“When my collaboration with Hublot was announced, we made it known that we would be adopting new forms of artistic expression. After creating all the timepieces together, as well as the digital works of art, we are now imagining new ways of accessing contemporary art.” - TAKASHI MURAKAMI
Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo is humbled and proud to present the unique Classic Fusion Murakami Black Ceramic Rainbow, with proceeds donated to charity: Fond’Action Contre le Cancer, a private non-profit foundation created in 1999 whose aim is to finance innovative research projects in oncology and cancer treatment. It is an extreme honour to place the watch in TOKI, as this unique timepiece perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the thematic auction. The sale of the present timepiece not only represents a celebration of the Japanese watch collecting world, but is also an ode to the impact the country has on Art, Culture, Watchmaking and Technology. It represents a new form of artistic expression, bridging the gap between digital art, physical art, as well as high end watchmaking.
Originally presented to the public on February 24, 2023 at the Glass House in New York, the Classic Fusion Murakami Black Ceramic Rainbow was born from a collaboration featuring thirteen timepieces and NFTs unveiled to bridge the gap between watchmaking and digital art. At the time, Hublot had unveiled their new concept in collaboration with the celebrated artist Takashi Murakami: Together, they would present thirteen new NFTs and thirteen unique timepieces featuring the iconic smiling flower that is central to the Japanese artist’s work. The rule of the initiative would be as follows: twelve of these watches would be available for purchase only by an owner of an NFT of at least one of the brand’s previous collaborations with Murakami (the 324 available All Black or Sapphire Rainbow). Each of the twelve new Classic Fusion Murakami watches also comes with an accompanying NFT. On top of this, should a collector manage to acquire all twelve of those NFTs (through trading), they would be eligible to purchase the thirteenth piece unique watch: the Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami Black Ceramic Rainbow. Collectors would be given a period of one year during which they would have the opportunity to trade the twelve NFTs on the OpenSea platform. However, if no one would be able to collect all twelve NFTs, Hublot would auction off the thirteenth Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami Black Ceramic Rainbow (with the proceeds going to charity). After a year, no collector has been able to acquire all twelve NFTs, and Hublot has now entrusted Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo with the public sale of the Classic Fusion Murakami Black Ceramic Rainbow.
A stunning masterpiece, the timepiece features Murakami’s famous Smiling Flower on the center. The twelve petals of the flower form a perfect gradient of rubies, sapphires, amethysts, tsavorites and topaz. The center of the smiling flower is placed on top of the sapphire glass to create a three-dimensional effect. With an ingenious ball-bearing system developed by Hublot’s engineers, the petals create a dizzying spectacle of colour as they spin on an axis with each movement.
The heart of the watch beats with the manufacture Unico calibre set in the emblematic Classic Fusion case, a unique movement that offers a 72-hour power reserve. As the third watch collaboration between Hublot and the Japanese artist, this launch is proof of the incredible collectability of this partnership.
The present lot comprises not only the Classic Fusion Murakami Black Ceramic Rainbow, but also an exclusive NFT linked to the piece by Takashi Murakami and inspired by Japanese video games & TV from the 1970s. To top it all off, the owner of the piece will also be offered a tour of Takashi Murakami’s studio located in Miyoshi, Saitama.
TAKASHI MURAKAMI
Takashi Murakami took the contemporary art world by storm with his "Superflat" concept, which connects traditional Japanese art with the two-dimensionality of anime and manga, while also referencing the structure of Japanese society. He has also breathed new concepts into art through bridges with fashion and music, collaborating with numerous brands and celebrities such as Hublot, Louis Vuitton, Billie Eilish, Pharrell Williams, and NewJeans.