Lexus X crafting plastics! ‘Liminal Cycles’, Miami Art Week
Liminal Cycles is being showcased at the Institute of Contemporary Art Miami during the city’s art week. This multisensory installation, developed with the research and design studio Crafting Plastics, draws inspiration from the Lexus LF-ZC (Lexus Future Zero Catalyst) battery electric vehicle concept. It embodies Lexus’s commitment to material innovation, responsive technology, and personalization.
Alongside the installation, Lexus is launching a limited-edition capsule collection that features 26 collectible objects crafted by renowned designers, including Germane Barnes, Michael Bennett (Studio Kër), Suchi Reddy, and Tara Sakhi (T SAKHI), in collaboration with Crafting Plastics. This collection builds upon the themes presented in Liminal Cycles, prompting viewers to see the objects as embodiments of Lexus’s values related to materiality, innovation, performance, sustainability, and technology.
Positioned in the ICA Miami sculpture garden, Liminal Cycles showcases the adaptability and responsive technology that are core to the emerging concept of Software Defined Vehicles (SDVs) and their potential for customization in personalized luxury design. By engaging a global audience in exploring the SDV concept, Lexus strengthens its position as a promoter of bold and uncompromising luxury experiences for future generations.
Crafting Plastics co-founders Vlasta Kubušová and Miroslav Král, along with their team, brought the SDV concept to life by creating a dynamic, fragmented central sculpture that represents the Lexus LF-ZC at scale. The sculpture’s foundation is made from 3D-printed Nuatan® bioplastic—a biodegradable material derived from 100% renewable resources that leaves no microplastics. Coated with a UV-responsive outer layer, this sculpture reacts to environmental changes, such as UV exposure and viewer proximity, by altering its color and performing breath-like movements, symbolizing the potential harmony between nature and technology.
Additionally, Liminal Cycles includes three satellite installations, each incorporating design elements from the LF-ZC concept car to display sensory interactions encompassing audio, visual, and olfactory experiences. One flower-shaped sculpture mirrors the LF-ZC steering wheel, inviting viewers to engage with its rugged, earthy texture. It responds to touch by fluctuating the volume and intensity of the sound composition specific to the installation's location. Another sculpture reinterprets the LF-ZC’s headrest as lounge seating that releases a Lexus-inspired scent in response to interaction. Finally, a wind-activated, lattice-like sculpture detects changes in UV radiation using UV-reactive bioplastic, subtly revealing the Lexus logo across its delicate form. Together, these installations exemplify the broad possibilities of material innovation and software-enabled responsive design.
