Bridgestone Showcases Tyres as Art at Exhibition
In an innovative collaboration that blends art and industry, Bridgestone’s tyre products have been transformed into a unique art form at a contemporary art exhibition in the UK.
London-based artist Madeleine Ruggi has turned her fascination with Bridgestone’s Bulldog retread plant in Bourne into a striking body of work featured in the exhibition titled Soft Landing. This exhibition, which opened to the public at Palmer Gallery, is set for a return during the upcoming Frieze Art Fair week.
The exhibition features an array of creations, including a 44-minute immersive sound sculpture named Distress Purchase, two wall-based sculptures, and a print made from materials sourced from the Bourne plant, such as retread rubber and original audio recordings captured on-site.
Madeleine’s journey began in 2024 when she visited Bridgestone’s factory in Lincolnshire, where she received an in-depth tour of the retread process from plant manager Dan Edwards. Inspired by the textures, machinery, and the conversations she encountered, she left with lengths of tread rubber, hours of field recordings, and new artistic inspiration.
“The manufacturing environments I visit reveal fascinating materials that are often overlooked yet are essential to modern life – like rubber tyre tread and industrial hardware. These materials form integral parts of my works, inviting others to notice their significance,” Madeleine explained. “Meeting the Bridgestone team and experiencing the factory firsthand provided me with invaluable insights into the detailed production processes and the skilled labour required to create such products, revealing the sculptural beauty of tread.”
Known for her exploration of the often-invisible infrastructures within global trade, including cargo ships and haulage systems, Madeleine brings a fresh perspective to the role of industrial settings in contemporary society.
Bridgestone’s Head of Marketing, Andy Mathias, commended Madeleine’s creative efforts: “We have always appreciated the beauty of our retread process, but never in such a literal way. Witnessing our products interpreted through art is incredibly rewarding, marking a unique collaboration that we have never experienced before.”
For more information on the tyre exhibit click on https://palmergallery.co.uk/exhibitions/26-soft-landing-exhibition-10/overview/.
