“MAD on Mars” draws inspiration from humanity's ultimate question about unknown planets: What will happen when humans eventually move to Mars? This fundamental question extends into a series of others: What will humans bring with them after ensuring survival on Mars? Memories of Earth? The longing and affection for their “new home”? Ma Yansong integrates his reflections on these questions into the design process attempting to rebuild the fundamental connection and resonance between humans and nature through a vehicle, within the context of science fiction and an alien landscape.

Ma Yansong was invited to collaborate with Gallery ALL for the “MAD on Mars” (MAD Martian Collection), which was unveiled at Design Miami in Basel, Switzerland. The exhibited series of products including dining tables, lounge chairs, candle holders, chandeliers, and side tables are inspired by various forms of Mars. While imbued with a futuristic essence, the designs feature a minimalist, flowing natural form that echoes humanity's diverse imaginations of unknown extraterrestrial worlds. This collection is the result of two years of research and design development between MAD and Gallery ALL.

The inspiration behind "MAD on Mars" comes from humanity's ultimate question about an unknown planet: What will happen when humans eventually move to Mars? This fundamental question extends into a series of others: once human survival on Mars is ensured, what will humans bring with them? Memories of Earth? A longing and affection for their "new home"? Ma Yansong integrated his thoughts on these questions into the design process—attempting to rebuild the essence of Earth in a sci-fi, alien context. The focus is on the emotional connection and resonance between humans and nature, achieved through various carriers.

Ma Yansong: "Of course, I have never been to Mars... What will we find on Mars? Red soil, tranquil horizons, or glaciers and rivers? Perhaps, much like Earth millions of years ago, everything will have its own unique beauty. I hope to bring the landscapes of Earth that I imagined as a child to Mars."

"MAD on Mars" is based on the design language of popular science fiction films of the 20th century, with further exploration and extension. The design of the floor lamp clearly shows traces of the space race visual style from the 1960s; the futuristic candelabra and future homes fit perfectly together. The products' highly flowing lines are wrapped in a high-reflectivity metal skin, symbolizing the adaptability of the products to different environments, while also reflecting humanity's attachment to civilization.

Gallery ALL Co-Founder Wang Yu said: "Sometimes I think Ma Yansong could have a conversation with aliens. His architectural works, to some extent, possess remarkable avant-garde qualities, as if they transport people into another world. I challenged him to design living spaces for people on Mars."

Gallery ALL is a gallery studio based in Los Angeles and Beijing, focused on collaborating with renowned and emerging Chinese designers. The collaboration between Gallery ALL and MAD was born from this challenge. "MAD on Mars" is part of a series of designs created by MAD at the invitation of Gallery ALL. This series is Ma Yansong's first furniture collection, which will be showcased for the first time at Design Miami in Basel, Switzerland, from June 17 to 22, 2017. More pieces from this collection are expected to be released later in 2017.