Thursday, the seventeenth of September will see Ponsonby’s Studio 230 open its doors to Auckland, inviting the public in for a viewing of ‘Spotlight’, Taika Waititi’s debut photography exhibition, created in collaboration with Zeekr.
The brief was simple, use the Zeekr 7X as the sole source of light for the photos. With that in mind, Waititi did what he does best and suspended the electric SUV from the ceiling of Studio West. The car’s headlights then projected light onto various scenes, creating a result like no other.
Starting off in the darkness, a series of “uninvited and unexpected” ideas inspired Taika to create seven different scenes as part of the ‘Spotlight’ exhibition.
‘UFO‘ portrays a visit from electrified technology, seeking to answer an age-old question, are we alone in this universe or perhaps surrounded by a galaxy of Zeekrs? ‘Caveman‘ on the other hand juxtaposes this idea of the future with a scene from our past, perhaps citing the role that curiosity has played over the course of human history.
‘Disco‘ embodies the idea that creation can come from destruction and the second time around, the product is likely to be better than the first! ‘Body Builder‘ took inspiration from the Zeekr 7X’s 475kW of power, evoking a sensation of being “felt, not just seen.”
‘Feast‘ was another nod to the 7X, “detail with nothing held back” was an apt way to describe the Zeekr’s ‘Forest Green’ shade. With the spotlight shining down on that stellar colour, it was unsurprising to see the car draw eyes and camera lenses, mimicking ‘Paparazzi‘ in a way!
Lastly, there was ‘Sunburn‘, a depiction of those who are “unbothered by the hype.”
Both the creative process and end product resulted in something that was “distinctly Zeekr” said Dane Fisher, NordEast Group GM whilst Frank Li, MD of Zeekr AU NZ cited the brand’s “Trans-Tasman ambition” through Taika’s involvement in the project. 7X of course is one of Zeekr’s most successful models globally and has been a driving force behind the brand’s growth in the premium EV segment.
‘Spotlight’ runs from the 17th to the 20th of September, hosted at Studio 230 on Ponsonby Road, Auckland with entry being free. The images will also be available for online viewing here from September 21st onwards.
We were invited to the exhibition’s premiere, allowing us to hear directly from Taika about his vision for the project, challenges faced and the end result. The photos themselves spark genuine curiosity because when viewed in the wrong light, the car can almost fade to black but when seen under the spotlight, as Waititi envisioned, the ceiling suspended Zeekr 7X doesn’t just come to light but it illuminates the thinking behind each photograph as well.
All in all, ‘Spotlight’ is an intriguing insight into what one of the nation’s most creative minds can produce from behind the wheel of a Zeekr!
Thanks for reading! For more Zeekr news and reviews, visit Tarmac Life.
Thanks to Zeekr New Zealand and NordEast for the invitation.
Photos by Harry de Souza, words by Matthew D’Souza.
