GBP
‘Driven by Dreams’ (Porsche) - Large Limited Edition
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To celebrate the opening of the brand-new Destination Porsche Centre, I was invited by Porsche Centre Cambridge to create a striking piece that showcased their brand and that was innovative and true to my style of working. To have the opportunity to work with such a quality company was one that I naturally jumped at and gave everything to the project.
To be given free reign was a cracking start, the fact that I could utilise all the years of retouching for the automotive industry was a huge pull and for those of you who have followed my work over the past ten years will know that I will get a car of some sort into a scene if I can!
However, the important thing was that instead of adopting a clinical approach with the retouching where you work to a formula to achieve consistency and a ‘real’ quality, I always worked in line with adding a sense of magic and emotion in the detailing so that the result wasn’t reminiscent of a beautiful, staged shot within a piece of marketing collateral.
It was equally important that the piece of art was ‘on brand’ from my perspective too, it had to be authentic (as f*ck!) and sit perfectly amongst other works of a similar subject matter. So naturally, the link had to be movies and Hollywood! So many movies are adored largely because of the iconic vehicle that stars alongside the lead characters, my portfolio is littered with them!
My most popular piece to date is ‘Petrolheads’ that brought an immense collection of movie cars out into the desert to watch a movie on the big screen under the setting sun. It was a format that just worked so well and really captured the imagination and pulled on the heart strings of my collectors. It’s interesting how a particular image does that, over another that I maybe look at as having stronger characteristics, you just can’t predict it and I love that!
So, when I set about planning the Porsche piece, it quickly evolved into a concept that was built around movies with the intention of creating something bold and beautiful, striking yet something that had real class and that would resonate with the client’s audience. I was inspired rather than intimidated; I love a challenge and as always would go full throttle!
This is where it is important not to go into a project like a bull in a china shop, the initial idea was great, but I am so pleased that I then stopped and looked a little deeper to build on that concept and allow it to evolve into something that was so much stronger and would appeal to a wider audience. The plan was to create a scene inspired by the ‘Bad Boys’ movies as the latest instalment was coming out just prior to this project and it featured the stunning Porsche 964 Turbo – it’s funny, the title that popped into my head was ‘You damn right it’s limited!’ I will keep that for another!
Yet, it was when I started researching into the affiliation that Porsche had with Hollywood that I quickly realised just how many other movies featured the brand. This is where the link to my ‘Petrolheads’ piece came into play; it would allow me to lay out these stunning machines against a beautiful backdrop that would be a cracking case of strength in numbers and that would feature the blatant alongside other lesser-known details that would make you think.
And here it is! A truly immense line up of incredible cars that featured in these movies: ‘Against all Odds’ ‘Arthur’, ‘Bad Boys’, ‘Death Race’, ‘Gone in 60 Seconds’, ‘Good Guys Wear Black’, ‘Le Mans, ‘Maverick’, ‘Scarface’ and ‘Top Gun’! Oh, and there are a few things in the sky too! The backdrop has turned out so well, a blend of Hollywood and Miami with a wonderfully subtle detail for the Porsche brand icon up on the hills above Los Angeles.
All the above have turned out so well but it is the result of the central crest that is being uncovered from the shifting sands. I love to challenge myself technically and this was so worth it, the piece would have worked beautifully, yet with this detail it adds so much, and I feel epitomises a quality of what Porsche represents – going the extra mile in pursuit of absolute perfection whilst radiating class. The distinction is in the detail.
Writing this post event, I sit here with an enormous sense of pride for what has been achieved not only with the image that you see now but how the entire project ran and to have been able to play my part and contribute towards such an innovative and prestigious event. The reaction has been amazing and is hopefully just the first stage of a wonderful journey!
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- Released: 2024
- Collection: Lost in Hollywood
- Edition Size: 20 + 5AP
- Specification: Limited edition fine art print, hand signed by artist.
- Image Size: 32” x 24"
- Framed Size (Approx): 42” x 35"
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- Get in touch for overseas delivery
- Please allow approximately 14 days for delivery, should you need delivery sooner please let us know.
If you fancy something truly unique instead of the black or white frame choices, you can upgrade to a stunning hand painted frame by Mark. You can either specify your choice of style and colours or leave it to Mark to work his magic. Simply add your comments at point of ordering.
A global collector base has seen hundreds of original works sold, making him a respected and successful artist within the contemporary art world.
Mixed Media British Artist Mark Davies was born in Bedfordshire in 1978 and studied Fine Art within the region with his early works being inspired by the compositional qualities of Piero Della Francesca and Giuseppe Arcimboldo whilst finding inspiration in the surrealism of Salvador Dali. Now living in St Neots Mark works full-time as a professional artist as part of the MD Studios set up from his beautiful, converted brick barn studio within the Cambridgeshire countryside.
Mark’s signature ‘Storyteller’ and 'Lost in Hollywood' collections showcase his ability to conceive and implement his own narrative to cherished fairy tales, classic fictional stories, and iconic movies to stunning effect. Inspired by the eloquence of Hans Christian Andersen and ingenuity of the Grimm Brothers, a whole host of much-loved stories have been turned on their head with each chapter being re-written as Mark embraces the often much more sinister plot and motives of the original authors that most don’t know exists as these classics are re-told to generation after generation.
As well as creating mesmerizing imagery full of detail there has always been a subtle and genuine moral quality to the work created to make you think a little deeper. Mark’s original works have created such a wonderful interaction between artist and audience as each searches out the detail and pieces together the plot with the hope that they can get an insight into Mark’s thinking whilst being encouraged to offer their own interpretation of what they see or often don’t see within the image. This genuine engagement has played a significant part in Mark’s gallery shows and appearances being so successful and truly special events.
As the body of work has grown so has Mark’s reputation for creating art with genuine meaning, art that stands on its own and that is driven by a fascinating multi-layered narrative like no other. His skill of storytelling has expanded across other areas including stage and screen as he delivers his signature style across a broad range of subjects and genres that continue to pull on the heart strings and embrace nostalgia and the memories that we all hold so fondly. In addition to building a solid gallery presence, Mark’s success has seen his work proudly displayed and selling within iconic venues that include the London Playhouse and Fortune Theatre within the iconic West End along with the highly respected Mall Galleries in London.
2023 has been another incredible year for Mark as his career continues to evolve. Most noticeably has seen the creation of 'The Hive' - a stunning creative gallery space within his studio that now proudly displays his artwork in a striking and engaging environment that allows his collectors to get up close to a diverse range of artworks. In addition to this, Mark's presence in America has strengthened as the result of a wonderful charity event that saw him create a special original piece that sold for more than $16,000, raising much needed funds and awareness in the fight against Alzheimer's.
With an incredible work ethic and a genuine respect and appreciation for his collectors, combined with a solid platform that the MD Studios brand offers, the future continues to look exciting for Mark. A growing list of celebrity clients and commercial projects along with an established gallery presence has led to Mark being a highly collectable and hugely respected British artist.
