first time Ninghetto has collaborated with a fellow photographer. “The concept of working with someone local was interesting,” Ninghetto explains. “I could have come to do the pictures myself but I thought it was better to work with someone who knows the city and has a local eye.” Thanks to Kabbas’s magical way with landscapes, the partnership flourished with the creative duo producing eight awe-inspiring large-format prints that juxtapose Grendizer with compelling locations in the Emirates. Drawing upon his digital sampling technique, Ninghetto places Grendizer in the real world. Through the skilful use of shadow and light, the robot either dominates the scene or appears more subtly for a visual feast that leaves a lasting impact. The series took two months to create, requiring a constant dialogue between the two artists. “The process was interesting,” admits Ninghetto. “We hadn’t met before and it was really difficult in the beginning to let go of the control. I didn’t want to drive it that much but, ultimately, I wanted the pictures to be the way they were in my mind. In the creative field it’s hard to let someone outside in, so you need to have a lot of psychological change. For Kabbas it was difficult too. He was out of his comfort zone, so it was a thought-provoking experience.” “Working with Marc was truly a great opportunity and privilege yet, as my first collaboration, it was also a challenge,” adds Kabbas. “After seeing Marc’s previous masterpieces, however, I was excited and motivated to start working on the project. The final artworks are very unique and innovative – I love them all as each piece offers a different idea, perspective and feeling. They are all special and memorable in their own way.” The creative process starts from an empty page. “I would begin with the landscapes, and then start to fill the spaces,” reveals Ninghetto. “I knew I had to have the two aspects of Dubai; busy full spaces to reflect the city and the empty landscapes of the desert. It’s a really nice mix.” Although in Switzerland his audience is traditionally male, the way he blends the romantic soft sands with the eerie portraiture of his robotic
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People feel they can relate to the character, who has become very emblematic. It takes them back
star, or the iconic architecture with the statuesque robot’s presence, makes his concept speak to all. “People feel they can relate to the character, who has become very emblematic,” he says. “I think the exhibition is very appealing for people in their 40s and 50s who saw the likes of Terminator come to life. It takes them back to their childhood. For the younger generation, Grendizer is very simple compared to the robots of now. Personally, I feel very connected to the character. The oldschool robots are much more human than the very advanced robots of today. It made it very easy for me to shoot this with a human feeling.” M.A.D.Gallery could not be a more fitting home for the works. Founded by Maximilian Busser, also the founder of watch brand MB&F, the gallery has played host to Ninghetto’s exhibitions since it opened in 2016. He is also a regular at the gallery’s other three branches in Taipei, Geneva and Hong Kong. Now prolifically creating an increasing
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number of personal projects compared to the fashion and jewellery endeavours of his former years, Ninghetto has had over 15 exhibitions around the world in just as many years. Of the latest series, his favourite work is the aerial shot of the sandy desert highway, an evocative scene which embodies the essence of the city emerging from the sand. “It’s really soft, smooth and peaceful,” he says. “I’m also especially drawn to the image of the skyline by night. It’s so Dubai. For those who don’t live there, it feels symbolic of the place.” And while the series posed a fresh creative challenge, Ninghetto would do it all again in a heartbeat. “It’s a very interesting way to work,” he says. “As artists, we like to do everything ourselves, but this new way of working was a great success and I’m really pleased with the outcome,” he says. “We’re capturing a side of Dubai in a way that has not been done before.” The Solitude of a Machine III Grendizer photography series is on display at the MB&F M.A.D.Gallery, The Dubai Mall until April. 27