Rolls-Royce Teases First-Ever Electric Car, and Other News

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Rolls-Royce will stop making gasoline cars and teases its new electric car concept.

The upscale British car manufacturer announced it will stop manufacturing gasoline-powered vehicles altogether by 2030, pivoting entirely to electric. The automaker also teased its first-ever electric car, the Spectre, which is slated to hit the market two years from now. Initial images of the car were shrouded in gold writing to obscure design details, but suggest a two-door model similar in shape to the recently discontinued Rolls-Royce Wraith. “Starting with the new architecture, this will be a totally new Rolls-Royce, and absolutely not a replacement for the Wraith or any other Rolls-Royce,” spokesman Gerry Spahn told CNN. No further details such as driving range or performance attributes were revealed, but expect the vehicle to be costly—prices start at just over $300,000 for the brand’s least expensive model.

An audit by the Mellon Foundation reveals the statue bias within the United States.

A study from Philadelphia-based research studio Monument Lab, funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, has shed light on the lack of range within the 50,000 commemorative statutes dotted around the United States. The National Monument Audit detailed that out of the 50 most popular figures, 88 percent were white, half of which were slave owners, six percent were women, and ten percent were reflections of BIPOC individuals. To this end, the philanthropic foundation launched its five-year Monument Project that calls on teams of creatives to reassess the domestic sculptural landscape with newly commissioned works and reconfiguration programs. The end goal? Broaden the scope of representation and illuminate the once-shadowed stories of American history. 

In Italy, Emanuele Stifano’s racy statue garners criticism from women politicians. 

In a salacious reconstruction of the capital character in Luigi Mercantini’s poem “La Spigolatrice di Sapri,” artist Emanuele Stifano’s new statue on Sapri’s waterfront is facing backlash from a cohort of Italian women politicians. The group calls for the removal of the statue due to its provocative portrayal: “Once again, we have to suffer the humiliation of seeing ourselves represented in the form of a sexualized body, devoid of soul and without any connection with the social and political issues of the story,” say female members of Palermo’s Democratic Party. In response to the public outcry, Stifano notes that “I always tend to cover the human body as little as possible, regardless of gender,” and adds “it is not eroticism, it is not sexism, it is not vulgarity. It is the beauty of man and woman.”

Design Trust for Public Space’s competition envisions a more inclusive New York.

“The Restorative City: Building Community Wellness Through Public Space” initiative launched in April aimed to render idyllic community-driven designs that champion inclusivity throughout underserved boroughs in New York. From the 90 proposals, “The Neurodiverse City” by Verona Carpenter Architects and WIP Collaborative in addition to “Healing Hostile Architecture: Design as Care” from Design as Protest were selected as winning projects by a nine-member jury. Underpinned by their exploration of social equity in the context of healthcare, both plans will be realized with the help of Design Trust for Public Space.

An Arizona landmark receives a $1.3 million endowment from the Getty Foundation. 

Playing host to a bygone Indigenous complex and more than 5,000 neighboring archeological sites, the Wupatki National Monument situated in the Arizona highlands has received a $1.3 million donation from the Getty Foundation on the basis of preservation. The grant marks the organization’s maiden financial support for an Indigenous landmark in the area and intends to fund a long-term conservation scheme overseen by the University of Pennsylvania. Centered around mitigating the adverse impacts of climate change and augmented tourism, the program also includes a 12-week internship program for Indigenous youth seeking to learn more about safeguarding their ancestral heritage. 

Liverpool’s waterfront is slated for a major revamp by a team of all-star designers.

As part of a ten-year plan to revitalize the city’s waterfront, The National Museums Liverpool has launched an initiative that tasks designers with spotlighting the landmark’s history. To bring the site’s history in the maritime industry and transatlantic slave trade to the forefront, the committee has selected a project by architects Asif Khan, Mariam Kamara, and David Adjaye along with artist Theaster Gates. Consisting of a series of connecting bridges, a fresh museum entryway, and a public art strategy, the group of creatives are refashioning the site to resonate its historic value through contemporary design cues. “The Canning Dock transformation is a chance to explore the power of architecture as a storytelling tool to bridge the gaps in knowledge that exist about the history of Liverpool as well as this significant site,” says Atelier Masomi founder Mariam Kamara.

Today’s attractive distractions:

Trying to eliminate single-use plastics? Your bathroom is a great starting point.

Sheboygan’s Art Preserve presents a series of 40 immersive artist-built settings.

The Times asks multiple artists and designers to reimagine the American flag.

In Tokyo, Kengo Kuma opens a library dedicated to the author Haruki Murakami.