The MB&F MAD Gallery is pleased to announce an exhibition of the Metamechanical World of Jean Tinguely as interpreted by photographer Denis Hayoun.

While the MB&F MAD Gallery predominantely features Mechanical Art Devices, it is also a celebration of all genres of mechanical art.

MB&F is therefore delighted to present an exhibition of limited-edition prints by Denis Hayoun which have as their subject the renowned artistic engineering of Jean Tinguely.

Jean Tinguely (1925-1991) was a Swiss painter and sculptor best known for his Dada-style kinetic art known as ‘metamechanics’. Tinguely’s art made a statement satirising the over-production of material goods in modern society.When considering what theme to shoot for this exhibition, Denis Hayoun had no hesitation: ‘Jean Tinguely’.

“When the talk turns to mechanical art, the works of Jean Tinguely come immediately to my mind. He has a way of turning daily objects into extraordinary machines that give rise to powerful emotions. They are a form of sculptural poetry that touch my heart.”

Denis contacted Andres Pardey, the vice-director of the Museum Tinguely in Basel, Switzerland, who granted him unrestricted access to the displays while the building was closed to prepare for a new exhibition.

Shooting with a Hasselblad, Denis decided to reveal the architectural aspect of Tinguely’s artworks. “I created a curtain of light behind each masterpiece to make it stand out in its entirety. This curtain of light traverses each of the images so that the structure of the sculpture is revealed in silhouette.”

Denis Hayoun’s series of eight images of Jean Tinguely’s works are available in a limited edition of five prints and are on display at the MB&F MAD Gallery in Geneva.

Denis Hayoun Biography

Denis Hayoun was born in Geneva in 1967 and by his early teens had already developed a passion for both photography and music.

He started shooting with his first camera, a Ricoh reflex, at the age of 12 and over the following years combined his twin interests by photographing local musicians and their instruments. Despite a love of rock and studying classical music at the Geneva Conservatory of Music, Denis followed a career in photography.

He explains: “Music is a source of personal expression, but I found that it lacks an element of creative liberty that I find in my photography.”

A love of exploration and discovery has also seen Denis and his cameras travel extensively throughout Europe, the United States and Asia.

Working with professionals, taking photographic courses, attending seminars, studying books, working through many sleepless nights perfecting images and, above all, an inherent natural talent have helped Denis to realise his photographic aspirations and develop his technical explorations while his focus evolved naturally towards macro photography, especially jewellery and timepieces.

“I enjoy objects that have been meticulously created to the highest level, with a strong sense of aesthetics and the magic touch of the artist,” says Denis.