John Dodelande of Artcurial invited artist Xavier Veilhan to draw a nautical sculpture to be built by the Frauscher shipyard. This unique project marks the first time artist Xavier Veilhan has been invited to design a functional object in sync with his aesthetic beliefs.

The RAL 5015 By Xavier Veilhan

First off, if you’re not familiar with Veilhan’s work, he’s best known for his sculptural installations and had an impressive show at Versailles in 2009.

above: Veilhan’s purple horse-drawn carriage at Versailles

Much like Veilhan’s oversized faceted animal sculptures, the boat is one all one color:

Now, back to his RAL 5015 with tons of images, auction info and a video, too.
The name of the boat refers to the actual color. RAL is the standard color system when it comes to painting and coating (the way Pantone is for printing).

above: The artist, Xavier Veilhan, stands in his RAL 5015

The unique design corresponds perfectly to Xavier Veilhan’s approach to movement and means of transport – from the horse to more sophisticated types of craft… such as this motor-boat.

Veilhan’s moving sculpture can hold 8 people and functions beautifully with a maximum speed of 40 knots:

The Shark – Stainless steel Shark sculpture (50 cm length) on remote controlled platform:

As an integral part of the RAL 5015 boat, “The Shark” is a small object with a length of 50 cm, made of solid stainless steel that ascends and descends by remote control! A rectangular cover of composite material is provided, which is why you don’t see the shark in all the images) and protects the piece from unwanted attention.

Dimension of the Shark : 20 x 49,7 x 21,7 cm
Dimensions of the stand : 3,5 x 6 cm made of solid stainless steel, fitted in the bulk.
Material : Polished solid stainless steel
Surface treatment : The shark is permanently protected from sea salt as the roughness of the metal has been diminished through a special wash, making it non-oxidizing
Protective case : In blue composite material (monochrome RAL 5015) ; 60 x 30 x 25 cm
Remote control : 2 buttons

The boat was designed on computer:

And thanks to the expertise of the Frauscher shipyard, the work of Veilhan, RAL 5015 is also a powerful boat and at the forefront of marine technology.

A sneak preview of the boat was shown from May 27 to June 14, 2010 at the Hôtel Marcel Dassault, Paris, prior to its auction.

The functional artpiece, made of composite resins and metal was auctioned on July 20th at the Hôtel Hermitage in Monte-Carlo, by Artcurial. The sale results have not yet been disclosed. Estimate for the auction price was $235,000.00 to $260,000.00

Specifications of the piece:

Frauscher 686
Vessel hull identification number (HIN) : AT FRALOO82D010 Length : 6.90m Width : 2.20m
Water-level : 6.40m
Visible height above water : 1.25m
Draught : 0.65/1.00m
Dry weight : 1700kg
Tank capacity : 157 litres
Maximum speed : 40 knots
Cruising speed : 25 knots
Engine : MERCRUISER Output 220 HP
Cubic capacity : 4.3 l MPI, 220 PS ; Alpha 1
Number of persons : 8 max.

A standard gauge and construction certificate, as required for navigation permit, will be provided to the purchaser.

The hull of the RAL 5015 has a 2-year guarantee from the Frauscher shipyard; its engine has a 3-year constructor’s guarantee.

An artist certificate was also given to the buyer

Photos for this post, courtesy of the artist, © Fabien Lemaire 2010, © John Dodelande 2010 and © Nicolas Thiery

The Artist:

Born in 1963, living and working in Paris, Xavier Veilhan has established itself as one of the major artists of his generation, winning over his exhibitions international recognition. Emerged in the early 90s, Veilhan established the elements of a singular and unique vocabulary. If his work borrows the most varied forms: from sculpture to painting, photography, installation, film or live performance, all these practices converge towards creating a world whose wealth stems from a relationship very strong history and a profound reflection on modernity.