Local artist's work now shines on Rolls-Royce cars

Calleja admits that he rejects proposals to work with brands on a daily basis. "But there are some that you have to think about... You can't say no to Rolls-Royce," he said with a smile. Born in the 1970s, he grew up with the Rolls-Royce as the leading car brand and as the benchmark of quality. He couldn't resist. It's also the first artistic reproduction of one of the most coveted car models, a very limited edition pink sculpture full of detail which include functioning lights, leaving his own mark on the model. "The design is based on my characters, to the point of going through a process of abstraction," he explained.

Calleja has also gone as far as to reinterpret the Spirit of Ecstasy, the famous sculpture of a woman waving her arms as if they were wings, which are found on the bonnet of all Rolls-Royce cars.

'No wings to fly' is the title of the bronze sculpture made by Calleja for the collaboration, which uses his signature big and bright eyes, a mischievous grin and rounded face. "To fly was always my dream as a kid and that's why 'No wings to fly' imitates bird wings or feathers," he said. Calleja is the latest artist to gain the confidence of AllRightsReserved, who have worked with Kaws, Lawrence Argent or Florentijn Hofman, and brands such as Chanel, Moncler or Adidas.

The reinterpreted Spirit of Ecstasy piece will be given to the six people who acquire the Rolls-Royce Ghost made by Calleja, though a vinyl edition of the figure is expected to be released in 2023 as an 'art toy'. Both pieces were launched on 3rd November on AllRightsReserved's website. The studio's work with Rolls-Royce responds to their philosophy of expanding art beyond the canvas.

In the meantime, Javier Calleja continues to open exhibitions across the globe. He currently has his sights set on his most ambitious project yet: a major exhibition at the Centro Cultural Fundación Unicaja, in the Palacio Episcopal, in March 2023, his first exhibition in Malaga in more than a decade.