Ferrari 12Cilindri Tailor Made by COOL HUNTING: Hyunhee Kim
Translucent, ethereal treatments ground the interior design and elevate the exterior badging and branding—something never done before
Hyunhee Kim presents contemporary discourse on the notion of memory and identity through the transformation, dismantling and redefinition of traditional Korean furniture. Through her internationally renowned series, White Nostalgia, Kim seeks to capture the essence of sentimentality embodying longing and remembrance of one’s roots alongside the spectacles of modern society.
Kim’s artistic vision transcends sentimentality, delving into modern discourse. In her Ancient Future series, she reflects on how femininity was often associated with weakness or silence. This was exemplified by Gyubang furniture (female room furniture), in which the pieces were designed to captivate women indoors, limiting their physical and social boundaries. By tearing down the walls she blurs the boundary between the exterior and the interior to express the autonomous aspects of modern society.
This dialogue continues in her White Nostalgia series, where she signals a shift in the meaning of the color white in Korean society. Traditionally, Koreans were described as “Baegui Minjok,” the “people of white clothing.” White Hanbok, a traditional Korean costume, was historically the most popular. A strong Confucian belief emphasized a stoic lifestyle, leading people to uphold the value of purity portrayed in white. Now, through Kim’s work, the color is interpreted as the amalgamation of different identities one may hold, much like light turns white as various shades accumulate, much like how Korea defines its identity with the assembly of various aspects.
Hyunhee applies her half-transparent, ethereal white aesthetic vision to the car in both its interior and exterior design, reflecting Korea’s modern spirit, shimmering in light while embracing the complex identity the country has built in recent years. It also inspired Ferrari to design the Cavallino and Long F badging in translucent white for the first time in its history, along with the white emblems on the wheels.
Hyunhee created a dedication plate featuring a logo she designed that is mounted behind the seats. Its style was drawn from Munjado, a traditional calligraphic art form that integrates images related to the characters’ meanings. Honoring the significance of the V12 engine, she borrowed shapes of clouds to write “12”, making an analogy to the wind that travels through 12 cylinders to generate the engine’s 830 hp. It is paired with “Han,” the first letter of “Hanguk,” signifying the spirit of Koreans.
An original artwork is delivered in the trunk. <HAM>, a traditional cask for valuable and meaningful items, is included for the collector to store memories of his experiences with this car. This piece also holds an object in the form of a Ferrari key customized to her visual language, so that the owner can fully experience her varied and original practices in connection with Ferrari.
As we celebrate the 23rd anniversary of COOL HUNTING, we’ve evolved from just sharing stories to creating things to tell stories about and the Ferrari 12Cilindri Tailor Made is our proudest achievement thus far. We’ve built a bridge between Korea and Italy, another between art and automotive and a third from past to future. Learn more about the project here.
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