Salone del Mobile 2014: MINI and United Visual Artists present their artistic interpretation of MINI Connected Technology. Light and sound installation „PARALLELS“.

Munich, Germany,  March 19, 2014. To mark this year’s Salone del Mobile, MINI has joined forces with the London art and design collective United Visual Artists (UVA). Driven by the vibrant design culture of the BMW Group, MINI is known for its partnerships with internationally renowned creatives as well as for its own innovative designs.  UVA drew its inspiration for the PARALLELS installation from the MINI Connected technology, which allows the link-up of drivers, their MINI and the outside world.

The PARALLELS installation inspired by MINI Connected illuminates the relationship between humans and technology from a novel perspective. The well-known art and design collective UVA draws on the potential of intelligent connections opened up by MINI and creates a light and sound installation that encourages visitors to explore the idea of personal space in the context of our present understanding of digital mobile connectivity.

Art as a source of inspiration for innovative design.

The Salone del Mobile in Milan was launched in 1961 and ranks as the biggest and most significant event of its kind worldwide. For a number of years now the installations by the MINI brand – and those of the BMW Group as a whole – have been a firm fixture of the Salone del Mobile. As well as pursuing a creative exchange with external designers, MINI’s aim in these artistic presentations is to discover new and inspiring aspects of car design at a remove from the conventional perspective of the automotive industry. In 2012, for example, MINI presented the installation COLOUR ONE for MINI by Scholten & Baijings, while in 2013 the MINI design team showcased the MINI Paceman as a dynamic design object in the MINI Kapooow! installation.

The installation PARALLELS inspired by MINI Connected can be seen at the Magazzini di Porta Genova, Via Valenza 2. It forms part of the Salone del Mobile held from 8 – 13 April in Milan.