Visitors to the stand celebrating Citroën’s centenary at #Rétromobile may only be able to have eyes for the 30 iconic cars presented on the Brand’s stand.
And yet, in the middle of the route, opposite a DS 21 Pallas, a sculpture stands on display, immersing young and old alike into the wondrous world of a sculpture made up of 263 pieces of the Brand’s history.
This creation is from the designer Jean-Baptiste Sénéquier, who had already collaborated with Citroën for the creations ‘I love Citroën’ in 2016 and ‘I Inspire Citroën’ in 2017.
On the occasion of the centenary, the Brand gave him a new mission, that of echoing this anniversary by using elements which were instantly recognisable, for connoisseurs, fans, collectors and professionals of the Brand. He had free rein and 6 months.
It was up to him to unearth these objects, with the helpful advice of the Citroën #heritage team. The square format is the same as that already used for previous collaborative works with Citroën.
263 witnesses to 100 years of history brought together in a unique work
The designer is a lover of the Brand, himself owning several cars from different eras. For this #Event, he dived into the whole world of the Brand: production cars, concept cars and motorsport, but also toys, advertising, the Citroën logo and its evolutions over time, the Brand’s typography…
The result is an aesthetic assembly revealing the chevrons but also an instantly recognisable visual Citroën vocabulary! From afar, it is a sculpture with contemporary aesthetics, up close it is Citroën’s whole history which takes shape before our eyes… with for example:
– To begin the story in 1919: the lighting switch, adorned with the ‘André Citroën’ name from the Type A 10 HP
– The Eiffel Tower adorned with the Citroën name, in reference to the unique and spectacular advertising which lit up Paris from 1924 to 1935
– Lights from numerous models: 2CV, DS, GS, AMI8…
– The controls referred to as ‘satellites’ from the GSA and Visa
– Door handles: Rosalie, Traction, DS, 2CV, CX, C2, C4 CACTUS
– The windscreen bolts from the 5HP Trèfle
– A DS hydraulic suspension sphere and its specific LHM oil
– An ‘8’ for that of the Traction 22 which had an 8-cylinder engine, presented before the 2ndWorld War, but which was not retained after the war, in favour of the Traction 15/6. As a result, this 8 is an extremely rare component. This copy is a tribute to this Holy Grail for global collectors of the chevrons!
– A brass badge, with the chevrons presented in an asymmetrical way, a rare thing: it is that from the quarter panel of General De Gaulle’s presidential DS 21, from the coachbuilder Chapron in 1968
– The comb given to purchasers of the car as a nod to the ‘The Visa blows you away’ advertising campaign
– The oak shim present in the engine compartment of the 2CV
– The fixed-hub C4 Picasso steering wheel (2006-2013), with chevrons formed by the spokes of the steering wheel
– Without forgetting the miniatures to illustrate motorsport and 100 years of Citroën’s sporting exploits, as well as the concept cars, symbols of 100 years of visionary spirit!
Citroën and artistic creation
Citroën has supported creation for almost 100 years. The Brand’s collaborations with Pierre Louÿs, Victor Vasarely, Bernard Buffet, Kojiro Imamura, Bernard Rancillac, César, Ora-ïto and also Jean-Charles de Castelbajac bear witness to this.
With ‘Made With Icons’, Citroën is continuing with collaborations around its logo, with a shared objective for the 4th consecutive time: that of presenting an interpretation which can be presented as an artwork and in a background used on the Brand’s stands and symbolic locations:
– The first ‘I love Citroën’, produced by 3D printing and 100% made in France, is made up of 1,284 components in the shape of chevrons which, together, represent the Brand’s badge.
– The second ‘I Feel Citroën’, produced in inflatable wood (a patented technique) by the French cabinet-making company ARCA, is a magical and aesthetic sculpture, a unique work, composed entirely of a wooden surface, which evokes breathing and life, and in its own manner embodies the history of a brand approaching its centenary which has never stopped reinventing itself by putting man at the heart of its thoughts.
– The third ‘I Inspire Citroën’, echoes the Brand’s new signature, ‘Inspired by You’, which shines a light on what Citroën is today: a popular Brand, in the true sense of the word, because it is close to its customers.
A brand inspired by them and at the service of their desires. The creation is made up of 1,600 plexiglass rods and 8,000 LEDs subtly revealing the Citroën chevrons.
A 3D camera secured at the top of the piece allows it to capture the presence of the spectator, who becomes a participant and can change the sculpture as they wish!