Design by Dante
Like many of his contemporaries, the award-winning Swiss artist
Dante Rubli has sought to express his artistic talents in a
number of different ways. Subsequently, the story of his life
and the results of his work are both interesting and varied.
In 1984, having completed his apprenticeship as a panel-beater
and sheet-metal worker, Dante entered the Swiss Master Craftsman
Championship in his hometown of Bern. The competition involved
constructing an object in sheet-metal from a plan, and Dante was
voted the winner. Thereafter, he was invited to represent
Switzerland at the World Championship in Osaka, Japan, where he
finished a highly credible fifth. The participation in the two
competitions proved to be a defining moment in his career, as he
determined to pursue his talent for design and construction from
this moment.
Dante travelled to America, where he worked in Los Angeles, and
here he was involved in the rebuilding and renovation of luxury
cars, such as Ferrari and Lamborghini, but would spend much of
his free time making his own clothing and designing furniture.
During this period he developed a greater understanding of all
aspects of design and production, as well as honing his
remarkable skills, before returning to Switzerland.
Design by Dante was formed in 1991, and the company was engaged
in a variety of projects. Exhibition stands with complete
display areas were built for several events, while restaurants,
shops and offices were also designed and fitted. Dante produced
trophies and works of art. In 1996 the company was commissioned
to design and manufacture a trophy for the prestigious Swiss
Master Chef Championship; Dante's innovative domestic products
were featured on a regular basis in various German and Swiss
interior design magazines, and a reputation for outstanding
craftsmanship was established.
Part of the company's remit covered the restoration of classic
cars, and in 1996 Dante was asked to design and build the
world's fastest 'hatchback' for a noted German businessman. The
result was the creation of the Aston Martin V8 Vantage Shooting
Brake, which is now on exhibition at the Lucerne Museum of
Transport. This incredible piece of artistry led to a flood of
enquiries for Dante's services, and the renovation of a number
of classic and limited edition cars followed. Having undertaken
work for an important American customer on one of the original
aluminium bodied Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing sports cars,
Dante conceived the idea of producing a sculpture of the iconic
vehicle. Dante asked his friend, Claude Picasso, the son of
Pablo Picasso, if he would allow him to borrow his father's
original car so as to develop this idea. With the car at his
disposal, as well as a copy of the original 1954 plan, Dante
created two sculptures. These limited edition works of art were
produced as both full scale, 1:1, and half scale, 1:2,
interpretations of the car, and were finished in gold.
The two sculptures were premiered at the Top Marques Monaco 2009
exhibition, where a host of international celebrities, and
H.S.H., Prince Albert II of Monaco, acclaimed Dante's work.
Indeed, such was the success that for the 2010 Top Marques show,
a new model was made as part of a series of sculptures depicting
iconic sports cars. The Aston Martin DB5, which was made famous
in the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger, was produced as a
quarter scale, 1:4, interpretation of the vehicle. The new
sculpture was unveiled by the actor, Sir Roger Moore, a former
incumbent in the role of secret agent James Bond, and the
response from the media was overwhelming.
Such was the demand for the new artwork that Dante appeared as a
guest in Cannes during the world famous film festival, and in
London and Florence during other prestigious shows, and in
Miami, where at the opening event for Art Basel Miami his
sculptures stole the show.
With the series firmly established, the third vehicle was
selected, and few would argue with the choice: the legendary
Ferrari 250 GTO. The new sculpture, which will initially be
shown as a 1:8 scale interpretation of car, will be unveiled by
a famous Ferrari collector during the 2011 edition of the Top
Marques show. Thus, the fusion of art and outstanding automotive
design will continue to enthral a worldwide audience.
That same year after the show in Monaco, Dante was invited to
Pebble Beach USA for the world famous Concurs d’Elegance. As a
highlight of the US premiere, Dante was seen for 5 weeks on the
Billboard Time Square sponsored by PR Newswire. Dante also met
with television legend and vehicle collector Jay Leno.
In 2012 Dante was sponsored from the Islamic Bank to organize an
exclusive show at the Emirates Palace, one of the most luxurious
and unique hotels of the world, for its VIP customers. The show
was a great success and Dante was highly praised.
Currently, Dante is preparing for a charity event in Burgdorf
Switzerland. The event supports a workplace for handicapped
people. Dante is teaming up with world famous Swiss artists
Franz Gertsch and Markus Rätz to gain the required funds.
