"Hajime Sorayama's recognized work is the visual design of AIBO, Sony's consumer robot dog, which was first released in 1999. His method is built around surface, or the way light hits chrome and reflection creates the illusion of volume. His vehicle, named AFEELA Prototype Tuned Up by Hajime Sorayama, is built around the three themes of the artist's retrospective exhibition: light, transparency, and reflection."
"For the AFEELA 1 electric car, artist Hajime Sorayama adds the moiré effect on the wheels, a pattern that appears when two regular grid structures overlap at a slight angle, producing a third pattern that moves as the viewer moves. On a wheel, then, the effect changes with every turn. The pattern is not printed but engineered into the surface geometry, allowing the tire to look differently depending on the angle of the light and the speed of the car."
Sony Honda Mobility commissioned renowned artists Hajime Sorayama and Matt Copson to create art versions of the AFEELA 1 electric vehicle. Each artist's interpretation covers the car's exterior, wheels, and interior screens, positioning these vehicles as art objects rather than production models. Sorayama's design reflects his five-decade career in hyper-realistic robotic and mechanical illustration, incorporating his signature themes of light, transparency, and reflection. The wheels feature engineered moiré patterns that shift appearance based on viewing angle and vehicle speed. Matt Copson's version debuted at Frieze Los Angeles in February 2026, while Sorayama's installation opens at Creative Museum Tokyo on March 14, 2026, running through May 31st.
Read at designboom | architecture & design magazine
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