Sequential at M.A.D.Gallery, Geneva

Swiss watch line MB&F’s M.A.D.Gallery has functioned as a display point for a wide range of wonderful and strange design creations since the original Geneva location opened in 2011. From watches to illustrations, kinetic sculptures, and eccentric oddities, the M.A.D.Gallery curates a collection that is thoughtful, delightful, and well matched with the greater MB&F aesthetic. M.A.D.Gallery should be on everyone’s list of places to see in Geneva, especially those with an eye for automotive design (the fact that it’s located just down the street from the excellent Auer Chocolatier shop doesn’t hurt, either).

M.A.D.Gallery’s latest exhibit is a limited collection of automotive-themed design pieces created partnership with French sculptor Antoine Dufilho and on display until sold. Called Sequential, the exhibition demonstrates artistic interpretations of eight classic cars.

Idiosyncratically inspired by architecture and medicine, Dufilho applies a variety of hand manufacturing techniques to create a sort of spiritual rendering of some very famous cars. The classic vehicles captured by Dufilho include the Bugatti Type 57S Atlantic, the Aston Martin DB5, the Auto-Union-Avus, the Porsche 356, the Mercedes W196 Streamliner, the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato, the Ferrari 250 GTO, and the Jaguar E-Type.

Called Sequential, the M.A.D.Gallery’s latest exhibition demonstrates artistic interpretations of eight classic cars.

Each car is rendered in a distinct fashion and Dufilho creates these complex forms using materials exclusively sourced within 30 kilometres of his studio. Aside from some later cutting for various metal plates, the works are labour intensively created by hand.

From the boldly architectural Bugatti Type 57S, which is built in silhouette and comprised of an array of vertically arranged metal plates, to the intricate wood and metal Mercedes W196 Steamliner, these creations reinterpret the basic idea of a classic child’s toy or model (an established inspiration in the MB&F world).

Dufilho’s Ferrari 250 GTO is hand formed in resin before being coated in automotive paint. Limited to eight examples and mounted on a 75 centimetre base, this automotive sculpture is larger than most others in the exhibit, and recreates the GTO’s legendary shape with strong effect. Perhaps the most incredible of the Sequential collection is the one-off Jaguar E-Type sculpture, which was formed via the delicate placement of over 2200 2 millimetre-thick steel rods. The effect is almost magically holographic.

Speaking to the design and thought process for the Bugatti sculpture, Dufilho says, “This sequenced representation provides a kinetic effect as the observer views the piece from different perspectives causing the sensation of a static object in movement. The dynamic effect is accentuated by alternating symmetries and asymmetries proving the feel of acceleration or deceleration”.

For the automotive enthusiast with an eye for design, handcraft, and classic cars, these sculptures have an undeniable appeal. Whether it’s the nose of a DB4 GT Zagato exiting a wall-mountable polished steel plate, or the more abstract frequency of lines that form the Auto-Union-Avus, the Sequential exhibit is a perfect example of what makes the M.A.D.Gallery so special. If you’re passing through Geneva, don’t miss the chance to see these pieces in the metal.

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