MB&F and Frank Buchwald’s ML15 Helios Is a Sculptural Solar Presence
This “mechanical sun” serves as a techno-biological tribute to a 15-year partnership between the artist and the M.A.D.Gallery.
Summary
- MB&F and Frank Buchwald celebrated the M.A.D.Gallery’s 15th anniversary with the ML15 Helios, a “mechanical sun” Machine Light limited to 15 pieces.
- The handcrafted, 9kg sculpture features a dimmable LED corona and an adjustable brass-and-steel head
To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the M.A.D.Gallery, MB&F has collaborated with Berlin-based artist Frank Buchwald to release the ML15 Helios, a special limited edition of just 15 pieces. This partnership honors a long-standing relationship that began when MB&F founder Maximilian Büsser first discovered Buchwald’s retro-futuristic “Machine Lights” online and visited his scarred, industrial Berlin workshop.
Characterized by a three-legged stainless steel construction with brass elements, the piece stands as a high-precision technical device with a distinct sculptural character. Its central feature is a spherical globe lamp, measuring 120mm in diameter and surrounded by a dimmable LED ring, which creates an effect reminiscent of a solar corona. This core is supported by a bracket structure holding two transparent blue diffuser rings, giving the object an appearance that oscillates between a celestial eye and a scientific measuring instrument. For added functionality, the head section is adjustable, capable of rotating 45° to both the left and right for a total 90° range of motion.
Weighing 9kg, the unit features intricate details such as electrical wiring housed in flexible stainless steel tubes and a silver textile cable with a blue illuminated switch. The creative process for each piece involves several weeks of manual machining and fine-tuning, ensuring that the final object possesses its own internal logic and character rather than serving as a conventional lamp.
The ML15 Helios embodies Buchwald’s retro‑futuristic aesthetic and MB&F’s passion for mechanical art, with a design concept that revolves around the idea of a “mechanical sun” — a sculptural hybrid of machine, light and artwork that radiates both technical precision and poetic presence.
For more details regarding the price and availability of the limited-edition ML15 Helios Machine Light by Frank Buchwald, visit MB&F’s official website.
