Mercedes Benz

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

- Long-term partnership of Maybach and the Louvre until 2013
- First time presentation area beneath glass pyramid has been used
- Exhibitions of sculptures by international artists
- Starts today with a brand-new sculpture by Tony Cragg

Stuttgart/Paris, Germany/France, Jan 26, 2011 - Maybach is setting yet another milestone in its capacity as a promoter of international art at the highest level. From 2011 Maybach is the official partner of the famous Louvre Museum – the first car brand in the world to take on this role. On Maybach’s initiative, over the next three years a series of sculpture installations featuring work by internationally renowned contemporary artists and sculptors will be staged on the presentation area beneath the world-famous glass pyramid. It will be the first time since the glass pyramid was built in 1989 that the area will be used for the installations of works of art, starting today with a brand-new sculpture by the leading British contemporary artist Tony Cragg, to be shown as part of his major exhibition at the Louvre until October 2011.


“We are absolutely delighted to have the opportunity to work together with this world-famous art institution, as the Maybach brand and the Louvre share a keen sense of excellence, uniqueness and tradition”, comments Patrick Marinoff, Global Brand Manager Maybach. “Above all, the uniqueness of our identities have provided fruitful ground for our collaboration and led us to the particular idea of presenting artworks in a space that has never before been used for that purpose.”

“The Louvre is very happy to have on its side a partner like Maybach whose commitment will allow the museum to organise in the next three years the presentation of ambitious contemporary art installations under Pei’s Pyramid”, said Marie-Laure Bernadac, Curator charge, and special advisor on contemporary art at the Louvre.

Tony Cragg – one of the most renowned sculptors of our time

The Louvre’s partnership with the luxury brand from Stuttgart marks the extension of the museum’s Contemporary Art programme. For this first collaboration, Tony Cragg presents the new sculpture “Versus” under the glass pyramid. This monumental sculpture is produced especially for this exhibition at the Louvre showing eight other sculptures in the Cour Marly and in the Cour Puget. Maybach is the main sponsor for both the exhibition and the installation beneath the glass pyramid.

A graduate of the Royal College of Art in London, Tony Cragg has lived and worked in Wuppertal, Germany since 1977. He has explored a wide variety of types of practice in sculpture and has made vast contributions to contemporary debates on sculpture. His artworks are complex phenomena based on familiar natural and everyday objects reaching towards an abstract appreciation of the human body, and possess an impressive vitality that captivates the viewer as part of a truly fascinating artistic experience. Tony Cragg was awarded the Turner Prize in 1988 and was elected to the Royal Academy of Arts in 1994. In 2008, he has opened a sculpture garden in Wuppertal and since 2009, he has been Principal of the Academy of Arts in Düsseldorf.

The Louvre – the world’s most visited art gallery

With some 8.5 million visitors every year, the “Musée du Louvre” is the most visited art museum, and with its exhibition area of around 65,000 square metres it is the third largest museum in the world. The art collection comprises approximately 380,000 works, of which some 36,000 are on display. The spectrum of high-calibre exhibits ranges from Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, through Italian Renaissance painting and Flemish painting from the 16th and 17th centuries to French painting of the 15th to 19th century.

Maybach – Extensive backing for high-quality contemporary art

Over the past five years, Maybach has been successful in establishing itself in the international world of contemporary art. Its involvement covers three main focal points: firstly the tradition-steeped automotive Manufaktur (hand-finishing section) supports top international artists. For example, after exclusive partnerships with star photographer David LaChapelle and designer Tim Berresheim in 2009, Maybach currently works together with the renowned painter, sculptor and filmmaker Julian Schnabel. Secondly, the brand provides backing for renowned institutions on the art scene, such as the Fondation Beyeler in Basel, Switzerland and the Louvre in Paris, France, which are both in partnerships with Maybach. In addition to this, Maybach is represented at important art events such as the St. Moritz Art Masters and offers customers special access to major art fairs. The involvement is rounded off by combining art and social commitment, in keeping with the mentoring philosophy of the Wilhelm & Karl Maybach Foundation.





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