Latest news with #MSCHF
Auto Blog
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Mercedes-AMG Teamed Up With a Viral Art Collective on Weird Car-Inspired Furniture
The collection of works you can buy are available to view from May 15-17 at the NYCxDesign Festival in New York City. To many bona fide car enthusiasts around the world, Mercedes-Benz's high-performance division, AMG, is primarily known for powerful and fast versions of vehicles from the three-pointed star. However, its latest collaboration explores a creative junction that transcends its reputation for sheer speed. As part of its efforts for the 2025 NYCxDesign Festival, AMG was recruited to work with the provocative and controversial artist collective MSCHF (pronounced as 'mischief) on a collection of conceptual avant-garde art pieces. 0:00 / 0:09 Nissan's revolutionary self-driving tech hits Japan's streets Watch More Titled 'MSCHF x AMG: Not for Automotive Use,' the Brooklyn-based artists collaborated with the high-performance brand on a collection of pieces that incorporate aesthetic elements and actual components from Mercedes-AMG cars into the design of some modern furniture pieces, including chairs, lamps, and even trash bins. But if you were thinking something akin to IKEA, Herman Miller, or even the home collections of Bentley or Bugatti, think again. These pieces are more akin to sculptures that belong in the Whitney or MoMA than any multi-million-dollar high-rise penthouse. MSCHF and AMG were inspired by 1960s Italian design The 'Not for Automotive Use' collection consists of nine individual items, including: Seatbelt Shelf — an aluminum 5-tier shelf stabilized by five double-ended sets of seatbelts in AMG red and yellow, which can be independently clipped and unclipped to maintain even tension. — an aluminum 5-tier shelf stabilized by five double-ended sets of seatbelts in AMG red and yellow, which can be independently clipped and unclipped to maintain even tension. Seatbelt Light — A lamp made out of an aluminum frame and an AMG seatbelt. Buckling the seatbelt turns on the lamp and unbuckling it and allowing the seatbelt to spool back turns the light off. — A lamp made out of an aluminum frame and an AMG seatbelt. Buckling the seatbelt turns on the lamp and unbuckling it and allowing the seatbelt to spool back turns the light off. Seatbelt Chair — A steel-framed chair where AMG seatbelts are the back and bottom cushions. A single solid red seatbelt wraps around the chair frame and is clipped at the bottom of the chair. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. Seatbelt Rack — Similar to the Seatbelt Shelf, this aluminum clothes rack is stabilized by five double-ended sets of AMG red and yellow seatbelts. These pair with hangers made from the seatbacks of AMG Performance seats. — Similar to the Seatbelt Shelf, this aluminum clothes rack is stabilized by five double-ended sets of AMG red and yellow seatbelts. These pair with hangers made from the seatbacks of AMG Performance seats. Grille Grill — A charcoal grille with a grilling surface shaped like a Mercedes-AMG GT radiator grille. — A charcoal grille with a grilling surface shaped like a Mercedes-AMG GT radiator grille. Seatbelt Table — A dining table with an aluminum tabletop on a tubular steel base, which is detailed with a double-ended AMG seatbelt. Headlight Couch — A 70s-styled microfiber loungeback couch designed to mimic the shape of the front end of a Mercedes-AMG GT. For the extra touch, it incorporates functional AMG GT headlights with working turn signals. — A 70s-styled microfiber loungeback couch designed to mimic the shape of the front end of a Mercedes-AMG GT. For the extra touch, it incorporates functional AMG GT headlights with working turn signals. Wheel Fan — A floor fan built into an actual AMG Interlagos wheel. It is also styled with yellow AMG seatbelts, which help it stick onto its milled anodized aluminum base. — A floor fan built into an actual AMG Interlagos wheel. It is also styled with yellow AMG seatbelts, which help it stick onto its milled anodized aluminum base. Headrest Chair — A task chair that incorporates three actual AMG headrests slotted onto a tubular steel frame. Inspired by a roll cage, Mercedes and MSCHF say that this piece is supportive of the thighs and lower back for a comfortable posture. MSCHF and Mercedes-AMG claim that the pieces in the collection pay tribute to the Italian Radical Design counterculture movement of the 1960s. In this collection, Mercedes-AMG's cars are reimagined as everyday objects, and some of the pieces are inspired by the late Milanese designer Achille Castiglioni, who used tractor and bicycle seating in his designs. AMG x MSCHF Yes, you can buy this stuff The pieces in this collection will be on display at MSCHF's workshop in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, from May 15-17, marking the first time that the collective has opened its doors to the public. Accompanying this collection is a line of limited-edition apparel, including t-shirts, sweatshirts, and work pants printed with stylized high-res scans of AMG vehicle components and the AMG logo, which are available for purchase on the MSCHF website. Buyers can purchase the furniture in 'very limited quantities' on an exclusive, made-to-order basis. Prices are unknown, but according to MSCHF, all pieces will be available to order until 5/31/2025 and will take 18-36 weeks to make. Final thoughts I was first made aware of this collection through a social media campaign starring storied YouTuber Casey Neistat, a filmmaker who has partnered with Mercedes-Benz and MSCHF in the past. Notably, in 2022, Neistat participated in an MSCHF experiment in which a thousand $20 keys gained access to one shared car. MSCHF's provocative art pieces are designed for maximum virality and controversy. They were the brainchildren behind stunts like Lil Nas X's 'Satan shoes,' a perfume that smells like WD-40, the infamous Big Red Boots, as well as Tax Heaven 3000, an anime dating simulation video game that doubles as Turbotax-esque federal income tax return filing software. Overall, I think the link between AMG and MSCHF is a very creative endeavour, especially given MSCHF's reputation for ruffling social, moral, and legal feathers in the past. However, given this, I think some fat-walleted AMG enthusiasts will jump at the opportunity to own one or a few of these pieces.
Miami Herald
17-05-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Mercedes-AMG Teamed Up With a Viral Art Collective on Weird Car-Inspired Furniture
To many bona fide car enthusiasts around the world, Mercedes-Benz's high-performance division, AMG, is primarily known for powerful and fast versions of vehicles from the three-pointed star. However, its latest collaboration explores a creative junction that transcends its reputation for sheer speed. As part of its efforts for the 2025 NYCxDesign Festival, AMG was recruited to work with the provocative and controversial artist collective MSCHF (pronounced as 'mischief) on a collection of conceptual avant-garde art pieces. Titled "MSCHF x AMG: Not for Automotive Use," the Brooklyn-based artists collaborated with the high-performance brand on a collection of pieces that incorporate aesthetic elements and actual components from Mercedes-AMG cars into the design of some modern furniture pieces, including chairs, lamps, and even trash bins. But if you were thinking something akin to IKEA, Herman Miller, or even the home collections of Bentley or Bugatti, think again. These pieces are more akin to sculptures that belong in the Whitney or MoMA than any multi-million-dollar high-rise penthouse. The "Not for Automotive Use" collection consists of nine individual items, including: Seatbelt Shelf - an aluminum 5-tier shelf stabilized by five double-ended sets of seatbelts in AMG red and yellow, which can be independently clipped and unclipped to maintain even Light - A lamp made out of an aluminum frame and an AMG seatbelt. Buckling the seatbelt turns on the lamp and unbuckling it and allowing the seatbelt to spool back turns the light Chair - A steel-framed chair where AMG seatbelts are the back and bottom cushions. A single solid red seatbelt wraps around the chair frame and is clipped at the bottom of the chair. Seatbelt Rack - Similar to the Seatbelt Shelf, this aluminum clothes rack is stabilized by five double-ended sets of AMG red and yellow seatbelts. These pair with hangers made from the seatbacks of AMG Performance Grill - A charcoal grille with a grilling surface shaped like a Mercedes-AMG GT radiator Table - A dining table with an aluminum tabletop on a tubular steel base, which is detailed with a double-ended AMG seatbelt. Headlight Couch - A 70s-styled microfiber loungeback couch designed to mimic the shape of the front end of a Mercedes-AMG GT. For the extra touch, it incorporates functional AMG GT headlights with working turn Fan - A floor fan built into an actual AMG Interlagos wheel. It is also styled with yellow AMG seatbelts, which help it stick onto its milled anodized aluminum Chair - A task chair that incorporates three actual AMG headrests slotted onto a tubular steel frame. Inspired by a roll cage, Mercedes and MSCHF say that this piece is supportive of the thighs and lower back for a comfortable posture. MSCHF and Mercedes-AMG claim that the pieces in the collection pay tribute to the Italian Radical Design counterculture movement of the 1960s. In this collection, Mercedes-AMG's cars are reimagined as everyday objects, and some of the pieces are inspired by the late Milanese designer Achille Castiglioni, who used tractor and bicycle seating in his designs. The pieces in this collection will be on display at MSCHF's workshop in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, from May 15-17, marking the first time that the collective has opened its doors to the public. Accompanying this collection is a line of limited-edition apparel, including t-shirts, sweatshirts, and work pants printed with stylized high-res scans of AMG vehicle components and the AMG logo, which are available for purchase on the MSCHF website. Buyers can purchase the furniture in "very limited quantities" on an exclusive, made-to-order basis. Prices are unknown, but according to MSCHF, all pieces will be available to order until 5/31/2025 and will take 18-36 weeks to make. I was first made aware of this collection through a social media campaign starring storied YouTuber Casey Neistat, a filmmaker who has partnered with Mercedes-Benz and MSCHF in the past. Notably, in 2022, Neistat participated in an MSCHF experiment in which a thousand $20 keys gained access to one shared car. MSCHF's provocative art pieces are designed for maximum virality and controversy. They were the brainchildren behind stunts like Lil Nas X's "Satan shoes," a perfume that smells like WD-40, the infamous Big Red Boots, as well as Tax Heaven 3000, an anime dating simulation video game that doubles as Turbotax-esque federal income tax return filing software. Overall, I think the link between AMG and MSCHF is a very creative endeavour, especially given MSCHF's reputation for ruffling social, moral, and legal feathers in the past. However, given this, I think some fat-walleted AMG enthusiasts will jump at the opportunity to own one or a few of these pieces. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Entrepreneur
09-05-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Five Strategy Lessons from The White Lotus to Make Your Brand Culturally Relevant
Three seasons in, The White Lotus has become more than just a TV show: its distinctive aesthetic, sharp social commentary, and layered symbolism make it a cultural moment – something people talk about, memeify, and analyse. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur United Kingdom, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Brands can learn a lot from it. Today, cultural relevance is essential for brands, fuelled by the technology-catalysed shift from passive to active consumerism. Brands today must participate in the same conversations as their audience, with a clearly defined point of view. For brands aiming to embed themselves in culture, The White Lotus offers five essential strategy lessons. 1. Understand what 'culture' actually means Culture can be defined as the shared values, beliefs and behaviours that turn individuals into crowds. The White Lotus' popularity is thanks to the way it centres and dramatises inequality – arguably the issue that people care, worry and talk about more than any other right now. Brands take note: for them to participate in culture means actively highlighting, shaping or accelerating such issues. Take fashion brand MSCHF's disruptively clownish approach to its culture of, as the name suggests, mischief – a timelessly resonant shared behaviour. Veuve Clicquot's less provocative but equally effective approach to culture the sunny optimism forged by combining its compelling backstory and ownable yellow hue – inherently challenges the traditionally male-dominated, frequently old-fashioned worlds of luxury and wine. The White Lotus' culture is independent of its era: its themes – privilege, class, sex, death, spirituality – transcend the zeitgeist. Just as brands should. 2. For brands, culture isn't trends Culture mixes timeless and new. The White Lotus resonates because it taps into our age-old fascination with power, privilege, and moral decay – exposing the fallibility of an elite that's often worse than the rest of us – but presenting this through today's lenses in its fashion, music, and language (dialogue). Culture marries current trends and age-old human truths: the satisfying schadenfreude of watching the elite's downfall is timeless, yet made more acute in 2025, with our ever-increasing awareness of the gulf between the 1% and the 99%. Brands should note this balance of historic and contemporary. Johnnie Walker's "Striding Man" is rooted in history yet continually refreshed through campaigns like its Squid Games collaboration, its AI venture, and Jane Walker, connecting the brand to current cultural narratives while preserving its identity. Like The White Lotus, it balances old and new. Oatly, too, goes beyond dairy-free milk by championing plant-based living; its bold, activist voice aligns with enduring ideological shifts. Like The White Lotus, these brands thrive by honouring timeless themes while adapting to today's world. 3. Show before you tell The White Lotus does more than tell a story: from its sun-drenched landscapes to opulent hotels and perfectly styled wardrobes, every frame draws you in with its sensory allure. It's a show about (inwardly) ugly people doing ugly things, but it wraps its critique of wealth and privilege in a layer of undeniable beauty. It appeals to our eyes first, and later to our hearts and heads, leaving the unflattering exposition of the 1% to linger and resonate. The way to make people care about something is to first seduce them through their eyes – after all, brands need design to 'do culture. In the case of The White Lotus, people come first for the beauty, and stay for the schadenfreude. It taps into desire before anything else. For brands to be culturally relevant and have a point of view, they can't forget the importance of looking great and leading with that first. 4. Familiar but flexible Each episode and season of The White Lotus is simultaneously similar and different. Regular viewers start to recognise patterns in the way the show is shot, choreographed and soundtracked. Likewise, McDonald's golden arches icon is remixed constantly, evolving across generations – even riffing on colloquialisms like 'Maccy Ds' – but with a singular, constant colour palette that's instantly recognisable. By having an identity that can flex over time, brands can be a part of culture as it shifts. After all, culture never stands still – and it's vital that brands keep up. 5. Don't just spectate, participate Many brands show up in culture when it suits them, only to disappear when the moment passes. But cultural engagement must be embedded in a brand's DNA. The White Lotus doesn't just reflect culture: it shapes it. The show meaningfully engages with its audience by building a world we can immerse ourselves in for an hour. All with a plot that encourages conversation long after the closing credits. Like the show, brands shouldn't play it safe: they need to be on the dancefloor, not watching from the wings. Take Nike. It doesn't just sell sportswear – it creates sports culture. As campaigns like Colin Kaepernick's Dream Crazy, or So Win for female athletes show, its entire identity is inextricably tied to the world of movement, ambition, and perseverance. In it for the long haul A brand's approach to culture is most effective if it authentically resonates with the things that people care about, talk about, relate to, and enjoy the most. As The White Lotus' success proves, 'doing culture' is actually the opposite of what many people think it is – chiming with fleeting fads; limited editions, flash-in-the-pan subcultural movements. Cultural relevance isn't a campaign, it's a commitment forged over time.
Forbes
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
The World's Best Digital Art Can Be Seen In New York This May
Inside Rhizome World, a sprawling digital art show in Lower Manhattan. Alexey Kim New York's financial district isn't known for its cutting-edge cultural offerings, but the Water Street Asssociates building is changing that. They have created a hub for artists and creatives in unassuming 31-story, granite-clad office tower that noce housed the headquarters of insurance company A.I.G. On floors five and six, Water Street Projects is hosting some of the best art shows and events in New York. The latest is Rhizome World , a sprawling exhibition that showcases some of the most cutting-edge software art from new, never-before-seen artworks, to new installations of classic networked projects from yesteryear. Rhizome is the leading internet arts organization, focusing on art that uses coding, the internet, and other networks as a space of experimentation. Rhizome World is curated by Rhizome Executive Director Michael Connor. One of the main attractions is a large-scale installation of works created using the the programming language which 'has transformed access to code as a creative medium.' There is even a an immersive poem by musicians Bladee and James Ferraro, played like a video game. The exhibition is not short on humor. MSCHF's Tax Heaven 3000 , is an onlinen dating simulator where users can get federal income tax return guidance from a benevolent program based on tax software such as TurboTax, but reimagined as a romantic exchange. Artist Beatriz da Costa's PigeonBlog is an ongoing project that started in 2006, and is presented at Rhizome World as a a multimedia installation. In the project, da Costa outfitted homing pigeons with sensors to collect data on air quality. Mark Fingerhut's is a custom software program that doubles as a theme park ride. Visitors sit on benches and are guided through a narrative on screen. Fingerhut's installation includes several immersive elements with an engineering aesthetic, a perfect complement to the DIY software. On May 10th and 11th, programming hosted in the exhibition will 'draw inspiration from the early bulletin board experiment in 1970s Berkeley that showed the potential for gathering knowledge on local community networks. The weekend will highlight the importance of digital histories and alternative models for arts organizations, anchored by the Rhizome World closing party.' Rhizome will also host the 2025 7×7 conference, which pairs seven artists with seven technologists. Founded in 2010, Seven on Seven (7x7) brings together leading artists and tech luminaries for deep conversations and creative collaborations under one simple assignment: Make Something New. The outcomes of these collaborations (a sketch, a demo, a prototype) are presented at a public conference. After an AI-focused edition in 2024, Rhizome will shake up the format for 2025, inspired by a concept proposal from MSCHF and Karen Wong: this time, the key technology for this edition will be the law. Founded in 2010, Seven on Seven (7x7) is a unique program in which leading artists and technologists are paired up and given a simple assignment: Make Something New. The outcomes of these short-term collaborations are then presented at a public conference. This year, Rhizome is shaking up the format with a concept proposed by artist collective MSCHF: this time, the key technology isnt code – it's the law. Artists will be paired with with lawyers, policy advocates, and legal scholars for short-term collaboratoins to address key issues in technology, culture, and democracy today. Central to 7×7 is the idea that practice and not just discourse is one of the best ways to explore how A.I. and other emerging technologies are raising existential and ethical questions around human value, human agency, and creativity,' Xinran Yuan, the 2024 co-curator and producer, told Artnet. 'The seven pairs of collaborators featured in the upcoming 7×7 come from distinct fields and are going to address A.I. in targeted but ultimately nuanced and expansive ways,' Yuan said. 'Topics range from the cosmos to the ocean, the body, biology, social organizations, love, and humor.' Rhizome World is on view through May 11, 2025. 7x7 will take place at Cornell Tech on May 9th.
CNN
14-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Satan shoes, microscopic bags and big red boots: How MSCHF conquered the art world
MSCHF has been called many things — performers, designers, even internet trolls — but for co-chief creative officer Kevin Wiesner, the title 'artists' works just fine. It's an ambiguous enough term to cover all the hats its members wear, he told CNN over a Zoom call. Besides, Wiesner added: 'Nobody really knows what that means' — which aligns with the art collective's typically elusive nature. Since its founding in 2016, the 25-member Brooklyn-based group has made headlines with provocative 'drops,' like the cartoonish big red boots inspired by the Japanese manga character Astro Boy; the infamous 'Satan Shoes,' containing a drop of human blood; and a microscopic Louis Vuitton-style bag, barely visible to the human eye, that sold for over $63,000. In the past, MSCHF would take a back seat after releasing its creations, preferring to watch the internet and media attempt to make sense of them with little or no information. 'We were trying to maintain a black box as much as possible,' Wiesner explained. 'We were really avoiding any kind of personal outward association with the group in a lot of ways, because we had this idea that we wanted these projects to show up from nothing — to seem like they just sprung, fully formed, from the head of Zeus.' Lukas Bentel, MSCHF's other co-chief creative officer, agreed, telling CNN that 'a lot of the projects are us setting up a scenario, and then we're kind of watching (it) play out from everybody that's interacting with it.' He added: 'We really don't give any behind-the-scenes look at any of the projects.' That's about to change with the group's first book 'Made by MSCHF,' which offers a rare glimpse into some of the most successful drops of the past nine years. The book also addresses the highs and lows of being art-world outsiders and MSCHF's approach to both leveraging and satirizing what it dubs 'modern internet capitalism' — in other words, the internet's role in consumerism. With riskier projects, MSCHF has pushed the boundaries of copyright law: After the 2021 release of its Satan Shoes, modified Nike Air Max 97 sneakers that sold out in under a minute, Nike filed a lawsuit against the group. (The sportswear giant claimed trademark infringement and asked the court to stop MSCHF from selling the shoes and prevent the collective from using its famous Swoosh logo. A settlement was ultimately reached and MSCHF issued a voluntary recall on the shoes and offered a buy-back program.) It became MSCHF's 'most dramatic production story' to date, according to Wiesner. The group first learned of Nike's lawsuit through a small newspaper that had emailed asking for comment and members scrambled to produce exactly 666 pairs of shoes before officially receiving a temporary restraining order. Related article The artist making unsettling AI images of the human body To produce the Satan Shoes, MSCHF snuck into a factory in Maspeth, Queens, to form an assembly line into the early hours of the morning. 'It was one of the best bonding moments — you feel sort of like Indiana Jones getting in the door before the rock tumbles on you,' Bentel said. It wasn't MSCHF's first run-in with Nike, either: In 2019, the group made waves with its 'Jesus Shoes' — customized Nike Air Max 97 sneakers filled with holy water from the Jordan River — which became one of the most Googled shoes of the year. While the numbers speak for their footwear (MSCHF sold over 20,000 pairs of its big red boots, priced at $350 each), the collective is adamant about not being perceived as another streetwear brand. Wiesner and Bentel said that their favorite project took place in 2022, when MSCHF sold 1,000 duplicate car keys that unlocked the same one car, a 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser parked in an unidentified location in New York City (buyers were required to follow clues to track down the vehicle). In a matter of days, the car had already made its way through all five boroughs as well as several states. MSCHF watched on as the car was broken, then repaired, customized and more. 'I think a lot of people, especially in more professional contexts, assume that we have marketing KPIs (key performance indicators) where we're like, 'Oh, well, we got 10 million impressions,' or whatever that nonsense is, and use that as a metric of success. We very much don't,' Wiesner said. He explained the collective chooses projects based on personal interest and 'the degree to which that concept validates itself (as it) takes on new life or evolves over the course of the project.' MSCHF is often surprised by the public response to its drops. The original 200 pairs of big red boots sold out instantly. The 'Jesus Shoes' began as a limited collection of a dozen pairs, according to MSCHF's new book. Each pair was priced at $1,425, but in less than a month, the group managed to produce and sell more than 700 pairs, its value on resale platform StockX rising to as much as $3,000. 'We never expected people to want this, but oh my god, they did,' Wiesner said. MSCHF's audience is something of an enigma — from an ATM installation, where users' bank account balances were shown on a public leaderboard screen, to the series of locked iPhones with celebrities' phone numbers on them, MSCHF's projects have interacted with people from many different communities, demographics and ages, said Bentel. RJ Rushmore, an art enthusiast from Philadelphia, began closely following MSCHF's work following the Satan Shoes controversy in 2021 and, soon after, started collecting pieces from its drops. Today, he owns several of the group's shoe styles, including a pair from the 'Super Normal' line, as well as a piece of the $30,000 Damien Hirst artwork that MSCHF cut into 88 parts and sold individually. Related article From Instagram to art world darling: The meteoric rise of Danielle Mckinney While Rushmore acknowledges that some of MSCHF's drops can be viewed as 'silly,' they also serve as fascinating commentary on the best and worst of internet culture — and on broader social and economic matters, like American tax law (MSCHF's 'Tax Heaven 3000,' launched in 2023, combined a functional tax filing software with an online dating simulator). That, he said, is what makes MSCHF so appealing to its fans: 'If a decade from now, MSCHF is just another streetwear brand, I'll feel disappointed. But if, a decade from now, MSCHF is still poking fun … even at my expense, I think I'll feel good,' Rushmore said. Wiesner and Bentel are secretive about what MSCHF is working on next, but said the collective is in a transformational period as its members reflect on past projects and their place online, where it has become increasingly difficult to decipher what is real. As to why MSCHF decided to now publish a book revealing some of its inner-most thoughts, Wiesner and Bentel said they hope to inspire others. Within the book, Wiesner and Bentel give explicit permission for readers to do what they like with MSCHF's artwork — as long as it's not boring, or else the group will send out IP lawyers to shut it down, the book cheekily states. 'It's so exciting when you see somebody make something new, because it's so much harder to make things than to just sit there and consume everything coming at you,' Bentel said. 'If anything, I hope the whole practice (of MSCHF) is sort of an education that (gives permission to) play with all this stuff and culture, and not just watch it go over your head.'
