Javillac
We go back to the seventies, specifically to 1972. In the United States there was still a certain stigma toward cars made in Japan, but those who bought them could see that they were affordable, high-quality products, and in many cases better than the cheap alternatives made in America.
At that time, cars Nissan They were sold in much of the world under the name Datsun, including the US market. In 1972 the brand sought to advertise some of its models, the 510, which was at the end of its commercial life, the 1200 Sport Coupe, and the new 610, which were offered in various bodies.
For the advertising work of these cars, the brand had various artists to create a work with each of the models as the protagonist. Peter Hurd took charge of 610 Hardtop, Robert Rauschenberg captured the 510 2 door with your personal style, and PeterMax made a colorful picture of 1200 Sport Coupe.
THE COLLABORATION WITH SALVADOR DALÍ
The most international artist that the Japanese firm had was Salvador Dalí, one of the greatest exponents of surrealism, and who is recognized worldwide. The man from Gerona was commissioned to create a work with the new Datsun 610 ranchera as the protagonist.
The painter was already familiar with automobiles, and although he did not drive, several cars were present at his works. Cadillacs were especially the most recurring cars throughout his career, and Dalí's passion for the American brand was known with a phrase that went down in history.
An artist is good when he can buy a car. He's a genius when he can buy a Cadillac
Returning to the Datsun advertisement, Salvador Dalí made a work with a familiar iconography, the same as the melted clocks present in his famous painting “The Persistence of Memory".
The orange Datsun 610 appears in the middle of the canvas, appearing to be poorly integrated into the composition. However, the painting has a lot of symbolism, such as the hands of the clock marking 6 and 10, and the title of the painting itself “6:10".
As a reward for this collaboration The painter received as a gift an orange Datsun 180B Wagon, the European counterpart of the 610, which received a Gerona license plate., a real rarity in the peninsular provinces. The car was used by the workers at his house, and after being abandoned for decades it was restored by the Gala Foundation – Salvador Dalí, and is currently on display in the Púbol Castle, one of the couple's house-museums.
Moreover, The painting on which the advertisement is based is in the Salvador Dalí Museum in Petersburg, in the American state of Florida, which they received as a donation from the American division of Nissan.
ALSO AN ADVERTISING SPOT ON TELEVISION
Dalí was no stranger to the world of advertising, having starred in some other advertisements and also designing logos as legendary as that of Chupacup. Furthermore, it is worth remembering his role in cinema, with his collaborations with Luis Buñuel and Alfred Hitchcock.
Datsun recorded an advertising spot in which the car is involved in a purely Dalinian and surreal scenario, while the painter appears next to the car, and while some of the characteristics of the 610 are listed, Dalí contributes some adjectives to the model, in a sequence that borders on the dreamlike. An asset that Datsun took advantage of for this station wagon that they advertised as being capable of carrying everything you can dream of.
Photos: Nissan of America
