Polestar Teams With Ridler For Sydney Solar Spectacle

The Exhibition

Polestar, the Swedish electric performance marque, has teamed up with image-maker Justin Ridler for Beyond the Horizon at Sydney Contemporary. It is exactly the sort of arts-and-automotive crossover that makes you tilt your head and think, rather nicely, that the future might have style as well as batteries. The show runs at Sydney Contemporary from 11 to 14 September 2025, where Polestar returns as Automotive Partner.

The Anti-Twilight Arch

Ridler’s work is centred on a curious atmospheric trick called the anti-twilight arch. Imagine the Earth throwing its shadow into space and you have the idea. It is faint, fleeting and faintly theatrical – a projection of the planet’s shadow that hangs on the edge of visibility as twilight approaches. Ridler photographed the phenomenon over several days at Lake Tyrrell in northern Victoria, on Boorong Country, and turned that near-ephemeral moment into something you can study at leisure.

How Ridler Works

Ridler is an image-maker who happily straddles photography, digital art and immersive filmmaking. He mixes traditional photographic technique with motion capture, CGI and real-time rendering to produce visuals that feel emotional rather than merely clever. He describes the Lake Tyrrell sessions as a rare, slower rhythm away from the studio – “a kind of meditation” that let him reconnect with light, landscape, movement and time.

The Car That Got Him There

True to form, Ridler drove to Lake Tyrrell in a Polestar 4. The car is a neat trick in itself – coupe looks with SUV space, and no rear windscreen. Instead you get a high-definition rear-facing camera feed that returns the rear view as a screen in the cabin. The interior takes cues from the solar system and offers eight ambient lighting modes inspired by the planets. “Polestar is proud to be partnering with Justin, who’s at the cutting edge of his craft,” said Jonathan Williams, Head of Marketing at Polestar Australia. “This project is best experienced from behind the wheel of Polestar 4, where the rear-facing camera provides a portal into the otherworldly anti-twilight arch.”

What To Expect

Expect image work that asks you to slow down and stare. Expect a display best appreciated with a sense of spectacle and a touch of silliness – in the very best sense. If you like cars that think and art that looks like it came from somewhere between a planetarium and a dream, this one is for you.

Zachary Skinner

Zachary Skinner is the editor of TechDrivePlay.com, where tech, cars and adventure share the fast lane.
A former snowboarding pro and programmer, he brings both creative flair and technical know-how to his reviews. From high-performance cars to clever gadgets, he explores how innovation shapes the way we move, connect and live.