Studio Job gives the Land Rover Defender a bold new look to mark its 65th anniversary
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

With a horn protruding from its bonnet and a tongue hanging from its grille, the Land Rover Defender (opens in new tab) has undergone quite a transformation for its 65th anniversary. Add stained glass windows and bronze door panels and there could really only be one name responsible for it's eye-popping change: Studio Job (opens in new tab)
The Antwerp-based practice has always taken a subversive approach to design. Creating furniture and objects for brands like Moooi (opens in new tab), Bisazza (opens in new tab) and Carpenters Workshop Gallery (opens in new tab), it brings a witty, highly decorative sensibility to industrial design and limited-edition works, pushing ornamentation and craftsmanship to the extreme. Which makes the studio a curious choice for Jaguar Land Rover to charge with creating an anniversary edition of the Defender – its rugged icon of off-roading prowess.
But the car brand doesn't shy away from artistic collaboration. The Defender has already been placed in the hands of designer Piet Boon (opens in new tab) and fashion brand G Star Raw (opens in new tab) in recent years. This latest, considerably more daring pairing was born from the personal interest of Marc Bienemann, managing director of Jaguar Land Rover BeNeLux. 'I've known Studio Job for a long time,' he says. 'I've always liked the way they iconize objects by giving them a twist and recasting them in precious materials. And I felt that the Defender's 65th anniversary called for something truly one-off.'
A 'one-off' he has certainly got. Whereas previous collaborations have seen subtle changes to upholstery and exterior styling, Studio Job has literally pulled the car (a 2012 Defender 90 Soft Top) apart and rebuilt it. 'We didn't want this to be a simple styling task – there are better people for that than us,' says Job Smeets, who heads the studio alongside Nynke Tynagel.
In the process of merging the industrial piece and sculpture into one, no detail has been overlooked. Headlamps are polychrome hand-blown glass, the gear lever is cast in bronze, door handles are made from hand-painted faience, and seats are upholstered with fabrics bearing car parts and African imagery.
'I imagine this car as being the parade car of an African tribal leader,' says Smeets. 'It's a caricature of a status symbol.' This would explain the rubber mud flaps and flags with reliefs of African countries and the tribal masks that adorn the windshield. The car is also a riff on the 'testosterone-fuelled Pimp My Ride programmes you see on TV,' he adds.
The 'Art Defender' sculpture isn't, in fact, Studio Job's first collaboration with the brand. Earlier this year, it was tasked to create a limited-edition collection of miniature bronze models inspired by the Land Rover Evoque, handed to those that purchase the car. 'That project was an introductory taster of what we offer, whereas the Art Defender is a truly Studio Job piece', says Smeets. 'It's about pushing the boundaries of what a brand will allow an artist to do.' Thankfully Jaguar Land Rover was remarkably open minded. Says Bienemann: 'We didn't want to set conditions because we wanted an artist's impression of the car. What we've got now is a new icon that is directly recognisable as a Studio Job piece, yet still clearly a Defender.'
Jaguar Land Rover did set one condition however: that the car should be 'driveable'. But even this was a notion Studio Job took pretty loosely. It may be possible to maneuver the Art Defender, but those stained glass windows, and sculpture-embellished wheels might make navigating muddy woodland trails a challenge. But then functionality has never been a big concern for this most unusual of design studios.
On the bonnet of the car is a turning globe, inlaid with Swarovski crystals.
A wheel cap, shaped like The United States Capitol.
Wing mirrors also feature Swarovski crystals.
The metal flags are emblazoned with reliefs of the flags of African countries, including Liberia and the Congo.
A huge truck steering wheel, with a drive button bearing the word 'Job'. The car features a bronze frame.
A wheel cap shaped like the Colloseum.
Protruding from the Art Defender's grille is a huge aluminium tongue
Horns are made from bronze, aluminium and rubber.
The back of the Art Defender.
-
Venice Architecture Biennale 2023: who, when, and what to look forward to
As we start gearing up for the Venice Architecture Biennale 2023, we explore what's in store for visitors at the world's famous celebration of building design
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
John-Paul Philippe presents ‘Ombre’, an evocative show at Cristina Grajales, New York
New York gallerist Cristina Grajales presents 'Ombre' by John-Paul Philippe (until 28 April 2023): the artist tells us about this new body of work, and finding inspiration in parakeets
By Emily R. Pellerin • Published
-
Jacques’ wellness-promoting objects by Vincent Van Duysen explore functionality in mindfulness
Vincent Van Duysen and Jacques' founder Gregg Cohenca present a collection of versatile objects and furniture that encourage tranquillity and mindfulness
By Tilly Macalister-Smith • Published
-
The first all-electric Jaguar is currently an endangered species
The Jaguar I-Pace, launched four years ago, remains one of the best EVs to drive, yet is still the company’s only all-electric car. What’s Jaguar’s next move?
By Jonathan Bell • Last updated
-
I-Pace versus F-Type: the last of the Jaguar V8s?
New design leadership is aiming to engage the discerning EV buyer of today
By Jonathan Bell • Last updated
-
Classic car revivals: everything old is new again
Here, we round up a few firms who are committed to dishing up revived classics from their past
By Jonathan Bell • Last updated
-
Jaguar Land Rover’s Warwickshire facility features one of Europe’s largest timber roofs
Based in a former World War II airbase, Jaguar Land Rover's new design studio is a statement to the company's dedication to contemporary design
By Jonathan Bell • Last updated
-
Back with bite: Lister returns with raucous LFT-C
The new LFT-C delivers the Lister name into the modern world with force
By Rory FH Smith • Last updated
-
Jaguar’s Ian Callum on his new design consultancy, favourite cars, and David Bowie
By Nargess Shahmanesh Banks • Last updated
-
Jaguar I-Pace sets the marque on track for an all-electric future
By Jonathan Bell • Last updated
-
Does Jaguar’s XF Sportbrake stand out in today’s SUV-heavy market?
By Jonathan Bell • Last updated