The Top Marques Monaco 2010 exhibition was the event chosen for the world premiere of two new sculptures by the award-winning Swiss artist Dante, and the reaction to the bespoke works of art from a host international celebrities was extraordinary. The annual event, which is held in the luxurious surroundings of the Grimaldi Forum in the heart of Monaco, was attended by H.S.H. Prince Albert II, who made a point of visiting the Design by Dante stand to view the items in person. However, he was not alone in wishing to experience the unique splendour of the artist’s new series of sculptures depicting iconic sports cars, as the star designer Kenzo and Sir Roger Moore were also among those who took the opportunity to discuss the project with Dante in person.
Having created numerous works of art and undertaken commissions of various kinds, ranging from interior design to special work on several legendary vehicles, Dante was drawn to the form and style represented by the modern sports car, and as an artist of vision he determined to produce a limited edition series combining the elegance and expression of the most iconic models. Both full and half scale sculptures of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing were produced in 2009 and these have now been joined by Dante’s latest creations: quarter scale, 1:4, interpretations of the 300 SL and the Aston Martin DB5. The latter was made famous in the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger, and so it was most appropriate that Sir Roger Moore unveiled the sculpture to the media.
Dante has sought to express his artistic talents in a variety of different ways, and this desire to create has culminated in the series of iconic car sculptures. The fusion of automotive design and artistic expression which he has managed to capture with the first two sculptures in the series was immediately obvious to all those who were present in Monaco. Both of the new quarter scale works of art were finished in 24 carat gold and offered the lustre and quality normally associated with the finest jewellery, while at the same time providing classic car enthusiasts and serious art collectors with all the benefits of a limited edition piece.
The successful premiere of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL and Aston Martin DB5 sculptures has naturally led to a large number of requests for Dante to display the new works of art at other exhibitions, and therefore a comprehensive schedule is currently being collated. It is hoped that Design by Dante will be present at special events in Cannes and Nice during the film festival, in London during the summer months and in Italy in September for the famous Mille Miglia event, as well as a host of art exhibitions across the world. And of course, Design by Dante will return for the Top Marques 2011 exhibition, where Dante would be delighted to meet anyone interested in his work and to discuss all aspects of this project.
