The silver-painted Porsche Taycan got color-matching armor-like thorns of different sizes, which are mounted on the bonnet, bumpers, fenders, doors, roof, and trunk, looking like extensions of the car. The protruding elements would most likely hurt the aerodynamic efficiency and the pedestrian safety rating of the EV, but being an art car means that no one was going to use it as a daily driver.

The project follows Fabian Bergmark Näsman’s signature sculptures with thorns, spines, horns, and prickles. According to the artist, those features intend to “set the rules for how to approach the object whose surface they are covering”. His abstract sculptures are said to “oscillate between the natural and unnatural, raising questions of perception based on context”.

The “Assasin” was showcased during the Porsche Scopes as an installation in the middle of a pond, surrounded by moss, grass, and fog. The three-day event was held in the 5,000-square-metre space inside a former heating plant called Värmeverket between May 26 and 28, with the participation of more than 65 artists from the field of music, design, art, technology, and social issues. Festivities included over 35 performances, fashion shows, workshops, and panel talks, plus 10 permanent installations.

Notably, Fabian Bergmark Näsman’s Assasin is not the only Taycan-based art car we have seen, following earlier examples by artists Richard Phillips (2021) and Sean Wotherspoon (2022).