VanMoof x Eike König: Exploring electric pleasure at The Ground festival
Berlin is known as the hedonistic capital of Europe. So it’s safe to say that Berliners are pretty well versed in having a good time. And nothing is quite as joyus as flying along the city streets on a VanMoof, uncovering every corner and crease of Berlin, and unlocking its true essence. We came to The Ground festival in Berlin with this very idea in mind, and brought artist Eike König along for the ride.
The Ground brings together fashion, lifestyle, culture, and diverse perspectives over three days in July. The festival was founded on the idea of building a better future through celebration, so our pop-up ‘Pitstop: Pleasure’ – which was all about the joys of making the switch to an e-bike for city journeys – fit right in.
And we weren’t there alone. Berlin-based artist, Eike König, joined us at the pop-up to hand paint limited-edition VanMoof S3s in his iconic, bold, typographic style live in front of festival-goers. Our ‘Pitstop: Pleasure’ pop-up was made up of three parts: Eike’s Atelier, where he worked on designs throughout the event, a space for festival-goers to get up close and personal with our bikes, and a test ride track for when they were ready to put them to the test.
As a world-renowned artist and creative director of the Berlin creative collective, HORT, König explores complex themes such as consumption and gentrification by capturing them in thought-provoking buzzwords. König’s creative work in collaboration with VanMoof hones in on the connection between riding a VanMoof to get closer to the city. It depicts the bike as the tool to unlock the real pleasures of the city: “I feel very much connected with the streets, the city, and the people around me,” he explains. “Only when you’re riding do you truly get that.” His designs bring to life what it means to be at one with the city in a way that can only be experienced while riding a bike:
“I see my VanMoof as my funky body extension on wheels. All of my senses are activated and I’m instantly in the moment.”
Want to take a look at the bikes that acted as Eike’s blank canvas?
Explore the VanMoof S3 & X3
