Sant’Agata Bolognese, 27 January 2022 – Auction details for the first-ever NFT (non-fungible token) of Automobili Lamborghini are now confirmed. Lamborghini has partnered with NFT PRO and RM Sotheby’s and will receive bids on the five pairs of physical and digital artworks by the renowned artist Fabian Oefner between February 1st, the first day of the new lunar year, and February 4th. The auction for the first of the five NFTs will take place on nft.lamborghini.com start at 4:00 pm CET, while each of the other auctions will start and end 15 minutes later then their preceding one. Every auction will last for 75 hours and 50 minutes, the exact time it took Apollo 11 to leave Earth and enter the moon’s orbit – not the only reference to human space exploration.
The physical artwork, the Space Key, contains carbon fiber pieces that Lamborghini sent to the International Space Station back in 2020, as a part of a joint research project. Engraved with a unique QR code, these carbon fiber parts link the digital element, are a series of five photographs of a Lamborghini Ultimae, lifting off toward the stars. The images depict five separate moments within seconds from each other as the car rises above the earth. Its parts, the engine, the transmission, the suspension and hundreds of nuts and bolts are shooting away from the chassis like the exhaust flame of a rocket.
What may look like a computer-generated image is in fact entirely created from elements of the real world: the artist captured more than 1500 individual parts of a real car. The photograph of the earth`s curvature was made by sending a weather balloon equipped with a camera to the edge of the stratosphere. The artist then carefully assembled all of these images into an artificial moment in time. Each of the five NFTs has more than 600 Million pixels. As one starts to zoom in, hidden details of these hyperrealistic photographs are revealed. The resolution is so enormous, that you can read tiny markings on the firing order of the V12 engine or marvel at the different milling patterns on the transmission cog wheels. The longer you look at the composition, the more secrets you discover…
The artist, Fabian Oefner, on the idea behind his creation: “For me, ‘Space Time Memory’ is an analogy to the memories we make in life. Memories are rooted in the physical world; we make them in reality. We then store them in our brains, what could be considered the digital world. I often wonder, what is more precious to me, the actual moment or the memory of that moment? Analog to that, I wonder with the ever-increasing amount of digital realities around us, what is more precious, reality itself or the copies and derivatives of it, that exist in the digital universe.”
At the start of the project, Oefner meticulously studied the engineering plans of the Lamborghini Aventador Ultimae and created an accurate sketch of what the final photograph will look like. Based on that sketch, Lamborghini prepared all the necessary parts and components of a production ready Ultimae. The pieces were then photographed by Oefner and his team in a makeshift photo studio right next to the production line at the Lamborghini Factory in Sant’Agata Bolognese. Upon his return to his studio in the US, where the artist works and lives near New York City, he combined the countless images into the composition envisioned in the sketch. It took Oefner and his team more than 2 months to create a moment, which is shorter than the blink of an eye.
“We’re thrilled to have been chosen as preferred NFT partner by such an iconic brand as Lamborghini and incredible artist, Fabian Oefner”, says Christian Ferri, CEO of NFTPro™. “We pride ourselves for being the #1 enterprise NFT solution in the market, serving the largest category leaders in the world, and working with Lamborghini and Fabian Oefner validates even further our position. Our company is committed to supporting Lamborghini throughout the NFT journey and are humbled to be working with such a visionary team in the years to come”.
What are NFTs?
NFTs (non-fungible tokens) are unique identifiers recorded on a distributed ledger known as Blockchain and tied to a digital asset such as pictures, videos, music, or other records (e.g. vehicle VIN numbers). Each token is unique, allowing their owners to guarantee asset authenticity, scarcity, programmability and trackability over the internet.
About Fabian Oefner
Fabian Oefner’s work explores the boundaries between time, space and reality. He creates fictional moments and spaces, that look and feel absolutely real, yet aren’t. Through this, Oefner dissects the different components of reality and gives us a clearer understanding of how we perceive and define it. Inspired by science, Oefner’s approach to art is highly methodical and at the same time playful for unexpected moments to happen. He creates carefully orchestrated works, that are planned down to the last detail as well as pieces, that use a loose framework for art to happen.
About RM Sotheby’s
RM Sotheby’s is the world's largest collector car auction house by total sales. With 40 years of proven results in the collector car industry, RM’s vertically integrated range of services, from auctions (live and online) and private sales to estate planning and financial services, coupled with an expert team of Car Specialists and an international footprint, provide an unsurpassed level of service to the global collector car market. RM Sotheby’s is currently responsible for six of the top ten most valuable motor cars ever sold at auction. 2022 has seen RM Sotheby’s move into offering NFTs, collaborating with both clients and partners, working alongside NFT PRO, to bring to market leading NFT projects that have a strong automotive theme.
About NFT PRO
NFTPro™ is the #1 enterprise white label NFT solution for global brands, making NFT campaigns seamless, easily executed, and on-brand. Thanks to an enterprise-grade platform, proprietary methodology and enterprise-level support, they help global enterprises strategize, create, sell, and distribute NFT-based digital authentic assets to engage communities, drive new revenue streams, and boost cross-sales of physical products while ensuring full company control, sustainability, and global regulatory compliance.