Dear Friends,

Last month, we celebrated the first anniversary of the M.A.D. Gallery! In 12 months we welcomed over 4’000 visitors from 30-odd countries. Some came specifically for our timepieces and discovered our M.A.D. universe ; others came for the creations showcased at the Gallery and discovered our timepieces. And others simply stumbled upon the Gallery walking around Geneva’s old town.

In any case, they always seem to wonder what sort of place they have entered.

“Are the motorbikes and the watches by the same artist?” - “Are these objects for sale?” - “What are you exactly?” are the FAQs if I may say. Taking the time to actually explain the general concept of the M.A.D. Gallery and observing visitors’ reactions always gives everyone at MB&F great pleasure.

Some of our ‘Mechanical Art Devices’ have truly become favorites… and if you’re about to embark on the difficult task of finding holiday gifts for your family and friends, these might come in handy:

The Applause Machines by British alliance Laikingland always make people smile. Martin Smith and engineer Nick Regan have created limited-edition kinetic art pieces evoking a sense of play and nostalgia. At the push of a button, the Applause Machine’s hands clap together rhythmically.

The Böhm Stirling small engines inspire engineers-at-heart with a love for mechanics. These impressive little German-made machines are based on a simple principle: light a small flame under the piston, wait a short while for the engine to heat up and then watch this little marvel whizz around. The machines might smack of vintage steam engines, but in fact they transform hot air into sizzling motors.

The Konstantin B cars are probably the only toys you’ll deliberately leave on your living room floor. Slovenian designer Nika Zupanc managed to reinterpret beautifully the look of 1960s motoring icon, the Citroën DS. With a decorative wind-up key, a lacquered epoxy body shell and functional steering and wheels, this sit-on car can hold up to 65kg.

the Motorlights by Jake Dyson are real proof of the “like father, like son” adage. The offspring of James Dyson - inventor of the eponymous vacuum cleaner – launched his own design studio in 1994. This is where the Motorlight was born, a motorised lamp of which the reflector gracefully moves up and down, varying the projected light beam.

And Marc Ninghetto’s latest series of photographs sends those who grew up with Grendizer and AstroBoy back to their childhood. In 15 years of photography and as many exhibitions, Marc had not hitherto found a pretext for this series of eight photos related to his childhood heroes… The M.A.D. Gallery let him finally unleash that part of his creativity.

Wishing you all a great 2012 year-end and looking forward to catching up soon for more creativity, artisanship and a touch of craziness!

With our very best regards,

Maximilian Büsser
Owner and Creative Director