Maserati’s ‘art’ of centenary celebrations

Sunaina Rana / Emirates Business

Italian luxury car manufacturer Maserati is gearing up to mark its presence at Art Dubai —the leading inter¬national art fair in the MENA region and South Asia. Visitors at the event can behold a contemporary sculpture showcased by the brand at the event.
The piece of art — ‘Neptune in the Wind’ — has been commissioned to mark Maserati’s centenary with a bespoke element. Its ‘Trident’ logo, created by Mario Maserati in 1914, was inspired by the famous statue of Neptune in the centre of Bologna. The sculpture will be showcased for the first time in the region during the event, to be held at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai from March 16 – 19.
Umberto Cini, Managing Director, Maserati Middle East India & Africa, told Emirates Business, “Art lovers in the UAE have a unique opportunity to see this special work of art for the first time. It is a celebration of Maserati and the identity of the brand represented by the Trident, as well as a link to its historic origins in Bologna. We are proud to be able to display it at Art Dubai.”
Italian artist and sculptor, Oliviero Rainaldi, concentrates on a sculpture’s shape and material to produce works in a simple style, with flowing lines, classical beauty, refined composition and a condensed yet dynamic form.
The sculpture is shaped on the back and supported by a special slightly inclined easel-shaped structure is entire work is framed by a 5 mm steel band. The use of this unique technique is used as the frame has functions beyond its traditional decorative purpose and due to the art’s considerable size. The final result allows the sculpture to be viewed in two ways, with natural lighting as well as with the integrated lighting system, generating an additional and completely different effect.
It sets outs to express some of the specific connotations of the Maserati brand: power, dynamism, speed and elegance, symbolised by the mythical figure of Neptune with his Trident. The artist has also created 20 numbered exquisite tiles (1-20) in backlit white marble, measuring 25×30 cm and reproducing the full-size sculpture, again in backlit white marble.