GMC Releases Free ‘Mudern Art’ Masterpieces Created By A Roving Truck
By Mikelle Leow, 28 Nov 2023
Images via GMC Canada
You’ve heard of animals who can paint, but what about vehicles on the edge of a masterpiece?
A GMC truck found its creative groove and rolled with it… all over grimy terrain. In an interesting project by the automaker and advertising agency Leo Burnett Toronto, the Canyon AT4X became an artist-slash-moving-paintbrush, using dirt as its medium to create a series of compelling art pieces—called Mudern Art.
Image via Leo Burnett Toronto
The truck navigated through challenging off-road routes, leaving behind a trail of mud splashes, sprays, and thuds, which were captured on canvases to create three distinct artworks.
The first canvas was placed next to a mud pit, inviting the truck to create a dynamic and chaotic display.
Image via GMC Canada
Entitled A Dance of Dirt and Drive, it “[defies] the conventional” and “invites you to embrace life’s adventure with a canvas that was attached to the grille of the Canyon AT4X and driven through mud,” GMC Canada details.
The second one took a different route, literally, and was dragged behind the GMC Canyon AT4X, capturing the essence of its rugged journey.
Image via GMC Canada
“In Earth is a Journey, the canvas becomes a nomad follower. A poignant commentary on the ephemeral nature of wanderlust being towed by the Canyon AT4X through a bunch of mud,” GMC continues.
Lastly, the third canvas was mounted on the front grille of the truck, absorbing the impact of its every move through the challenging terrain. This resulted in the creation of the final piece, Tired.
Image via GMC Canada
“A sublime exploration of the kinetic tension between tire and terrain, Tired beckons viewers to ponder the transient nature of the Canyon AT4X ripping through a puddle of mud in the middle of nowhere,” says GMC.
Beyond the creative aspect, the Mudern Art campaign serves a purpose—to demonstrate the sophisticated off-road equipment and advanced technology embedded in the GMC Canyon AT4X, which make it ever-ready to conquer various terrains. A dedicated website welcomes appreciators to meet the mud-slinging artist.
You can watch its artistic process here:
For those who want to bring a piece of this artistic adventure home, prints of these mud-born masterpieces are available to download for free on the GMC Canada website.
“The juxtaposition of art world and off-road is such a fun place to play in,” notes Steve Persico, co-chief creative officer at Leo Burnett Toronto. “It leans into that awesome footage of the truck doing what it does best, and then it gives it something to do that you never thought about it doing.”
Persico adds: “At the expense of sounding too artsy here, we love the idea of making the subject the artist. And one of the things we love most is how great the work looks up on the wall. It’s actually, amazingly, art.”
Spectators couldn’t believe how the artworks were made, says Matt MacFarlane, national marketing communications manager for Buick GMC. “One of the most enjoyable aspects is witnessing people closely inspect and interpret them, as they would any of other form of art.”
Who knew rugged wheels could be such vehicles for artistry, too?
[via The Message, Leo Burnett Toronto, Kohl Forsberg, images via various sources]
This article was crafted with assistance from an AI engine, and has been manually reviewed & edited.