Rolls-Royce reveals Phantom ‘The Six Elements’ at a gala event in Dubai, UAE
A series of six one-of-one Phantom Extended Series II motor cars, representing an unprecedented convergence of fine art, design, technology and craftsmanship
Created by the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective, at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood, resident Bespoke designer in the Private Office Dubai and dealer partners in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, in collaboration with world-renowned British artist Sacha Jafri
Each car includes a unique Gallery artwork, hand-painted by Jafri, inspired by one of the five traditional elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Wind and Air – plus a sixth, Humanity
At stage one of its journey, the Series has raised in excess of $1 million for charity; with a unique fundraising NFT in each motor car creating ‘the Rolls-Royce that keeps on giving’
“Bespoke IS Rolls-Royce, and our Bespoke Collective’s skills, artistry and reputation are unrivalled. As this amazing project demonstrates, the world’s leading artists now actively seek opportunities to work with us, extending and informing their own practice and creating motor cars that are works of art in their own right. With his wonderful hand-painted Gallery pieces, Sacha Jafri provides an extraordinary demonstration of how Phantom Series II provides the perfect blank canvas for Bespoke commissions. We’re delighted to see these motoring masterpieces come to life after a remarkable journey of collaboration, creativity and craftsmanship. We’re also thrilled that the project has fulfilled its original, primary purpose, and raised such a significant sum for worthy causes. I would like to congratulate everyone involved, both at Goodwood and here in the Middle East, on this inspiring achievement.” Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Rolls-Royce has unveiled its unique Bespoke series Phantom ‘The Six Elements’ at a private gala ceremony in Dubai, UAE.This unprecedented project, initiated by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Dubai and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Abu Dhabi, comprises six Rolls-Royce Phantom Extended Series II motor cars, each one entirely individual and featuring its own specially-commissioned artwork, hand-painted by one of the world’s most influential living painters, British artist Sacha Jafri, who is based between Dubai, London, and New York. These stunning works of art are displayed in the Gallery, the unique glass-enclosed space running the length of Phantom’s fascia. Each is inspired by one of the five traditional elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Wind and Air. The sixth, Humanity, references Sacha Jafri’s best-known work, ‘The Journey of Humanity’, which holds the official Guinness World Record for the largest painting ever produced on canvas.“Through my work I aim to combine the power of art with a stripped-back essence of expression, love, empathy, and intention, to inspire a more conscious and intention-filled humanity, striving for a reconnected world; reunited by the common goal of a more hopeful and sustainable future for our planet,” said Sacha Jafri, talking about the project. Phantom ‘The Six Elements’ was designed, developed and hand-crafted by the Bespoke Collective at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood, in collaboration with the resident Bespoke designer in the Rolls-Royce Private Office in Dubai. The project began in late 2020 and has taken two years to complete.As well as their individual Gallery artworks, the cars feature a number of additional Bespoke elements reflecting Rolls-Royce’s unrivalled capabilities. These include Jafri’s personalised Heart-motif in the hand-painted Coachline, and a unique Six-Elements engraved base for each car’s Spirit of Ecstasy mascot.Michelle Lusby, Bespoke Lead Designer based at the Rolls-Royce Private office in Dubai, says, “For us as Bespoke designers, it’s a wonderful privilege to work with a world-renowned artist like Sacha Jafri. We saw this project as a unique opportunity for an exchange of ideas between the art world and our own specialisms in design, materials and craftsmanship; that sense of discovery and shared inspiration really shines out from these amazing cars.” Phantom ‘The Six Elements’ was born out of a conversation between Sacha Jafri, who frequently donates his works, or the proceeds from them, to charity, and César Habib, Regional Director, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Middle East & Africa. Together, they developed the idea of creating six individual motoring masterpieces, which could become a means to donate funds for charities operating in the fields of health, sustainability and education.Accordingly, each car features not only its own original Jafri artwork, but also its own unique NFT, which the owner may sell independently if they choose to do so. With every trade of the NFT, a royalty will be paid into a digital wallet, raising funds for the future charitable donations. The owner can view the NFT using a bespoke Jafri Heart-motif QR code embedded within their motor car’s glove compartment.Sacha Jafri commented, “It has been an absolute honour working with the Rolls-Royce team and their Bespoke Designers to create such a unique project. It’s a proud moment, to see my Heart-Logo along the coachline of each of the six cars in this stunning Rolls-Royce series, the first bespoke artist-created series for Rolls-Royce, with the ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’ uniquely featuring my depicted six elements around its base. However, I am most fulfilled by the immediate excitement and interest in this series, the elite group of owners and philanthropists now dedicated to our cause, and the creation of the ‘Rolls-Royce that keeps on giving’, forever raising money and awareness for the charitable concerns that are closest to my heart.” At the unveiling, it was announced that the project, at stage one of its journey, has already substantially exceeded its initial $1 million target, with all six motor cars allocated to customers in Dubai and the wider Middle East region.César Habib, Regional Director, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Middle East & Africa, says, “I am delighted with the success of this project. We and our dealer partners in Dubai and Abu Dhabi embarked on an amazing journey with a specific goal, which I am delighted we have not only achieved, but have surpassed. It was all made possible by the unique collaboration between Sacha Jafri and our own Bespoke Collective. It has been a true meeting of minds, with a gifted multi-award-winning artist and some of the world’s most talented designers and craftspeople working together to explore art as a means of inspiring greatness and bringing about lasting change.”