"Kekou-Kele" (可口可乐)
// BLURB //
Reinventing the bottle...the Coca-Cola glass bottle. A poetic container for the sweetest nectar. Bottles are so ubiquitous in everyday life that they can become invisible to most people. In fact, back in 1915 Coca-Cola held a competition to develop a new and distinctive design that was so unique you could recognize it just by touch even in the darkest room. The bottle designer, Earl R. Dean, and his team were inspired by the kola nut and wanted to incorporate it somehow. The first prototype however never made it to production since its middle diameter was larger than the base, making it unstable on conveyor belts. The issue was quickly solved by adjusting measurements and ta-da the iconic contour glass bottle we all love was born! Over the years Coca-Cola has released variations and new designs, but nothing beats the classic contour glass bottle. It has become a collector’s item, a piece of art to be displayed, cared for, admired. Bottles have intrigued artists for generations. It all began 2,000 years ago with the birth of glassblowing. Artistic revolutionaries such as Rene Magritte, Jean Dubuffet, and Marcel Duchamp have all experimented with its evolution from serving a utilitarian function to becoming something more abstract, ambiguous, beautiful. The more we know about the form and shape of the bottle itself, the more we understand the nature of its power over us. Next time you find yourself grabbing the cold, refreshing bottle, do so with care and affection. Slowly caress its curves, but always remember it’s a work of art!
Reinventing the bottle...the Coca-Cola glass bottle. A poetic container for the sweetest nectar. Bottles are so ubiquitous in everyday life that they can become invisible to most people. In fact, back in 1915 Coca-Cola held a competition to develop a new and distinctive design that was so unique you could recognize it just by touch even in the darkest room. The bottle designer, Earl R. Dean, and his team were inspired by the kola nut and wanted to incorporate it somehow. The first prototype however never made it to production since its middle diameter was larger than the base, making it unstable on conveyor belts. The issue was quickly solved by adjusting measurements and ta-da the iconic contour glass bottle we all love was born! Over the years Coca-Cola has released variations and new designs, but nothing beats the classic contour glass bottle. It has become a collector’s item, a piece of art to be displayed, cared for, admired. Bottles have intrigued artists for generations. It all began 2,000 years ago with the birth of glassblowing. Artistic revolutionaries such as Rene Magritte, Jean Dubuffet, and Marcel Duchamp have all experimented with its evolution from serving a utilitarian function to becoming something more abstract, ambiguous, beautiful. The more we know about the form and shape of the bottle itself, the more we understand the nature of its power over us. Next time you find yourself grabbing the cold, refreshing bottle, do so with care and affection. Slowly caress its curves, but always remember it’s a work of art!
EDITION, MEDIA, SIZE & WEIGHT
Unique Edition, Shanghai 2022
RGB LED display, acrylic painting on Plexiglass, Vietnamese linen embedded in hand cast resin, black-stained teakwood frame
51(W)×51(H)×5.5(D) cm // 9.63 kg
TECH SPECS
• 1×SLC SD Card
• 4×MWLPV20-5 (INPUT 100~240VAC@0.55A / OUTPUT 5V@3A)
• (3+1 spare)×RGB P4 1921-8S-HL3.0 / P4SWD220221-141T/1A/200-A1
CRATE SIZE & WEIGHT
66(W)×66(H)×21(D) cm //22.6 kg
EXPOSURE
“Welcome To The Neighborhood” at island6 Shanghai
CREDITS
Wang Chuanwen 王传文 (painting) • Clementine 华苓 (performance & blurb research) • Yeung Sin Ching 杨倩菁 (production supervisor) • Thomas Charvériat (art direction & animation) • Tiara Alvarado-Leon (blurb)
Unique Edition, Shanghai 2022
RGB LED display, acrylic painting on Plexiglass, Vietnamese linen embedded in hand cast resin, black-stained teakwood frame
51(W)×51(H)×5.5(D) cm // 9.63 kg
TECH SPECS
• 1×SLC SD Card
• 4×MWLPV20-5 (INPUT 100~240VAC@0.55A / OUTPUT 5V@3A)
• (3+1 spare)×RGB P4 1921-8S-HL3.0 / P4SWD220221-141T/1A/200-A1
CRATE SIZE & WEIGHT
66(W)×66(H)×21(D) cm //22.6 kg
EXPOSURE
“Welcome To The Neighborhood” at island6 Shanghai
CREDITS
Wang Chuanwen 王传文 (painting) • Clementine 华苓 (performance & blurb research) • Yeung Sin Ching 杨倩菁 (production supervisor) • Thomas Charvériat (art direction & animation) • Tiara Alvarado-Leon (blurb)
CLOSE-UPS
VIDEO