Rolls-Royce and Sacha Jafri create Six Elements Phantoms
Six unique Phantoms created, one for each element.
Rolls-Royce has collaborated with renowned British artist Sacha Jafri to create six unique versions of its large Phantom luxury saloon, each inspired by elements — Earth, Water, Fire, Wind and Air – plus a sixth, Humanity.
The cars have been created by Rolls-Royce’s special project division, the Bespoke Collective, which works within the factory at Goodwood in the UK. The project began in Dubai, where the six cars have been revealed after more than two years of work. Each one contains its own NFT. When sold, it automatically donates a royalty into a digital wallet which Rolls-Royce will use for charitable purposes. More than USD$1-million has already been raised.
The Six Elements project was born out of a conversation between Sacha Jafri, who frequently donates his works or the proceeds from them to charity, and César Habib, Regional Director, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Middle East & Africa. Together, they developed the idea of creating six individual motoring masterpieces, which could become a means to donate funds for charities in health, sustainability and education.
Sacha Jafri commented, “It has been an absolute honour working with the Rolls-Royce team and their Bespoke Designers to create such a unique project. It’s a proud moment, to see my Heart-Logo along the coachline of each of the six cars in this stunning Rolls-Royce series, the first bespoke artist-created series for Rolls-Royce, with the ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’ uniquely featuring my depicted six elements around its base. However, I am most fulfilled by the immediate excitement and interest in this series, the elite group of owners and philanthropists now dedicated to our cause, and the creation of the ‘Rolls-Royce that keeps on giving’, forever raising money and awareness for the charitable concerns that are closest to my heart.”
“Bespoke IS Rolls-Royce, and our Bespoke Collective’s skills, artistry and reputation are unrivalled. As this amazing project demonstrates, the world’s leading artists now actively seek opportunities to work with us, extending and informing their own practice and creating motor cars that are works of art in their own right. With his wonderful hand-painted Gallery pieces, Sacha Jafri provides an extraordinary demonstration of how Phantom Series II provides the perfect blank canvas for Bespoke commissions.
“We’re delighted to see these motoring masterpieces come to life after a remarkable journey of collaboration, creativity and craftsmanship. We’re also thrilled that the project has fulfilled its original, primary purpose, and raised such a significant sum for worthy causes. I would like to congratulate everyone involved, both at Goodwood and here in the Middle East, on this inspiring achievement,” said Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.
Each car contains a unique artwork created by Jafri within the glass panel of its dashboard. Inspiring each of those paintings is one of the five traditional elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Wind and Air. The sixth, Humanity, references Sacha Jafri’s best-known work, ‘The Journey of Humanity’, which holds the official Guinness World Record for the largest painting ever produced on canvas. “Through my work I aim to combine the power of art with a stripped-back essence of expression, love, empathy, and intention, to inspire a more conscious and intention-filled humanity, striving for a reconnected world; reunited by the common goal of a more hopeful and sustainable future for our planet,” said Sacha Jafri.
The Fire Phantom is painted in orange metallic with a white coachline and a white, Mandarin orange, and black cabin. The Water model is painted Arabian Blue, with an Arctic White coachline and a Cobalto Blue, Grace White, and Navy Blue cabin. The Air Phantom is finished in a very deep Mindoro Green, with an Arctic White coachline and a cabin finished in Grace White, Cashmere Grey Dark, and Emerald Green. The Wind version gets Witterings Blue paint, an Arctic White coachline and Navy Blue, Selby Grey, and Grace White interior trim. The Earth Phantom is finished in Gunmetal grey paint with an Arctic White coachline, and has a Seashell, Havana, and Forge Yellow cabin. Finally, the Humanity Phantom is painted Andalusian White, with a Peony Pink coachline, and is trimmed in Selby Grey, Black, and Peony Pink leather. Each car also gets a unique heart-shaped motif, one of Jafri’s calling cards, on the coachlines and special engravings at the base of the Spirit of Ecstasy mascot.
César Habib, Regional Director, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Middle East & Africa, says, “I am delighted with the success of this project. We and our dealer partners in Dubai and Abu Dhabi embarked on an amazing journey with a specific goal, which I am delighted we have not only achieved, but have surpassed. It was all made possible by the unique collaboration between Sacha Jafri and our own Bespoke Collective. It has been a true meeting of minds, with a gifted multi-award-winning artist and some of the world’s most talented designers and craftspeople working together to explore art as a means of inspiring greatness and bringing about lasting change.”