The Honda Racing F1 car is made up of 3,200 individual parts, and if you go the the British International Motor Show this week or next, you'll be able to see every single one. Literally.
That's because Dutch artist Paul Veroude has seemingly worked magic with his exhibit called "View Suspended," in which each and every part of the car is suspended from above, creating a living exploded technical diagram. As awed as we are by the photographs of the display, we can only imagine how impressive it looks in person. Everything down to the smallest little screw is hanging in suspended animation.
Manufacturers always strive to have interesting displays at autoshows, whether they be safety demonstrations, cutaways, or other imaginative ploys to generate visitor interest. With "View Suspended," it's a safe bet that Honda will be capturing the attention and imagination of every single person who walks by it. It's just that cool.
Click on any photo to enlarge it. It's the best way to get a sense of the painstaking effort and incredible attention to detail that went into this piece.
(Additional photos, info after the jump)
[Source: Honda]
PRESS RELEASE:
Honda Racing F1 'View Suspended'
View Suspended is a stunning art installation created from the thousands of parts that make up a Honda Racing F1 car.
The amazing display was created especially for the event by Dutch artist Paul Veroude. Each of the 3200 parts of the Formula 1 car are suspended on fine wires to produce a 3D 'exploded diagram' that allows race fans the chance to get closer than ever to the engineering secrets of the world's most technically-advanced sport.
Honda first recognised Veroude's talents two years ago, when Artwise Curators, who develop art projects with the Honda team, came across a museum exhibition of his deconstructed vehicles. Paul then got his first opportunity to get close up and personal with a Honda Racing F1 car during a visit to Silverstone. His passion for the sport and the Honda Racing F1 Team's engineering expertise catalysed a very special work of art.
For Paul, the opportunity to work with a top F1 team was the realisation of a life long ambition. For the Honda Racing F1 Team, the collaboration provided a unique opportunity to share the secrets of their success with fans.
Deputy Technical Director at Honda Racing, Gary Savage, took a personal interest in the project: "After meeting Paul we were keen to work with him to develop the installation and showcase our work. We know from our own experience, when we do drawings ourselves, exploded diagrams are very popular with people - you can see how things go together. This is a combination of engineering and sculpture - if you did it as a picture it would be very attractive but as a 3D thing it is even more stunning. It shows off our car in a very exciting and innovative way."
Honda's Head of Car Marketing, Jeff Dodds says: "The first time we saw View Suspended, we knew it would be perfect for the London Motor Show. It's creative, imaginative and a must see for visitors to the Honda stand. I can't think of a better expression of Honda's passion for F1 and engineering."
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Tony @ Jul 19th 2006 7:19PM
Wow! this is amazing! I just feel bad for the poor soul who had to assemble and dissemble the display each time. Are they super secretive of their F1 designs/dimensions? I would love to see them here in California - LA or SF.
Richard Owen @ Jul 19th 2006 7:22PM
Some pictures from the show floor:
http://www.supercars.net/gallery/119513/871/4.html
Rishi Khaitan @ Jul 19th 2006 7:43PM
One word: Awesome! Leave it up to Honda to pull off something like that.
A couple years ago at the NAIAS, FoMoCo had a real-life cutaway of a GT. I spent a good hour studying it. I could spend damn near a whole day staring at this Honda F1 exhibit.
epp_b @ Jul 19th 2006 7:59PM
Now I can't decide which is cooler: this or that Rube Goldberg commercial that Honda had a few years back...
Bert @ Jul 19th 2006 8:14PM
Tony,
I would venture to say that it would not be too complicated/costly for BAR-Honda (Honda, BAR, B.A.R, whatever they are called this week) to mix and match parts from different years or stuff that technically didn't pan out or stuff that is just plain wrong.
Do note that the gearbox casing (pic #3) is metal. BAR have been running a carbon-fiber case for 2 or 3 years.
But then again, it's just a Honda F1 car. It's not like it's a Ferrari, Renault or McLaren, nothing too cutting edge to see in the first place.
However, it must certainly be impressive and it would be killer to get some high-res closeup shots, or a high-res mosaic, or super-killer 3-D walk-around-walk-through.
Mike Singer @ Jul 19th 2006 9:42PM
What a fantastically creative idea. Unbelieveable.
Petey @ Jul 19th 2006 10:17PM
Cool. Now, I want to see do that to a Corolla or Civic.
Tim @ Jul 19th 2006 10:53PM
Too bad that their F1 cars are as slow and unreliable as Yugos!
peter @ Jul 20th 2006 3:41AM
at petey: how about a toyota starlet? http://www.2012architecten.nl/projecten/2004/02/exploded-view-toyota-starlet-in-tent.html
David Vatran @ Jul 20th 2006 5:51AM
http://www.damelioterras.com/artpopup.asp?rowID=230
yeah paul must be a fan of Ortega's...
the installation was a 2002, i think its part of the permanent collection at MOCA in Los Angeles
RacetrackOwner @ Jul 20th 2006 7:25AM
If each piece of is hanging freely, I hate to imagine what happens when the exhibit hall air conditioner kicks in...
amp @ Jul 20th 2006 9:02AM
They should have suspended a life size model of Jenson or Rubens as well.
MikeW @ Jul 20th 2006 9:03AM
Even if Honda isn't leading edge F1, it still is a thousand time more sophisticated than NASCAR.
RacetrackOwner @ Jul 20th 2006 9:45AM
"They should have suspended a life size model of Jenson or Rubens as well."
Exploded view, of course.
(Wow, I have NEGATIVE 1 star? Guess the l33t bloggers can't take constructive criticism...)
RickDom @ Jul 20th 2006 11:52AM
That's awsome. Too bad they stuck the fuel cell on the viewer's side, it looks like it blocks a fair amount of detail. It's also interesting that the engine is still in one piece.
bennyprofane @ Jul 20th 2006 1:40PM
From Artfauxrum:
A new art movement has been born: Explosionism!
Explosionism explores man's relationship to technology, the concepts of interior(private)/ exterior(public) space, and the deconstruction of consumerist commodities in works call Explosions.
Early period Explodist artists used performance art as their medium of choice; dentonating objects to elict a viceral thrill in their audiences. Rejecting outmoded ideas of artistic inspiration, these artists proclaimed that Explosions were created "just for the hell of it." Although overtly a-political, these early performances often drew sharp criticism from the authorities and occasionally resulted in arrest. Rejected by the both the art world and the general public as "just blowing stuff up," the movment has maintained its strength by constantly renewing its roots in rural America.
Paul Veroude's work represents a neo-classical turn in Explosionism as he strives for more widespread acceptance. His piece "View Suspended" aims at the head, rather than the gut; delicately revealing the interior spaces of a F1 racer. In contrast to early Explosionist works of momentary bursts of light and sound, Veroude seeks extended, quiet contemplation. His choice to display this work at an auto show is telling; this piece seems to threaten other intact autos with the prospect of explosion while exuding an aura of safety that disarms those who usually disapprove of Explosions.
The bold move away from the dynamism of the early period has provoked mixed reactions. While many will admire the skill of reproducing a static moment of Explosionist expression, traditionalist have been left to wonder "Where are the flames? Where is the noise? Where are the cops?"
While Veroude's work may have opened up new possibilities for Explosionism, it seems certain that works such as his will remain in the minority, and the fiery explosions that marked the early period will retain their dominance as the preferred mode of expression.
Tom Design @ Jul 22nd 2006 2:34PM
Very cool expanded display!
At first glance, however, I thought it was a model blimp (dirigible, zeppelin, balloon) being tethered to old track tires. LOL!
eliot @ Jul 25th 2006 4:22PM
FYI, I went yesterday (after 5pm) and everyone was allowed to enter the exibit and walk round it and take photos.
Robert Broadfoot @ Aug 15th 2006 3:35PM
It is disappointing to see a plagiarised idea getting so much interest and being desribed as original. Stefan Sous has been creating exploded suspended cars and other objects since 1992. See "taxi", "explosion" , " berliner luftpost", "buffet déplacé" for example at www.stefansous.com. Sadly his original idea has already been famously plagiarised by Damian Ortega.
Mark @ Apr 12th 2007 11:36AM
Paul Veroude is a plagiarist. The "original" (as stated in another internet article about Paul Veroude) artwork of suspended cars done by Mr. Veroude has been already explored by the respected artist Stefan Sous since 1992. I would strongly advise you to review the art of Stefan Sous work it is the original. Mr. Stefan Sous (who by the way studied under Tony Cragg which is a British artist many are also familiar with) is a well-known artist in Germany and also abroad. This blogg might be able to avoid some embarrassing moments if you clarify the plagiarism going on here. If you like to see Mr. Stefan Sous work which is extremely conceptual, beautiful, imaginative and original you should go to http://www.stefansous.com/. Furthermore you will find, that his body of work exceeds the idea of car suspension and explores other artistic fields with the same conceptual and imaginative intelligence that is inherent within the explosion sculptures. On his website you can find only some examples of these sculptures which came to being within the last 15 years: "pallas" "explosion" "berliner luftpost" "buffet déplacét" and "taxi" you should have no trouble find more examples in museums, books or the internet! I can not believe how somebody can be so disrespectful to steal someones creative work - but at the end it is Paul Veroude and Damián Ortega who have to look in the mirror every morning I pity them.