The World's Largest Flying Canvas Takes Flight: STARLUX AIRSORAYAMA Silver Redefines Art in the Sky
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TOULOUSE, France and TAIPEI, Taiwan, July 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- STARLUX Airlines today took delivery of STARLUX AIRSORAYAMA Silver at the Airbus Delivery Center in Toulouse, France, bringing to life its landmark collaboration with visionary Japanese artist Hajime Sorayama. Conceived as the world's largest flying canvas, the aircraft represents STARLUX's first-ever special livery. STARLUX Chairman K.W. Chang and CEO Glenn Chai personally led a delegation to Toulouse to mark the occasion alongside Airbus Commercial Aircraft CEO Lars Wagner, Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace President Rob Watson, and MANKIEWICZ Director Jacques Robillard.
The ceremony reflected the scale and ambition of the project. The Airbus Delivery Center was transformed into an immersive art experience, featuring large-scale reflective metallic surfaces, dramatic lighting, and a custom soundscape. The event culminated in the joint unveiling of STARLUX AIRSORAYAMA Silver by Chang and Wagner, as a sweeping curtain rose to reveal the aircraft's liquid-metal fuselage shimmering under the lights, blurring the line between aircraft and sculpture.
For Chairman Chang, the occasion extends beyond the unveiling. He will personally pilot STARLUX AIRSORAYAMA Silver on its maiden journey to Taiwan, departing Toulouse at 15:00 local time on July 4 and arriving at Taoyuan Airport at 11:05 on July 5.
"We are deeply grateful for the tremendous enthusiasm this project has generated,” said STARLUX CEO Glenn Chai. “We extend our heartfelt thanks to Sorayama- sensei for personally taking on the design, and Airbus and MANKIEWICZ for their commitment to an extraordinarily complex task. Three years of preparation went into bringing this vision to life, and every party held the same standard: perfection in every detail.”
“The A350-1000 Long Range Leader is the natural flagship for STARLUX’s long haul ambitions, built to optimise routes, reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions, and deliver the comfort their passengers expect as they connect more of the world with efficiency and style. We are proud to see it delivered in the striking and unique AIRSORAYAMA livery, and we look forward to seeing this stunning aircraft grace the skies,” said Lars Wagner, CEO Commercial Aircraft at Airbus.
The STARLUX AIRSORAYAMA Silver livery carries Sorayama's signature aesthetic throughout, with silver as the dominant tone and gold as an accent, and the AIRSORAYAMA co-branded logo rendered on the fuselage, belly, wingtips, and crown. To achieve Sorayama’s signature liquid-metal effect, STARLUX collaborated closely with Airbus and leading coatings manufacturer MANKIEWICZ to develop a specialized multi-coating process that delivers the layered, fluid depth of Sorayama's work while meeting rigorous aircraft requirements.
That effort also led to the creation of AIRSORAYAMA SILVER and AIRSORAYAMA GOLD, two custom metallic shades developed with Pantone and officially incorporated into the Pantone Color System, the first proprietary metallic colors engineered specifically for commercial aviation.
The collaboration extends beyond the exterior. Themed inflight amenities, a safety video, and a collection of co-branded merchandise bring the AIRSORAYAMA experience to passengers throughout their journey.
STARLUX AIRSORAYAMA’s website is: https://media.starlux-airlines.com/airsorayama/en.
About STARLUX Airlines
Founded on the philosophy that luxury should be available to everyone, not just the elite, Taiwan-based STARLUX is a boutique international airline serving a total of 32 destinations across the US, Japan, South Korea, Macau, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore. STARLUX passengers traveling between North America and Asia are able to enjoy an easy transfer in Taipei with its five US destinations: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Ontario, California, and Phoenix. Recognized globally for its excellence, STARLUX has been awarded Skytrax 5-Star Airline status, earned the APEX Five-Star Global Airline Awards, and received a 7-Star PLUS Safety Rating from AirlineRatings. STARLUX prioritizes safety and offers unparalleled service with the goal of making flying a truly luxurious and unforgettable experience. For more information, visit https://www.starlux-airlines.com/en-US or on our US social channels, Facebook and Instagram.
About Hajime Sorayama, Pioneer of Hyperrealist Mechanical Aesthetics
Born in 1947, Hajime Sorayama is one of the most influential contemporary artists working today. He pioneered Hyperrealist Robotic Aesthetics — an approach that pushes airbrush technique to its limits to render metallic textures with photographic precision, dissolving the boundary between organic life and machine. His Sexy Robot series, introduced in 1983, permanently shaped how robots are depicted in popular culture, with influence traceable from RoboCop to the collections of Thierry Mugler. His work is held in the permanent collections of MoMA, the Smithsonian Institution, and M+ Museum in Hong Kong, and his collaborators include Dior, Sony, The Weeknd, and Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton. Sorayama's largest career retrospective, Light, Transparency, Reflection, is currently on view at CREATIVE MUSEUM TOKYO in Kyobashi, Tokyo.
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