Model E

Because of the controversy between Elon Musk and Ford Motor Company over the naming of the Model 3—which Musk originally wanted to call the “Model E”—I became fascinated by the parallels between two pivotal moments in the history of innovation. Ford, having already established the Model T and Model A as icons of mass production and industrial progress, challenged Tesla’s attempt at this naming. This dispute—rooted in proprietary naming rights, patents, and the ownership of legacy—became more than a legal skirmish. It symbolized the clash between old and new industrial empires, each claiming its place in the continuum of technological evolution.

For me, this moment in time represents a pinpoint in the larger story of innovation, a narrative spanning decades of work, conversation, and vision that has driven society toward a more technologically integrated future. The rise of autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, and the blurring of lines between human decision-making and machine processes made this story even more compelling.

I envisioned an artwork that captures this collision of eras—between Ford Motor Company and Tesla—not simply as a historical footnote, but as an allegory for the entire arc of industrial and technological progress. In my mind, it becomes an image of debate and dialogue: two epochs locked in conversation, reflecting on ownership, naming, and the nature of “proprietary” goods.

Ultimately, I see these disputes as temporary constructs. Names, patents, and monopolies appear solid, but over time everything blends into a larger continuum—a pool of technologies, ideas, and information that feeds an AI-driven, collective consciousness. What was once separate becomes integrated; what was once guarded becomes shared.

This is the heart of my concept: an image that embodies both the argument and the inevitability of convergence. It is a meditation on how industry, innovation, and identity dissolve into a single, streamlined, organic consciousness—the new gateway of knowledge and knowing.