SALZBURG, Austria – The illustrious trophy given to the overall winner of the Red Bull Air Race World Championship 2010 has been designed with the mechanics of racing in mind and might need a hefty mantelpiece to accommodate it.
Austrian artist Juergen Fux has taken his inspiration for the towering, dramatic and industrial-looking sculpture from the very machines that will take the teams to glory in the low-level, high-speed aerial competition.
The trophy represents many things according to the Salzburg-based designer – who flew to New York last month to see the action live in front of the Manhattan skyline – and the aim was to create a memorable centerpiece that would have a deep connection with the sport from the materials used to the overall concept. “First, it represents power,” says Fux of the structure made from 260 individual components. “The weight is about 19kg and it’s roughly 75cm tall. It’s the biggest trophy yet for the championship. Secondly, it represents the engine and the mechanics of the machines. I wanted to take the engine itself but I didn’t want to cut it or destroy it. I put the glass plates in different positions so you can look at the trophy and see it’s an engine.”
‘The hammer test’
The decision to use glass, black stone and metal for the trophy was also carefully considered as Fux explains, “The reason I took these three materials was because they are of similar composition to those used to build the Fuschl am See headquarters of Red Bull in Austria.”
Despite being constructed mainly of glass, the designer is confident it is robust and solid, just like the race planes used in the championship. “I’ve already tested hitting it with a hammer and it doesn’t break!” laughs Fux.
There is also a quirky design feature to the elusive prize that may appeal to the pilots, often drenched in celebratory bubbles during the podium celebrations. “Because it is transparent glass, when you pour something inside it takes on the colour of the liquid – so with Champagne it will become gold,” adds Fux, who also designed the 2nd and 3rd place smaller trophies.
It’s the first time the artist has been commissioned to make a series of trophies but Fux says he really enjoyed the project. “Yes, it was interesting for me and I made some samples, then after some brainstorming, I sent the ideas and was given the thumbs up,” he explains. “The CEO Bernd Loidl says it’s perfect and there’s nothing better for an artist to hear than that!”
The Austrian artist produces a variety of media covering sculpture to film-making and is currently working on a project for the official opening of the Salzburg Music Festival as well as several private commissions. Fux is also behind the creation of the Niederalm Foundation, an organisation to represent Salzburg-based sculptors.
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