Events: Super Future at MAD Museum
Futuristic contemporary European artworks and furniture designs take center stage at MAD Museum of Art & Design’s
SUPER FUTURE show during Singapore Art Week 2017.
As we put 2016 to sleep and embark on a New Year ahead, MAD Museum of Art & Design presents an exciting and thought-provoking group show, SUPER FUTURE, which reflects on the current state of the world (be it political, social, economical or anthropological) whilst utilizing the most cutting edge of technological possibilities to dazzling effect. This exhibition is one of the satellite events that will take place during Singapore Art Week 2017.
Featuring the works of more than 10 contemporary European artists making their debut in Singapore, the show is a colorful and funky hodgepodge of original paintings, prints and high- end furnishings sourced and curated by MAD Museum’s founder Jasmine Tay, in collaboration with Manfredi Moretti, founder and creative director of Manfredi Style, that will evoke the senses with their often humorous, clever yet satirical nature. Highlights at this mammoth group show include the works of Alessandro Rabatti, whose Facebank series of prints reflect on the tumultuous state of world currency with a playful eye, juxtaposing images of bank notes from all over the world with motifs from comic book superheroes (a wry commentary on today’s opportunistic globalization), as well as the state-of-the- art furniture by Leonardo Di Caprio, who incidentally, share the same name as the famous Hollywood actor. Di Caprio’s stunning marquetry-inspired works are all individually assembled and lacquered by hand, featuring cutting-edge geometric designs inspired by Brazilian jewelry motifs.
FaceBank by Alessandro Rabatti at MAD Museum
Niccolo Poggi at MAD Museum
Nynke Koster at MAD Museum
Some Highlights Designers and Artists at SUPER FUTURE
Alessandro Rabatti
The ‘Facebank’ project was born from the personal experience of the economic crisis, that everyone touches in the everyday difficulties and live through the news media, always conflicting and always "contradicted" by the following events. In ‘Facebank’, the financial markets behave like the social network personal profiles that all of us "build". We almost never depict what we are, rather we emulate what ideally we would like to be.
There will also be special collaborative street art works by artists Uriginal and Btoy (the latter whom was also previously invited by Banksy for a special collaboration) which touch on political and social matters; the space-like modular designs by Niccolo Poggi which evoke futuristic landscapes; intricate and genre-pushing furniture works by Nynke Koster, which are made out of customized rubber and evoke architectural fragments from the past; antique-inspired by artist Bianco Bianchi and designer Sara Ricciardi which evoke 17th-18th century Europe; special coffee table collaborations by furniture makers Carrara Design Factory and five up-and-coming designers; colorful sculptures by Dario Tironi which reimagines the human body in future times; and even more state-of-the- art street artworks by duo Orticanoodles, who have been hailed by Banksy as the future of street art. With so many glorious European art stars under one roof, the future of art and design is certainly looking very bright indeed.
Bianco Bianchi
A government office worker by the name of Bianco Bianchi (1920-2006) put Florence back on the map of sultans, princes and art-lovers in search of something unique for their stately homes. Passionately enthusiastic, Bianchi loved painting and, at the end of the 1940s, dedicated 10 years of his free time to searching for just the right scagliola mixes. Scagliola (from the Italian scaglia, ‘chips’), is a technique for producing stucco columns, sculptures, and other architectural elements that resemble marble. Batches of pigmented plaster (ground alabaster or gypsum) are applied to molds, armatures or pre-plastered walls in a manner that accurately mimics natural stone, breccia and marble.
Dario Tironi
Dario Tironi was born in Bergamo in 1980. He received a degree in sculpture with first class honours at the Brera Fine Arts Academy in Milan in 2006. Dario’s world is made up of innumerable little bits and pieces that speak many languages and call to mind all the different ages of man. He is an eclectic artist dedicated to experimenting with various forms of artistic expression - sculpture, installations and photography. Dario derives inspiration for his works from the diverse aspects of daily life and the contrasts in contemporary society, which has now incorporated the logic of consumerism and is split by the inequalities global economy has generated. His eclectic use of materials, which are mostly everyday objects like accessories, technological equipment, toys/dolls, appliances/trinkets, gadgets of all kind and mass products, describes our cultural identity, aesthetic tastes and futile desires.
Dario Tironi
With his Hollywood-like name, Brazilian-Italian designer Leonardo di Caprio has already achieved a certain notoriety, and is most well-known for his indigenous-inspired cabinets. He is the founder and creative director of AuCap, a start-up brand specialised in mixing traditional furniture-making techniques with modern manufacturing processes in the name of contemporary creativity – a playful combination that clearly evokes both the colours and geometrical shapes of indigenous tribes’ jewellery. A selection of strictly Made-in- Brazil, cabinets are displayed in the exhibition, including Ziggy, featuring inlaid wood and complementary color pair blue-orange with white graphic and geometrical patterns. Such colourful cabinets, whose design results from extensive research on bracelets, necklaces and jewels worn by Brazilian tribes during indigenous rituals, will unveil cultural and emotional routes from across the ocean.
Nynke Koster
'Elements of TIme' by Nynke Koster, playful objects, inviting to touch and surprisingly comfortable to sit on. She has developed a technique of in-situ rubber casting which allows her to copy existing architectural elements in their most minute details. The resulting casts include all the cracks and chips bearing witness to the relentless passing of time.
MAD MUSEUM of Art & Design
MAD Manifesto
The award-winning Museum of Art & Design, or MAD in short, was started in 2009 with the sole purpose of promoting and making art and design accessible to everyone. Since then, it has succeeded as a place where people from all walks of life gather to discover, interact and be inspired by the art and design world. In only five years, Singapore’s very first private museum has become a name often associated with the most refreshing line up of events and exhibitions that celebrate the best of art, design and culture. It has strongly supported emerging Asian artists, promoting their unique styles as they gain international recognition from critics, art lovers as well as academics.
The Woman Behind The MADness
Founder and creative visionary, Jasmine Tay, who is a veteran and a heavy weight in the industry here, is the sole driving force behind the Museum’s rise as a unique space that presents art in a way that is innovative, educational and friendly. As a fine artist herself, she also found her strength in spotting emerging talent as well as curating quality art pieces for her galleries. With a keen eye for talent and potential, Jasmine Tay is one of the first and foremost in South East Asia to bring in and promote many such contemporary artists, all of whom have since rocketed to fame under her guidance. When it comes to spotting the next big talent, she follows her own instinct and experience.
Putting The Spotlight On Design.
The Museum will also be initiating a first of its kind in Asia, to showcase the best in design around the region. Currently, there is no such platform in the design world here in Asia especially with respect to Hong Kong, China and countries in South East Asia. As such, it would be crucial to kick-start the design fair that can be establish itself alongside western counterparts; A fair that can serve as a commercial and educational springboard for cutting edge design. DesignStage will accord the much needed opportunity to gather design upstarts, curators, gallerists and collectors to contribute and experience the visual culture of our time.
Sneak Peak of DesignStage 2017 Edition:
Kongo Cyril Phan and Gao Yu
About Manfredi Style
“EVERY CREATION HAS A STORY TO TELL”
Multidisciplinary initiative with one mission: bring unique and high-end creations around the world trough art and design exhibitions, interior design projects, selected retailers, events, fairs and digital presence with its unconventional and innovative online store. Manfredi Style starts in Florence , birthplace of Art and Craftsmanship in the world and synonymous of universal beauty. This beauty has inspired us in the selection of our products, both Italian and international : exclusive, original and innovative creations from all over the world and of different historical eras.
Collections are selected according to their origin, history and uniqueness with special attention to the smallest details. Manfredi Style undertakes painstaking research in the constant pursuit of excellence and iconic quality to find offerings that exemplify handcrafted heritage and reinterpreted tradition. We believe in sourcing only the best for our clients, so they can indulge their passion for exquisite contemporary and antique masterpieces. The range of products and services we supply include Antiques, Art, Bespoke Craftsmanship, Design, Fashion and Jewelry.
Manfredi Style wants to be the leading brand dedicated to style, with a high-level selection of products, constantly updated with an online showcase in evolution, so that our clients can have renewed emotions in researching and obtaining beauty, while expressing their personal style.
Manfredi Moretti | Founder & Creative Director
Manfredi Moretti was born in Florence into a family of fashion entrepreneurs and art historians. Throughout the years, Manfredi has acquired expertise in marketing, sales, event management, which also resulted in the creation of a large international business network. In 2008, Manfredi was partner and international sales manager for Glassing eyewear and developed partnerships with many important brands, contributing significantly to the company’s success, both domestically and internationally.
Manfredi Moretti is the founder and creative director at Manfredi Style and he handpicks personally and meticulously each and every product that the company sells globally. Manfredi gives life to Manfredi Style in 2013 with the launch of Tempo Rary Gallery in Florence, a contemporary concept showcasing several artists and interior designers. From there on, Manfredi has grown the business to cover a plurality of markets in Europe, Russia, the Emirates and in 2016 he has entered into a new partnership to steer the business towards the Asia Pacific region with its new headquarters in Singapore.
SUPER FUTURE
January 11 - March 12, 2017
daily 11am- 8pm, at MAD Museum of Art & Design
10 Tanglin Road, #01- 01/#02 - 01, S247908