Clémence Mailly - Retail & Exhibition Advisory Services in NYC

Created by China-based French artist Niko de La Faye, .M2B is a mobile kinetic sculpture representing the elements of the universe placed on a traditional Chinese tricycle It has been created to be perceived as a poetical interference appearing in the urban traffic. The voluminous structure on the back of the bike is a mechanism using both Eastern and Western references, which creates a model of the cosmos—the cubic structure and its eight balls, illustrate the Taoist bagua (fundamental principles of reality) and the animated elements inside recall the very graphical ‘theory of everything’ elaborated by American Physicist Garrett Lisi. This tricycle that was initially used as a commercial platform becomes a “show- sculpture” referring itself to a concept developed by Nicolas Schöffer (1912-1992), the father of Cybernetic Art, whose work focused on creating projects that would have an influence on the city. Schöffer wanted to bring back to the citizens the pleasure of living in the city and, at the same time, to protect them from all sorts of visual and sound pollution.

After circulating for one year in Beijing, M2B celebrated its first anniversary on April 2012 and started a journey between Beijing and Hong Kong. This 3400 km (2,100 miles) performance lasted for 80 days, over the springs of 2012 and 2013. In China, M2B generated fascination and interrogation on its way and the piece has been called “a magical imagination stimulator” by Chinese press. In 2014, M2B was invited by the city of Paris as a cultural ambassador during the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relationships between France and China and was exhibited at the YIA Contemporary Art Fair. In August 2016, M2B arrived in New York City, commissioned by the NYC Department of Transportation, to participate in Summer Streets for three consecutive weekends. The project supported by the French Embassy, Christophe Girard (Mayor of 4th district of Paris) and Eléonore de Lavandeyra Schöffer, will be exhibited at Parasol Projects August 23- August 28, 2016 along with photos documenting its journey before the sculpture continues to travel around the world.

After the invitation from NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) to come to New York and take part into major urban event 'Summer Streets' - August 6, 13 & 20 - Niko will present his 'M2B Beijing-New York' at 2 Rivington St during an exhibition curated by Clémence Mailly. The show will gather a collection of pictures and videos of the project, from its early stage in China in 2012, to its Paris performance in 2014 until this summer showing on Manhattan. The M2B sculpture will also be displayed in the space as a stationary-kinetic-installation. At night the piece will turn into an abstract-shadow-theater as it was presented in Chinese cities and villages during the 'M2B Beijing-Hong Kong' performance.

M2B: ‘Beijing-New York’

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