Lexus unveiled “8 Minutes and 20 Seconds”, an installation by Dutch solar designer Marjan van Aubel, which is now on view within the sculpture garden at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami (ICA Miami). Brimming with life and colour, the striking solar sculpture reimagines the Lexus Future Zero-emission Catalyst (LF-ZC) concept car as an interactive experience through van Aubel’s trademark use of solar cells. “8 Minutes and 20 Seconds” marks van Aubel’s first public project in Miami and has been realized through design development by spatial and experience design firm Random Studio. 

Named in reference to the time it takes sunlight to reach the earth, “8 Minutes and 20 Seconds” uses Organic Photovoltaics (OPV), third-generation solar cells that are both transparent and rich with colour, to translate the LF-ZC into a graphic pattern design, in a true-to-size representation of the concept car. 

“8 Minutes and 20 Seconds” awakens to the presence of viewers as they move around it and explore different perspectives. Four individual motion sensors spark light to bounce and ripple like water across the installation’s base, which represents the car’s EV platform. At unexpected intervals, the installation springs to life in an ephemeral spectacle—light cascades across it as a melody crescendo, mirroring the dynamics of the car in motion and offering a sensory glimpse into the energy of driving. As the day progresses, the warm, sunrise hues reflecting throughout the OPV sheets give way to cooler tones. 

Throughout the day, the sculpture harnesses solar power, drawing energy from the OPV sheets. These solar cells accumulate energy into batteries discreetly nestled within the sculpture's base. Slowly but surely, this continual absorption culminates, storing a reservoir of solar-derived power to help sustain the sculpture's captivating displays and features. 

The installation emanates an ambient melody, weaving together warm string instruments, soft piano and chimes that harmonize with the surrounding environment. Intermittently, the melody is embellished with birdsong and other sound effects. At times, the composition introduces woody bamboo notes, a subtle nod to the original car's interior bamboo material, integrating its essence into the auditory experience. 

On view through December 17th, “8 Minutes and 20 Seconds” marks Lexus’ second year partnering with ICA Miami and the brand’s sixth immersive experience during Miami Art & Design Week. Through collaboration and presenting world-class installations, Lexus and ICA Miami are committed to building experiences that inspire visitors to ponder the immense potential of creative design. 

Globally recognized as an advocate for sustainability in art and design, van Aubel is a natural partner to Lexus’s forward-thinking design ethos. Championed for her furniture and lighting design as well as public installations, her work bridges solar technology with aesthetic design solutions. Her work is held in the collections of prestigious institutions such as the MoMA, Vitra Design Museum, Stedelijk Museum, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. 

“It’s been a joy to bring the LF-ZC concept car to life! Lexus’s ethos towards innovation, craftsmanship, and new material use resonates with my design practice. This installation invites people to interact with light and colour and engages them to imagine a more sustainable, positive future. Through this partnership, I could tell a new narrative of generating energy beautifully,” said Marjan van Aubel 

“We are honoured to work with a solar design pioneer as esteemed as Marjan van Aubel. Her singular vision and expertise have built a remarkable installation that illuminates the design essence of the LF-ZC concept and her dedication to human-first, sustainable design is something we share and value dearly. It’s thrilling to see this sculpture come alive in the garden at ICA Miami," said Brian Bolain, Lexus’ global head of marketing. 

“Environmental sustainability is a priority for ICA Miami as we have made a year-round commitment to minimizing and offsetting our carbon footprint. Marjan van Aubel’s powerful work with Lexus represents significant advances in innovative sustainable design and represents how global ecological concern drives contemporary solutions. We are delighted to provide an important platform for Marjan van Aubel and their powerful work during Miami Art Week,” said Alex Gartenfeld, Irma and Norman Braman Artistic Director at ICA Miami. 

ABOUT MARJAN VAN AUBEL 
Marjan van Aubel Studio is an award-winning innovative solar design practice that brings solar energy into daily life. Designing for a positive future through combining the fields of sustainability, design and technology, the studio is creating lasting change through solar design, integrating solar power seamlessly into our environments such as in buildings and objects. With the goal to make solar power more accessible for everyone. Most notable works are Sunne, Current Table, Power Plant and the roof of the Netherlands Pavilion at the World Expo 2020 in Dubai. 

Marjan has collaborated with global brands such as Cos, Timberland, Swarovski with the aim of accelerating the global energy transition to solar. She graduated from the Royal College of Art (Design Products MA) in 2012 and the Rietveld Academy DesignLAB (BA) in 2009. 

ABOUT INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART MIAMI 
The Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami (ICA Miami) is dedicated to promoting continuous experimentation in contemporary art, advancing new scholarship, and fostering the exchange of art and ideas throughout the Miami region and internationally. Through an energetic calendar of exhibitions and programs, and its collection, ICA Miami provides an important international platform for the work of local, emerging, and under-recognized artists, and advances the public appreciation and understanding of the most innovative art of our time. Launched in 2014, ICA Miami opened its new permanent home in Miami’s Design District on December 1, 2017. The museum’s central location positions it as a cultural anchor within the community and enhances its role in developing cultural literacy throughout the Miami region. The museum offers free admission, providing audiences with open, public access to artistic excellence year round. 

ABOUT RANDOM STUDIO 
Random is a spatial experience design studio and B-corporation based in Amsterdam and Paris. The studio focuses on creating spaces that change and evolve based on their interaction with people, architecture, nature and technology. 

Today, Lexus announced a new collaboration with acclaimed Dutch solar designer Marjan van Aubel to create a vibrant, sun-powered installation within the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami (ICA Miami) sculpture garden. Inspired by the LF-ZC next-generation BEV concept car recently revealed at the Japan Mobility Show and jointly realized with spatial experience design studio Random Studio, the interactive installation will elevate Lexus and van Aubel’s investment in pushing the boundaries of design and technology toward a carbon-neutral future. It will be unveiled in early December, and on view throughout Miami Art & Design Week 2023. 

Titled "8 Minutes and 20 Seconds," in reference to the time it takes light from the sun to reach the earth, this installation will showcase the incredible potential of harnessing carbon-neutral energy. It represents a sculptural interpretation of Lexus's ground-breaking new model of electrification, intricately constructed around van Aubel's unique use of organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells commonly employed in solar power applications. Through the lens of van Aubel's solar design expertise, this installation not only pays homage to the sun's journey but also amplifies the ingenuity of Lexus's environmentally conscious and technologically-pioneering electrified vehicle. 

Lexus's unwavering commitment to social responsibility in mobility design and broader societal contexts guides the brand, propelling it to challenge convention and transcend limitations while maintaining a wide-reaching vision for sustainability. The LF-ZC (Lexus Future Zero-emission Catalyst) concept is part of the forthcoming next-generation Lexus BEV line-up. As the name suggests, the model forms the catalyst for new experiences in the electric age, including elevated driving dynamics, uncompromised design, and new exclusive services―the epitome of the Lexus brand promise to craft cars that enrich the lives of discerning customers. 

The installation marks van Aubel’s first-ever public project in Miami. Lexus has brought installations to Miami Art & Design week since 2018, and this project marks the second year of their partnership with ICA Miami. Together, Lexus and ICA Miami are committed to building experiences that inspire visitors to consider the positive impact of creative design. 

To realize the installation, van Aubel’s studio is collaborating with Random Studio, the acclaimed Certified B Corporation® that creates immersive spatial experiences globally. The installation will model the LF-ZC at-scale, constructed with OPV sheets that cast colourful shadows as sunlight hits them throughout the day. Light and motion sensors within the sculpture will add to the installation’s engaging, interactive nature, creating a visual spectacle that activates the senses and embodies the inspiring possibilities of Lexus’s electric revolution. 

Marjan van Aubel has earned global recognition for bringing solar energy into everyday life through aesthetically pleasing solutions. As a passionate advocate for sustainability within the art and design sector, her practice and research has yielded award-winning furniture and lighting design, along with striking public installations. Additionally, she stands as a co-founder of the world's first Solar Biennale, and her remarkable works are displayed in prestigious institutions, including the MoMA, Vitra Design Museum, Stedelijk Museum, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. 

"Lexus' dedication to innovation and craftsmanship resonates with the ethos of my own practice, which is that functional design can be both sustainable and aesthetically beautiful. With this collaboration, I hope we can bring light to the concept that sustainable design solutions are works of art," said Marjan van Aubel. 

"We are honoured that Marjan van Aubel, a pioneer in the field of solar design, is working with us to bring her expertise and brilliance to imagine the BEV Concept car. Her unwavering commitment to sustainable, human-first design is a characteristic we value strongly here at Lexus. We could not think of a better location for her installation to be unveiled than at ICA Miami, a world-class institution," said Brian Bolain, Lexus’ global head of marketing. 

“Environmental sustainability is a priority for ICA Miami as we have made a year-round commitment to minimizing and offsetting our carbon footprint. Marjan van Aubel’s powerful work with Lexus represents significant advances in innovative sustainable design and represents how global ecological concern drives contemporary solutions. We are delighted to provide an important platform for Marjan van Aubel and their powerful work during Miami Art Week,” said Alex Gartenfeld, Irma and Norman Braman Artistic Director at ICA Miami. 

Coinciding with the installation, Lexus will once again host Lexus Art Series: Art and Innovation talks with Whitewall, a program of intimate discussions and talks between Lexus ambassadors and industry leaders across the art and design worlds. Additional details will be provided in November. 

ABOUT MARJAN VAN AUBEL 
Marjan van Aubel Studio is an award-winning innovative solar design practice that brings solar energy into daily life. Designing for a positive future through combining the fields of sustainability, design and technology. The studio is creating lasting change through solar design, integrating solar power seamlessly into our environments such as in buildings and objects. With the goal to make solar power more accessible for everyone. Most notable works are Sunne, Current Table, Power Plant and the roof of the Netherlands Pavilion at the World Expo 2020 in Dubai. 

Marjan has collaborated with global brands such as Cos, Timberland, Swarovski with the aim of accelerating the global energy transition to solar. Graduating from the Royal College of Art (Design Products MA) in 2012 and the Rietveld Academy DesignLAB (BA) in 2009. 

Additionally, van Aubel was designated ambassador of Dutch Design Week 2022, amplifying the initiative and her own solar ambitions. 

ABOUT INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART MIAMI 
The Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami (ICA Miami) is dedicated to promoting continuous experimentation in contemporary art, advancing new scholarship, and fostering the exchange of art and ideas throughout the Miami region and internationally. Through an energetic calendar of exhibitions and programs, and its collection, ICA Miami provides an important international platform for the work of local, emerging, and under-recognized artists, and advances the public appreciation and understanding of the most innovative art of our time. Launched in 2014, ICA Miami opened its new permanent home in Miami’s Design District on December 1, 2017. The museum’s central location positions it as a cultural anchor within the community and enhances its role in developing cultural literacy throughout the Miami region. The museum offers free admission, providing audiences with open, public access to artistic excellence year round. 

The Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami is located at 61 NE 41st Street, Miami, Florida 33137. For more information, visit www.icamiami.org or follow the museum on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook and explore the ICA Channel for inside looks at ICA Miami exhibitions and the practices of the most exciting artists working today. 

ABOUT RANDOM STUDIO 
Random is a spatial experience design studio and B-corporation based in Amsterdam and Paris. The studio focuses on creating spaces that change and evolve based on their interaction with people, architecture, nature and technology.