By Sarah B. Sperling, Freelance Journalist
Published: December 12, 2012

Image Credit: Swiss Art Gate UAE
Swiss artist Dante Rubli at Emirates Palace

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 metal 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.

Design by Dante was formed in 1991, and the company was engaged in a variety of projects. 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 special projects on 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 this iconic vehicle. He 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, Dante created two sculptures. These were premiered in 2009 at an event in Monaco, where H.S.H., Prince Albert II of Monaco acclaimed Dante’s work. Such was the demand for the new artwork that Dante appeared as a special guest at events in Cannes, London, Florence, California and in Miami, where at the opening of Art Basel Miami his sculptures stole the show.

With the series firmly established, the fourth model, the Lamborghini Miura, will be premiered at the Emirates Palace today 12 December 2012. Thus, the fusion of art and outstanding automotive design will have the opportunity to captivate an audience from the United Arab Emirates.

The Exhibition runs until 16th December 2012 in the domed atrium of Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi. The exhibition will be open to the public for visitors and guests of the Emirates Palace daily from 10 am to 10 pm.