The traditional art car has long led a sedentary life, typically confined behind velvet ropes or sequestered within private collections. Commissioned for a specific moment, photographed extensively, and exhibited perhaps just once, these unique vehicles usually transition into static sculptures that never see open road. However, Larry Warsh, founder of the pioneering CART Department, has spent years collecting and rethinking these exact objects. His newest venture breaks with convention, sending a cohesive fleet of six art-wrapped luxury vehicles directly back out into daily traffic.
Timed to coincide with the bustling Frieze art fair, the ambitious project—titled "A World Within"—unfolded across London throughout October. The initiative places an original, continuous body of work by Brooklyn-based artist KOZO across six of The Peninsula London’s signature vehicles. Comprising two Rolls-Royce Phantoms, a Bentley Bentayga, a BMW i7, an electrified Austin taxi, and an LEVC electric vehicle, this marks the hotel’s very first dedicated art fleet. Rather than serving as a static museum installation, the six distinct automobiles read as a single, continuous work of art. Furthermore, every car remains fully active in the hotel’s fleet, bookable by guests throughout the month, effectively transforming London’s streets into a moving gallery with the public riding safely inside the artwork.
Reimagining the Automobile as a Conceptual Canvas
Larry Warsh established the CART Department on the foundational premise that an automobile can transcend its utilitarian roots to become a profound medium for artistic expression. Explaining the ethos behind the platform, Warsh notes that he created CART Department to champion the dynamic intersection of cars, art, and pop culture, viewing modern automobiles as objects that have evolved far beyond basic transportation into sculptural and conceptual art statements.
The extensive collection curated by Warsh now spans more than 70 one-of-a-kind art cars created by luminaries such as Keith Haring, Barbara Kruger, Jenny Holzer, Lawrence Weiner, Rashid Johnson, and Olafur Eliasson. By enlisting KOZO—an acclaimed tattoo innovator whose micro-realism has fundamentally reshaped both the contemporary fine art world and modern tattooing—Warsh has introduced a fresh perspective into this prestigious lineage.
The visual narrative developed by KOZO for the Peninsula fleet is intricate and layered. The designs are executed to mimic the appearance of paper peeling away, as if the iconic Peninsula Pages are literally tearing back the outer skin of each vehicle to expose an idyllic British landscape hidden underneath. Traditional parklands, grazing animals, and stately homes emerge in rich shades of green and ochre, subtly echoing the signature Peninsula Green hue. These pastoral scenes are intricately threaded with the hotel’s Guardian Lions and recognizable London architectural landmarks like the Wellington Arch.
This three-dimensional, naturalistic landscape is deliberately set against the flatter, monochrome depiction of the Peninsula Pages. Rendered in clean outlines that draw directly from tattoo-flash graphic traditions, these human figures create a distinct visual separation between historical myth and the present-day observers discovering it. According to KOZO, the collection successfully bridges past and present, generating unexpected juxtapositions that allow history and folklore to feel alive once again. The artist intended for the viewer to become an active participant in the narrative simply by journeying within the moving art fleet, letting the rich history of the luxury hospitality brand surface literally through the physical skin of a car engaged in daily service.
Navigating Form and Motion
Translating a deeply detailed artistic vision onto the complex, curved geometry of luxury automobiles presented a unique technical challenge. Over a rigorous three-month period, KOZO conceived and refined the composition, beginning with detailed digital sketches laid directly over precise photographs of each specific car model. The finalized artwork was then expertly fabricated into specialized vinyl wraps by the detailing specialists at Topaz, working in close collaboration with The Peninsula.
Reflecting on the unique demands of the medium, KOZO points out that an automobile is fundamentally different from a blank white canvas. The project required him to translate his established visual language as a painter and tattoo artist onto a dynamic, moving vessel. The distinct physical proportions of each individual vehicle model actively shaped his drawing process from the outset. Every existing contour—from the car’s original paint color and body curves to the specific shapes of the hood, trunk, doors, and even minor hardware like side reflectors—had to be carefully factored into the composition. Rather than fighting against the machinery, KOZO’s design incorporates these architectural elements directly into the overarching artistic narrative, ensuring the final imagery remains striking and legible even when the vehicle is in motion.
A Century-Long Heritage Rooted in Automotive Excellence
For Warsh, this collaboration represents a natural alignment with the core identity of The Peninsula brand, whose relationship with the automobile spans nearly a century. This deep connection dates back to a historic, record-setting order of Rolls-Royce Phantoms placed by the company in Hong Kong decades ago. Warsh emphasizes that The Peninsula London proved to be an ideal partner because their foundational heritage is genuinely rooted in automotive culture, visible throughout the property from its immaculate fleet to the car-themed restaurant situated on the hotel’s eighth floor, which pays tasteful homage to the company’s storied history.
This partnership also marks a full-circle moment for Warsh, whose prior creative collaborations with the luxury hospitality group included arranging the exhibition of a David Hockney BMW art car at a Peninsula property—an early seed that ultimately blossomed into the current London fleet project. Highlighting the philosophical heart of the endeavor, Warsh points out that traditional art cars are typically restrictive sculptural objects that people can never actually experience from the inside. By contrast, this initiative allows everyday passengers to ride in style and elegance, perfectly synchronizing with the core values of the hospitality brand.
Bringing Art Beyond Conventional Spaces
Ultimately, accessibility remains the primary driver behind Warsh’s ongoing work with the CART Department. He views the automobile as a powerful bridge connecting diverse audiences, offering a unique medium through which contemporary art can be taught and appreciated outside of traditional institutional walls. By anchoring the exhibition in London during the high-profile Frieze art week, the project places innovative contemporary art directly in front of an international crowd already primed for creative engagement, while simultaneously introducing the work to everyday commuters and passersby who might not otherwise visit a conventional gallery space.
Throughout October, this moving exhibition bypassed the traditional confines of fair booths and museum galleries, operating entirely out in the open streets and remaining fully accessible to anyone who booked a hotel transfer. While the art car has historically been something meant purely to be looked at from behind a barrier, Warsh and KOZO have successfully engineered a moving gallery that invites the public to step directly inside.
