The famous international singer and songwriter, Mika, has been asked to collaborate with Swatch on their 30th birthday celebrations! This partnership comes naturally because the Swiss watchmaker has been a partner of the modern art fair since its establishment.
Mika 4 Swatch Watch
Swatch asked Mika to bring his striking, quirky and colorful sense of fun to the brand and he did it! This Lebanese-British soloist developed two eye-catching designs, both of which express his idea of the wristwatch as a totemic object. As connoisseurs of Mika’s work know, his creative approach always starts with a story.
For this amazing project, Mika imagined a totem pole/watch which appears on an unknown planet. At first, the inhabitants are puzzled, then intimidated of the alien object which they come to worship. When it fails to give them what they need, they chop it down, and all that remains of the totem pole is the timepiece itself.
Mika’s two wristwatches boast a bold, yet simple pattern on the strap. As Mika said “the patterns are a mix of designs that can be found in Moroccan, Tunisian, as well as in other African and Oceanic tribal motifs.”
Mika 4 Swatch Watches Front
Each of two dials features an image which suggests a traditional African tribal mask. “The tribal mask heads are a mix of sources. It is difficult to pinpoint what they might be. But it doesn’t really matter, because they have the same function – they are there to inspire curiosity and awe. That was one of the main parts of our idea. We wanted the object to feel a little bit mystical,” Mika added.
Mika has actually designed these watches together with his sister, Yasmine. The two have been designing and creating artworks together for the last decade from their London studio. At this project, Yasmine and Mika have been working for the last 12 months.
Mika 4 Swatch Watch Box
Thanks to the Swatch application, it is possible to reveal the new perspective of these timepieces. Just scan the watch or visuals showing the watch and discover the spirit world of the mask which changes daily (every 2 hours), thus providing a surprisingly amusing experience.
Mika
About this collaboration, Mika said: “Swatch is such an iconic brand. I have always admired their creativity. It’s a design brand that has been able to reflect every decade since it was launched, while remaining incredibly consistent with its unique design principles. I grew up with Swatch and have been a fan for years, so to be one of the 30 people chosen to represent the brand at their 30th anniversary is brilliant! I look forward to seeing what the next 30 years will hold, too.”
