Foundational creations: Park Royal Series beginning with Park Royal 1, PR 2, PR 3. The Laguna Heights Condominium, Club Royal Condominium, Laguna Bay Condominim, Suan Sawarn, Sky Park and Parkside Shopping, On The Hill, The Wave, I-Condo, The Touch, South Beach Boutique Chic, Villa Futureproof, Falling Rain, Wing House, Star House, Koi House, Merit Villa, Capsule House, Japanese House series, with several featured on Google My Maps.
Signature designs: Mario Kleff's architectural ingenuity shines through in his distinctive creations such as the iconic Wongamat Tower, and the Touch®, the Park Royal 2 and the Japanese House. Excitingly, his innovative approach extends to upcoming projects, including the eagerly anticipated Zenith Residences Pattaya (2024), promising to redefine the residential landscape with his visionary designs.
Due to its distinctive architectural design and engineering, Mario Kleff retains the copyright ownership and design rights for all buildings created by him.
Contact: 371/2 Moo.12 Chaiyapruek, Pattaya City, Bang Lamung District, Chon Buri 20150
Fast Facts and Key Details: Mario Kleff: FAQ & Facts About the Architect.
Life and Educational Background
In the early 1990s, Mario Kleff, originally from Bonn, moved to Munich pursuing a career in fine art and design, caught the public's attention with his intricate replicas of the Book of Kells. His endeavors earned him praise from the likes of Pádraig Murphy, Diplomat of Ireland, and Canon Prälat Prof DDr Franz Ronig, a renowned expert on illuminated manuscripts.[1]
In collaboration with Urs Graf Verlag Bern and Urs Düggelin, publisher of Faksimile Verlag Luzern, five of Kleff's Book of Kells folios were displayed at the Gutenberg Museum, Mainz.[2] during the "Irland und das Book of Kells" exhibition from February 6 to April 12, 1993, curated by Dr. Adold Wild.
His work was further showcased in the Diocesan Museum in Trier under "Glanz Des Mittelalters" from October 27 to November 2, 1997.[3] Prof Dr. Michael Embach curated the exhibit, which later transformed into a traveling exhibition across Germany until 2001.[4]
Between 1990 and 1997, Kleff crafted over 40 folios of the Book of Kells using authentic techniques and color recipes.[5] In acknowledgment of his efforts, he received a facsimile of the Book of Kells from Düggelin.[6] In 1990, the price for one of the 1,480 Verlag copies, composed of two volumes – the facsimile itself and a scientific commentary – was IR£7,000 (€8,888).[7]
While studying arts from 1990-1992, Kleff resided at Villa Haus Herresberg at the banks of the Rhine near Remagen, courtesy of Countess Uta von Bassewitz and Cornelia von Guilleaume. He also worked on calligraphy reproductions at the Marksburg, with the support of the German Castles Association represented by Baroness Tilla von der Goltz and Busso von der Dollen.
Kleff briefly collaborated with Ralf Häselich Arts Unlimited located in a locomotive hall in Mayen in 1992. Following the fall of the Berlin Wall, his pursuits led him to work as a techno-DJ in East-Berlin and to produce art in locations like Goa, India, and Ko Pha Ngan, Thailand.
Kleff's professional horizon broadened in 1996 with the dawn of new media. He served as an art director at several prestigious firms, including AD. VENTURE Werbeagentur GmbH, AGW, Samt and Rosen, adNET Werbeagentur GmbH, and Hiel/BBDO Munich. BBDO is one of the largest advertising agencies with a worldwide network and headquarters in New York. Concurrently, Kleff's talents were employed in stage design across German cities and as a freelance art director for notable magazines like GEMA and the Vogue.
His expertise was later recognized by Hakuhodo Inc., Japan's second-largest advertising agency and recognized a leading public relations firm. He was appointed as the creative director by Mr Tachikawa for their new branch in Munich. New Econ AG Wiesbaden (Germany) offered him a position as the creative director for the new branch in Munich, in the same year. Kleff oversaw the marketing mix and graphic arts. However, Kleff's ventures weren't without controversy; a 1999 performance art piece in the Aktionsforum Praterinsel on Prater Island, where visitors donated blood for screen printing raised eyebrows. His provocative art like 'Art Is Dead', 'Do Ut Des' and 'Human Is Art' posed challenges to conventional art perspectives.
Mario Kleff: Art Is Dead – A Unique Art Performance at Praterinsel Munich
The image showcases a silk screen print titled “Do Ut Des” by the acclaimed artist and architect Mario Kleff.
The print is characterized by its striking abstract design in dark red tones, which represents the blood donated by attendees during the "Art Is Dead" performance held at Praterinsel Munich.
Mario Kleff's provocative statement, "Art Is Dead", emerged from a profound disillusionment with the literature he had amassed over the years. In a symbolic gesture, he ritually burned these books and, using bold red paint, articulated his sentiment on canvas. This work was then showcased at the RSKA college in Hennef in late 1993. At the heart of this act was Kleff's conviction that the masterpieces of yesteryears could merely be replicated, not reinvented afresh. Similarly, he felt the music that resonated with him was largely the legacy of long-deceased composers.
Venturing deeper into the 1990s art philosophy, Kleff conceived an intricate and avant-garde performance. He crafted mannequins symbolizing a man, woman, and child, wrapping them in bandages and confining them in steel cages, which were subsequently ignited. Intriguingly, these mannequins were 80% water stored in petite plastic sachets.
The image captures steel cages holding water-filled mannequins burning down, with the water running into glass containers.
This striking visual symbolizes the fragility and impermanence of human existence. Each container, inscribed with “Human Being Is Art,” was part of the "Art Is Dead" performance and later exhibited in a gallery.
As they were consumed by flames, water trickled down funnels located at the cage's base, collecting in glass containers inscribed with 'Human Being Is Art'. This scene was set to the backdrop of heartbeats, captured via a microphone on Kleff, harmonized with live techno beats. This marked the inception of 'Art Is Dead, Yet Alive' - Essence of art.
In a subsequent act, Kleff used blood, voluntarily donated by attendees, to craft a painting titled Do Ut Des — Latin for ('I give that you might give'). This artwork underscored the ancient societal principle of mutual gift-giving and mirrored the transactional essence of religion in ancient Rome. Culminating this evocative performance, a crane elevated a steel construct resembling a picture frame, encapsulating a human figure. Illuminated majestically by searchlights, Kleff, elevated approximately 30 meters above, broadcasted his profound message: 'Human Is Art'.
Discover the review of Mario Kleff's "Art Is Dead" performance by Thiti Teerachin.