Famous sculptor, Oliviero Rainaldi was assigned on behalf of Maserati to create a sculpture in honour of its tradition. As a result, the “Neptune in the Wind” sculpture was created to mark Maserati’s 100th Anniversary. This will be the highlight of Oliviero Rainaldi’s “Twins” exhibition that features over 40 artworks consisting of sculptures, sketches and oil paintings. The exhibition will take place at Galeri Petronas from 18 August until 4 October, 2015
This fine work celebrating the company’s now 101 years is in bas-relief on a slab of Crystal white marble. Measuring 260 cm high by 190 cm wide and weighing 600 kg, in stone specially delivered from Vietnam due to its non-standard measurements, the sculpture is a marvellous sight. The type of marble used has the distinctive characteristic of being perfectly white both on the surface and in transparency, a feature exploited to the full in this particular work, completed by LED backlighting for an even more stunning effect.
The entire work is framed by a 5 mm steel band, shaped on the back and supported by a special slightly inclined easel-shaped structure. The use of this technique is innovative, both because this frame has functions beyond its traditional decorative purpose and due to the work’s considerable size. The final result allows the sculpture to be viewed in two ways, with natural lighting as well as with the integral lighting system, generating an additional and completely different effect.
What’s more, the sculpture 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.
Maserati was founded in 1914 in Bologna, where the Maserati brothers adopted the symbol of the Trident, created by the artist of the family Mario Maserati and inspired by the famous statue of Neptune in Bologna, and made it the logo to encapsulate the new company’s identity in a single image. After more than 100 years, Maserati’s history is still continuing and evolving, constantly expressing the artistic mix at the core of its vision.
During the “Twins” exhibition grand opening event, Maserati cars such as the Quattroporte Flagship, the Ghibli 4-door sports sedan and the timeless GranTurismo and GranCabrio sport coupe and convertible will be available for the exhibition guests to test drive.
