Independents

My first encounter with the Art Piece 1

 

Do you remember this announcement?

ahci.watchprosite.com

Actually, I was very excited to learn more about this collaborative project between Robert Greubel, Stephen Forsey and Willard Wigan.

The more I think about this project, the more I find it logical. After all, we often say that watchmakers are micro-mechanic engineers and artists! So an encounter with micro-sculptor Willard Wigan is not that surprising. But the most difficult point was to find the idea which should create the synergy between their respective skills, the concept that would make converge their talents...

Art Piece 1 is not a mere watch. Let's imagine that you have your own museum on the wrist. You could travel with it, live with it.

Thanks to the  hemispherical  structure, several nano-sculptures by Willard Wigan will be visible through specific optics which will magnify them. Because you have to understand that without a microscope, you will not be able to enjoy Wigan's masterpieces. Wigan plays with needles to insert in their eyes sculptures which look like dust when they are seen "normally".

The optics are located on the case side and thanks to this mirrors game, the nano-sculptures appear to your eyes.

Today, Robert Greubel, Stephen Forsey and Willard Wigan took advantage of the FIAC (Contemporary Art Fair) at the Grand-Palais in Paris to show to the guests the progress of the project.

It was the right place because despite the strong horological context, time display is optional. You can ask a version with time display. But it remains first a fantastic artistic piece.

Robert, Stephen and Willard will keep on working on the piece during the upcoming months and we will get a new progress status during the 2013 SIHH.

For the time being, one sculpture was inserted inside the piece (a mask) but as you can imagine it, you will be able to choose the topics of your wearable museum!

Frankly speaking, I was really seduced by this concept because it fulfills the fantasy of any Art lover: to have his own collection always with him.

I propose to browse some pics. Sadly, I forgot this morning the battery of my camera so I took all the pictures with my phone. Sorry for this. I did my best.

I'm arriving at the event:

To enter Willard's world, you need a microscope!

Can you imagine it? This is the smallest Usain Bolt on earth, in the eye of a needle!






View of the exhibition:

Some familiar faces at the cocktail including two of the most famous ADs in the world, Laurent Picciotto and Marcus Margulies:

An event at the Grand-Palais is always memorable due to the prestigious location:

The Art Piece 1. I didn't shoot the front of the watch because it is far from being achieved:

The idea behind the piece:

And it works! The mask was clearly visible!

On this sketch, you will notice the hemispherical structure on the right and the tiny niches:

Stephen Forsey, Willard Wigan and Robert Greubel:

I can't wait to discover more and I already book in my schedule that I will have to see the new progress on the Art Piece 1 during the 2013 SIHH.

  Thanks a lot to the Greubel Forsey team for the invitation!

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