“Venice is the city of art, a centre of culture. It was love at first sight for Swatch and art,” is how the new Swatch AG President Arlette-Elsa Emch introduced the unparalleled undertaking in the heart of Venice. Accompanied by supporting act, the Swiss group “The Young Gods”, Billy the Artist turned St Mark’s Square into a giant open-air art studio and needed only 50 minutes to complete his 10-metre high and 3-metre long wall painting. “My studio in New York’s East Village is definitely smaller than this. But it’s not as hot as this either,” said an out-of-breath Billy the Artist, whose paintings are marked by dynamic black lines, eyes, physiques and faces. Remaining faithful to his signature style, a sea of lights added to the effect as they streamed across the historic façade of St Mark’s Square in front of the bell tower (Campanile).

“We’re not responsible for this financial crisis. We’re not putting our resources in funds, but rather we’re investing in real life. That’s why we’re here in Venice,” is how Swatch founder Nicolas G. Hayek described his outlook at a morning news conference earlier in the La Fenice, the opera house of Venice where he introduced his successor Arlette-Elsa Emch to the assembled international media representatives.

The new “Swatch Artist 2009 Collection” is comprised of 12 different art designs, which were created by Billy the Artist, Swiss artist Ted Scapa and New York graphic designer Matthew Langille.

Pictures available without charge for editorial use. Balazs Gardi, Daniel Grund, Joerg Mitter, Sebastian Marko for Global Newsroom.com