Big Boys Toys 2014: Luxury art piece with shock value

Household sheds are usually full of old, beaten up has-beens, but if you come across a neglected bike and some half used tins of paint then you could be set to make millions if Dubai’s latest luxury unveiling is anything to go by.

During a teaser Press conference on Sunday which promised to “unveil never-seen-before showstoppers” ahead of Big Boys Toys 2014, the world’s most expensive art bicycle — valued at a “cheap” $3 million — left those in the room questioning such an extravagant price tag.

With Big Boys Toys 2014 set to take place at Skydive Dubai The Palm for the first time since being launched, Exhibitions Director for Artaaj Events Atif Malik said the new venue was the perfect setting for an adrenalin packed event. The event will run from October 3 to 5.

Splattered in colourful paint, the basic-framed bicycle could be  mistaken for a kid’s art project but the work was created by Andy Warhol’s protégé, Jack Armstrong.

Dubbed the ‘Cosmic Star-Cruiser Artbike’, the one-of-a-kind luxury art piece is hand painted by the internationally renowned artist, but comes without any fancy extras or gadgets.

Flown in from the US to represent Armstrong and his unique creation, Academy of Business Leadership (ABL) President and CEO Anna Ouroumian said the quirky artist set out to create this piece some years ago.

“A few years ago Jack vowed to create the world’s most expensive bicycle, car and motorbike. With this latest unveiling as well as his Cosmic Starship Harley Davidson, which sold for $3m in 2010, he has so far managed two out of three”.

And with his artwork to date selling for between $750,000 and $6 million, Ouroumian said this latest piece — which will be one of only 20 individual pieces he plans to create — was a good investment for the right buyer.