Xtraordinary Art: Alan Kitching

The all-new Kia Xceed is a car built to cross limits effortlessly, exploring the boundaries of what is possible. The 'X' in Xceed marks the spot for new adventures, and with this in mind we commissioned three artists from different disciplines to take on the challenge of creating a bespoke artwork based on the theme 'X marks the spot'. I wanted to find artists that were pioneers in their fields, forward-thinking and bold in their approach to the brief. First up was Alan Kitching - one of the worlds foremost practitioners of letterpress design and printmaking. For his commission, Kitching took 33 words associated with adventure and discovery and compiled them together to create a giant typographic X. The words were created using Kitching's vast collection of antique woodblock type. These were then roll painted by hand, using black and yellow to echo the shades of the all-new Kia Xceed, giving the final artwork an urban feel that tied into the car's aesthetic. 'X is a very interesting, ancient graphic device,' says Kitching, 'And 'X marks the spot' recalls a symbol found on the map of any self-respecting adventurer'. Alan collaborated with renowned set builder Mandy Smith who carefully curated a selection of yellow balloons that were suspended to the cars roof creating the illusion of it hovering over the X ready for it's next adventure. The artwork was photographed by Luke Kirwan and published in The Sunday Times Magazine on October 13th.