above photos by Romina Shama
Evo Citroën - The Evomobil
Paris, France, April 2011 — Citroën has always been considered as the most innovating brand of the car industry. The brand has created some of the most symbolic cars become the classics as the DS. The logo is also an institution.
After more than 3 years of collaboration with Citroën on the development of architectural projects, Ora-ïto turned to the manufacturer to develop his first artistic project. The iconoclastic artist wasn’t dreaming about another concept car but a genetic transformation. An unusual creation reuniting more than 400 years of history, a reflection on the evolution of the mobility and the legendary know-how of Citroën.
The genetic transformation is a fact resulting from errors of copies during the cellular division. When they are caused by interventions, they become extremely rare. The monumental sculpture created by Ora-ïto is the crossing of two typologies, a machine of the past and a current car, a subtle historic and sociological testimony on the functional mobility of the XVI Th century mixed to the modern world.
On the edge of the hypothesis and the contemporary art, this hybrid object is based on the fulfillment of child’s dream with an obvious commitment for the ecology. In the vocabulary of Ora-ïto, we find a real assertion expressing and realizing the imagination.
This creation becomes by definition a vision in opposition with the aggressive universe of the car industry. Inspired by the first Citroën car and based on his designer’s competences, Ora-ïto wonders about the ergonomics of the interior of the first mobile module. He has worked on the codes, the DNA and the philosophy of this industry to modernize it with the possibilities and the existing technologies. Associated to the research and innovation department of the dynastic Citroën, he has developed a surprising and unexpected sculpture joining all the parameters and the technologies appropriate for the universe car manufacturers, partner of the international fair of contemporary art of Paris (FIAC).
Baptized “Evomobil” he creates a monotypic kind, which possesses only single specie. The term “genetic transformation” is used to indicate an irreversible modification of the genetic and hereditary information. If the transformation arrives up to cells then, it is passed on to the descendants of the mutant individual. This change can get a selective advantage. This is the base of the process of the evolution.
Ora-ïto has naturally imagined others modules to join the initial project. A continuity of the imagination allowing to multiply new actions and uses of “Evomobil” as car options. He has named this “plugs” which are independent and can be connected on the front and the back of the vehicle. In case, several genetic transformations combine, we can say they share a common ancestral genetic pool. Every pod is original and unique as a sculpture that allies the dream to the formal, the past to the technology. The idea to work several entities allows all the “genetic transformations “ to spread an universal message on the evolution of the mobility and gives to the car industry new directions never investigated.
above: ORA-ÏTO is the label and the name of the French designer who created, at the age of 19 the very first virtual brand.
Ora-Ito
Citroen