Photo by Attila Hartwig
In the rush for technological advancement, nostalgia is often left in the dust. As the electric car becomes more and more ubiquitous, helped along by Volkswagen’s continual efforts in this area, the idea of using liquid fuel begins to feel more and more…old-fashioned.
Yet, they say that the sense of smell is the strongest for recalling memories – and so, as the classic aroma of black gold begins to fade away from the public consciousness, VW are giving you another chance to remember. On 20 January 2015, Sleek premiered Mémoire de Pétrole at janinebeangallery in Berlin. Presented alongside work by Berlin-based photographer Attila Hartwig, Mémoire de Pétrole was passed through the crowd, spritzed onto thin blue ribbons; cocktails of a matching blue shade were served in copper mugs.
Petrol may no longer be sexy, but just like our lust for analogue film created your favourite Instagram filter, the end of our need for the “black gold” will create its own nostalgic moments in new and surprising ways.