The first thing that passers-by notice in MB&F’s new M.A.D. Gallery in the heart of Geneva’s old town is “Palette”. She looks at first sight light a shop dummy, but anyone who walks in front of “her” or stops at the nearby machine to pay for their parking quickly does a double-take, because she is in fact a highly complex robot capable of interacting with people (who she identifies by facial recognition) and learning which of her gestures and movements provoke the best responses.

As Palette waves, salutes and beckons visitors into the gallery, she also occasionally glances at her wrist, to check the time on the Horological Machine she is wearing and subtly remind the passers-by that, in addition to the wonderful works of art on display, the gallery also contains the full collection of Max Büsser’s extravagant Horological Machines.

The “Mechanical Art Devices” selected by Büsser combine perfectly with his Horological Machines. As he explains, “We saw the M.A.D.Gallery as the perfect platform to showcase our own Machines as well as other pieces of kinetic art by other creators whom we greatly admire.

“MB&F create Machines that tell the time, not to tell the time. They are unique examples of mechanical horology but, more than that, they are pieces of three-dimensional kinetic art. The same goes for all the creators featured in the gallery: their craft transcends a practical purpose and their creations assume the status of artworks.

“Thanks to the M.A.D.Gallery we are meeting like-minded artists operating in parallel worlds; people who think like us and share our passion for creating kinetic art.”

In addition to Tatsuya Matsui’s eye-catching robot in the window and the full collection of MB&F timepieces on display in showcases in the centre of the space, the gallery is also offering for sale angled uplighters by Jake Dyson, hand-blown hourglasses by Ikepod-partner Mark Newson, machine lights by Berlin-based Frank Buchwald and whimsical “applause machines” by UK and Netherlands collaboration Laikingland. A special exhibition of photographs of Jean Tinguely’s kinetic art by the renowned photographer Denis Hayoun accompanies these works.

After opening in October 2011, the gallery has already proved a resounding success. Visitors attracted by the exhibits can discover the MB&F brand, while those already familiar with Max Büsser’s creations can admire the full collection and discover other interesting objects that fit perfectly in the universe of Horological Machines.

MB&F – M.A.D.Gallery

Address: Rue Verdaine 11, 1204 Geneva, Switzerland Telephone: +41 22 508 10 38 Fax: +41 22 310 97 11 Opening hours: Tuesday-Friday 10:00 to 18:30. Saturday 10:00 to 17:00. Website: www.madgallery.ch