AT THE PIAGGIO MUSEUM IN PONTEDERA, FROM 25 JANUARY THROUGH 6 APRIL 2024, ALL THE THRILLS OF THE MOST EXTREME MOTORCYCLING COMPETITION IN THE WORLD PORTRAYED THROUGH THE PHOTOS OF JAPANESE PHOTOGRAPHER AKI KUSUDO THE EXTRAORDINARY RS-GP BIKE ON DISPLAY, THE TECHNOLOGICAL JEWEL WHICH, IN THE LAST TWO SEASONS PLACED APRILIA AMONG THE PROTAGONISTS OF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GP MOTORCYCLE RACING
Pontedera (Pisa, Italy), 24 January 2024 - Aprilia vista da Oriente (Translator's note: Aprilia viewed from the orient), is the spectacular photo exhibit set up at the Piaggio Museum in Pontedera by Aprilia Racing and the Piaggio Foundation.
In the Pontedera Piaggio Museum’s exhibition spaces, from 25 January through 6 April 2024, Aprilia tells the tale of its commitment to sport, made up of a great passion and the highest technological research, thanks to magnificent photos by Japanese photographer Aki Kusudo.
The exhibit, curated by journalist Enrico Borghi, is a total immersion in the racing world which, thanks to a series of large format images with an extraordinary emotional impact, tells of Aprilia’s commitment in the most difficult and challenging competition in the motorcycling world, the MotoGP world championship.
Photo credits: Giuseppe Magnanimo.
Aprilia is currently the youngest brand to have made motorsport history and it is also the most victorious manufacturer in World Championship GP Motorcycle Racing with 297 GP wins. Participating in the premier class since 2015, over the last two seasons, they have reaped the fruits of their great labour.
Made during the Grand Prix of Japan last season, Aki Kusudo’s images portray, first and foremost, the human efforts and the incomparable skills of the Aprilia Racing staff who, every race weekend and on tracks all over the world, perpetuate the profound Italian culture in motorsport.
The moments of tension in the extremely tight times working at the track come to life in photographs filtered by the photographer's great sensitivity, enhancing the work and the talent of those who have the honour and responsibility of taking the name of Italy into the world. Visitors will be accompanied in the discovery of Aki Kusudo’s photographic technique thanks to original sound captions that can be downloaded using QR code technology.
Photo credits: Giuseppe Magnanimo.
This highly fascinating narrative element that the photographic art of Aki Kusudo and the setting of the photos - the Motegi circuit - highlights the relationship of the Italian and Japanese motorcycling cultures.
Hence, the title of the exhibit, Aprilia vista da Oriente (Translator’s note: Aprilia viewed from the Orient) which emphasises the extremely close bond between those old and glorious rivals which are Italian and Japanese motorcycling.
Two faraway cultures where skill and love for technological research have joined a deep historic heritage of craftsmanship and extremely fine manufacturing to create two of the most extraordinary motorcycling industries which, (including in racing), have dominated for many decades.
Alongside the photos - an essential element of the story - the 2023 Aprilia RS-GP is displayed - an object which is the only one of its kind in the world, a jewel of extraordinary refinement and cutting-edge technology which dictated the lines of development for the entire championship in the aerodynamics field. It is the prototype which, ridden in the races by riders Aleix Espargaró and Maverick Viñales, took three wins, twelve podiums, and three pole positions over the last few years.
The machine, on display for public viewing for a limited time, is the same bike Aleix Espargaró rode to victory in the most recent Grand Prix races of England and Catalunya, on the legendary Silverstone and Montmeló tracks.
Information, times, and booking on the Piaggio Museum website:
www.museopiaggio.it/en
