Over two thousand years ago, imperial envoy Zhang Qian visited China's west, opening a land route that begins in Chang’an and winds its way through Gansu and Xinjiang to central and western Asia and the Mediterranean Sea. Silk was the major product traded along this route – which later became known as the Silk Road – and it stimulated cultural and economic exchange between East and West. In 2009, Ferrari announced its first model designed especially for the Chinese market – continuing the trend of East-West trading.
At the 2009 Shanghai Auto Show, the appearance of so many world-class vehicles sent the city into a frenzy. At the Italian-styled Ferrari booth, a middle-aged man inspected the brilliant red car in front of him. A moment later he talked to artist Lu Hao. An avid collector with a special interest in Song Dynasty Ge Kiln porcelain, the man said he hoped to see Chinese culture used in Ferrari designs some day.
A few months later, Hao was invited by Ferrari to design a limited edition 599 GTB Fiorano for the Chinese market. The new vehicle was unveiled on 3 November, 2009 at Beijing's Red Gate Gallery. The body is a cool jade colour, with random ‘crackle’ designs reminiscent of Ge Kiln pottery. Inside the car, the silver-edged jade ‘start’ button is inscribed with the characters for ‘start’ in the ancient Chinese Xiao Zhuan script, and the custom-made luggage is embroidered with silk-road-inspired motifs.
Born in Beijing, of Manchu descent, Hao has a special affection for his hometown. ‘I grew up in a courtyard compound, but they are all slowly being torn down’, he says, a topic poignantly addressed in his work A Thousand Arrows in the Sky. ‘I incorporate memories into my work, and Chinese classical culture plays a big role,’ he says.
Hao admits that he struggled early on in the design process for the 599 China – as it would later be called. One day, however, he got a flash of inspiration. Why not use Ge Kiln pottery as a design element? Once the gates of inspiration were opened, the design came easily. When he was finished, instead of providing Ferrari with several design choices, he gave them just one. And just as he suspected, it was perfect. Ferrari is a brand that Italians are rightly proud of, and the new blend of Italian craftsmanship and Chinese culture is a first for both China and Ferrari.
Talking about his first impressions of Ferrari, Hao laughs and says: ‘I was only a teenager when I saw my first Ferrari. I was with my uncle on the bus and I saw an amazing red sports car fly past. My uncle told me it was a Ferrari. I never would have guessed that I would own one some day.’ Hao falls quiet and looks over at his sketches. ‘[What’s] more, [that I would] work together with Ferrari to design such [an] unique 599 GTB for China.’
After Hao’s design was finalised, he worked closely with the production team at Maranello over a five-month period. Hao fondly recalls his time there. ‘The factory was full of skilled craftsmen who respected their work. Each operation was meticulously performed, as if they were collectively building a work of art. I realised that it’s the quality of their production team that allows Ferrari to consistently stay at the top of the automobile industry.’
The use of Ge Kiln motifs was a first for Hao. ‘I love Ge Kiln pottery. Its production was a blend of manually controlled and naturally occurring processes. The final colours are unique to the Ge Kiln: they are all jade, but come in an astounding variety of shades.’
Aside from making art, Hao’s other love is driving. ‘I like the feeling of speed,’ he says. He thrives on emotion and draws artistic inspiration from the feeling of explosive speed. ‘Sometimes when I'm driving I subconsciously start competing with other drivers. When I step on the accelerator, it’s like I'm flying. It's a feeling of unparalleled happiness. Much of this is due to my Ferrari F430, which not only gives me this feeling of speed, but has become my trusted friend.’
Maybe some day in Beijing you will come across Hao as he hits the road. The car's surface gleams in the sunlight as it follows the winding road through the hills, as if tracing out a new Silk Road.
