A unique space for quirky kinetic art

MB&F M.A.D. Gallery is a unique art space that specialises in cutting edge mechanical and kinetic art. M.A.D. stands for Mechanical Art Devices, and visitors to the gallery will discover beautiful and fun pieces such as levitating artworks created from watch components, interactive alien-like steel sculptures inspired by weapons, one-of-a-kind motorcycle “road sculptures”, miniature working Baum Sterling engines, applause machines, mechanical tapping fingers, contemporary versions of traditional music boxes, customised models of the Penny Farthing unicycle and a variety of horological machines ranging from spider-shaped wall clocks to wrist watches shaped like spacecraft and racing cars.

The artworks are diverse and created by artists from around the world, but what they have in common is the originality of concept, intricacy of detail and exquisite craftsmanship.

The gallery is the brainchild of Swiss micro-engineer and watchmaker, Maximilian Büsser, owner and creative director of MB&F Horological Lab, a company that specialises in creating radical horological machines. Büsser gave up a successful career in the watch industry to pursue his passion for combining traditional high-quality watchmaking with cutting edge technology to create unique three-dimensional horological sculptures.

MB&F stands for Maximilian Büsser & Friends, and the founding premise of the company is to give recognition to everyone it collaborates with.

“In today’s world of digital technology and smart devices, watchmaking is an anachronistic and dying art, but I love it because it is so beautiful. I collaborate with artisans, micro-engineers and watchmakers who work with the most famous watch brands but have remained unknown. I give these geniuses the credit they deserve because without them my crazy ideas would never be realised. We have the photographs of all our ‘friends’ in every gallery, because these are the people who ensure that we have the most innovative movements and the best finish in the watch industry.

“What we create is kinetic art, which also happens to give the time. We spend many years working on the engineering, and hand-finishing of every detail, making just one new design per year and a few hundred pieces of every model. But we are fortunate to have clients who do not care about wearing a known brand, and are willing to spend money on a work of art that has soul,” Büsser says.

Driven by the desire to connect with other artists working in the field of mechanical and kinetic art, and to help them showcase their creations to a wider audience, Büsser visualised the concept of M.A.D. Gallery, where his own horological creations are displayed alongside works by artists such as Berlin-based Frank Buchwald, who makes sculptures from hand-burnished brass, steel and filament bulbs and light tubes; Chinese artist Xia Hang, who creates playful interactive stainless steel kinetic sculptures; Japanese artist Chicara Nagata — a motorcycle enthusiast who designs and builds his own retro-futuristic machines from vintage engines and self-manufactured components, including distinctive frames, drive trains, suspension systems and steering components; and companies such as UK-based Laikingland that makes playful kinetic objects.

“Most people did not understand what I was trying to do in watchmaking because it is not practical, and just a form of art to express myself. I realised that there are other artists in parallel worlds who are trying to do the same. Nagata spends 7,000 hours building each motorbike from scratch, and has dedicated 15 years to making just five pieces, without ever selling anything; and Buchwald creates just 12 ‘Machine Lights’ every year. Through the gallery we have been able to find them a market, thus helping them to take their ideas further,” Büsser says.

M.A.D. Gallery was launched in Geneva in 2011, with a second branch opening later in Taipei. The Dubai gallery is presented in collaboration with Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons. “Dubai is the most influential and dynamic art hub in the region and we are excited to introduce these international artists to the local audience. The artworks we have chosen for M.A.D. Gallery speak to the creative, youthful and playful spirit within us and encourage the viewer to engage on a personal level,” Büsser says.

While showcasing a wide range of artworks, the gallery regularly organises exhibitions that highlight the work of specific artists. The current exhibition presents French architect and artist Quentin Carnaille’s “Apesanteur” series of levitating mechanical art. Apesanteur is the French word for weightlessness, and the show features a series of art pieces that float in the air and move in a graceful, hypnotic circular motion. The levitating discs are made of thousands of vintage mechanical watch components held together simply by a magnet, and kept hovering in mid-air due to the magnetic field between the magnets in the sculpture and the specially designed wooden base. “This series of kinetic sculptures is a metaphor for the universe and asks questions about our concept of time and order. I used vintage watch components because these works are about the origin and history of time. The movement alludes to the way we understand time by looking at the movement of the Sun, Moon and stars. Each of these pieces is a microcosm of the universe, and the way the components are held together by magnetic force invites you to reflect on the idea of order and disorder in space. Because the composition is created by the magnet, it can be easily changed by detaching the parts and reattaching in a new way. The works thus refer to the Big Bang, the continuous changes happening in the universe, and the changing notion of time,” Carnaille says.

In another piece titled “Infinity”, clusters of levitating watch parts are suspended inside a grid, and reflected infinitely in a mirror behind. “This piece is about trying to understand the concept of infinity and the contradiction of this concept with our understanding of time as something finite,” the artist says.

Jyoti Kalsi is an arts-enthusiast based in Dubai.

The exhibition of Quentin Carnaille’s works will run at M.A.D. Gallery, Alserkal Avenue, until May 14.