The luxurious surroundings of the Grand Hotel Kempinski are now host to two of the sculptures in the new series depicting iconic sports cars by the award-winning Swiss artist Dante. Having exhibited a number of pieces to critical acclaim in Monaco and Cannes during the world famous film festival, and having been featured in countless luxury magazines, from locations as diverse as Britain, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Spain, and Russia, Dante was invited to install 1:2 and 1:4 scale interpretations of two vehicles in the lobby of this luxury venue. To fulfill the request, a 1:4 scale Aston Martin DB5, the gadget-laden James Bond car from the 1964 film Goldfinger starring Sean Connery, finished in 24 carat gold, was mounted on a superb ebony cabinet and housed in a handmade glass case. While a 1:2 scale sculpture of the legendary Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing, finished in white gold leaf, has been supplied complete with a sumptuous piano black display plinth.   

The installation was undertaken at the end of July, and the end results were stunning. The numerous guests and visitors to the five star hotel were immediately enthralled by the effect the two sculptures had on the lobby area. Dante has sought to express his artistic talents in a variety of different ways, and this desire to create has culminated in the series of iconic sports car sculptures. The fusion of classic automotive design and artistic expression which he has managed to capture with the first two models in the series was immediately obvious to all those who were present at the Kempinski. The 24 carat gold finish on the 1:4 scale Aston Martin DB5 sculpture offers a lustre normally associated with the finest jewellery, while the hand-finishing of the white gold on the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing provides sufficient quality to placate the most arduous of art collectors.

Specifications:
- 1:4 scale sculpture of the Aston Martin DB5 sports coupe
- Finished in galvanised gold to 50g (other finishes available upon request)
- Supplied with a stylish display plinth including a complimentary light system
- Limited Edition with a maximum of ten pieces being produced worldwide
- Size: 1100mm x 900mm x 1360mm
- Weight: 15kg
- Price: CHF150,000. (Price excludes glass display case and ebony cabinet) 

- 1:2 scale sculpture of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing sports coupe
- Hand-finished in white gold leaf (other finishes available upon request)
- Mounted on an attractive plinth incorporating a remote control light system
- Limited Edition with a maximum of five pieces being produced worldwide
- Size: 2290mm x 490mm x 420mm
- Weight: 100kg
- Price: CHF600,000. (Price excludes delivery and any import duty levied)  

To view a gallery of pictures showing the Aston Martin DB5 and Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing sculptures at the Grand Hotel Kempinski, click here.

Naturally, with such a desirable series of sculptures at his disposal, Dante has been invited to exhibit at a large number of prestigious shows, and amongst these is 'Uniques - Special Ones'. This extraordinary event has been organised by the people behind the world famous Mille Miglia race, and combines perhaps the finest collection of special cars ever assembled in a Concourse d'Elegance, along with a host of luxury products, all of which will staged within the exquisite gardens of the Four Seasons Hotel in Florence, Italy. Design by Dante will mark their participation at the event by announcing the third vehicle to be featured in the series of sculptures. The new addition is one of the most iconic sports cars of all time, and fittingly was made by an Italian manufacturer. The finished sculpture will be premiered in 2011 in Monaco at the Top Marques exhibition, although pre-orders for the limited edition work of art can be placed in Florence.

The 'Uniques - Special Ones' event takes place between the 24th and 26th September, and will be restricted to a total of five hundred entrants. The guests will enjoy a selection of some of the finest vehicles ever assembled, and all the major sports car manufacturers will be participating in person. Ferrari will bringing their first ever Formula One car, while vehicles from museums and special collections will be shown from the likes of Aston Martin, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Rolls-Royce. In addition to the Concourse d'Elegance, the likes of Stefano Ricci, Arpels and Van Cleef, Meissen, Morgan Stanley and a wealth of suppliers of other luxury goods and services will be present. Design by Dante have been awarded the accolade of being the only company present to be offering art and sculptures, and will exhibit a selection of scales and finishes from the iconic cars series in the Capponi Room. Indeed, Dante will be present in person to discuss his work and to participate in what promises to be a unique event.

For further information on the events at which Design by Dante will be present, please contact John Franklin at info@dantedesign.ch or simply become a fan of Design by Dante on Facebook