revolutionised motoring future.