On may 22, Michele Vester was born at Monte Verità, Via Collina 22 in Ascona. However, his life story truly began in 1902 when his grandfather Karl, a swabian and one of the first dropouts, moved to Ascona on Monte Verità with adventurous friends to explore new alternative lifestyles and joined the cultural movement at Monte Verità, which attracted artists, intellectuals, anarchists and philosophers interested in alternative lifestyles and philosophies. Michele Vester has inherited these genes and have now adapted them to a modern art context. During this time, Karl Vester had the opportunity to acquire one of the smaller of the two Brissago islands, but he ultimately decided to purchase a property at Monte Verità. Karl then travelled to Samoa. Upon his return, his wife surprised him with a sunny piece of land on Monte Verità. They constructed various houses, and among them was one commissioned by the architect Paul Everts. Michele Vester's parents later built two more houses on the property for Michele and his brother Andreas.
Many decades later, Karl's grandson Michele, having completed his extensive education: Apprenticeship in Ceramics, Florist, Assistant to Interior Designer Max Rutishauser, Herblingen Castle, Assistant to Interior Designer Josef Brun, Schaffhausen (Hotel Guarda Lai, St. Moritz & Hotel Giardino Ascona), Assistant Manager Knecht Interior Design, Locarno, returned to Ascona in 1990 and decided to revitalize the dilapidated house of his ancestors, benefiting from the abundance of his inherited artistic talents. The result of his work is now an incomparable gem, lovingly decorated, romantically composed with delicate colors, and enriched with contrasts of primality and perfection, still inhabited by Michele’s successors.
For the past 25 years, Michele Vester has been working as an independent interior designer, exploring the jungle. of various furnishing possibilities with his clients in search of the perfect ambiance. During this time Michele Vester put his mark as an interior design consultant to numerous furnishings for apartments, villas, and garden designs. The photos in the portfolio provide an overview of his current works, including some featured in well-known architecture and interior design magazines. The Grand Cafe "al Porto" in Lugano, Bellinzona and “Café Lago”, Locarno, are two of his public works of ambiance and lifestyle and can be visited while enjoying a good cappuccino.
In the last years, Michele has also dedicated himself to creative art, including painting and sculptures.
His artworks, including “Angels in Gold Rush” and “Eva and Adam in Paradise”, are characterized by the use of vintage materials and innovative techniques. These unique pieces, handcrafted and refined with gold and silver leaf, are testimonies to his creative vision and craftsmanship excellence. Other notable works by Michele Vester include more than 26 sculptures such as “Frozen Bird in the North Pole” and “Love”, which impress with their detailed execution and artistic refinement. His sculptures are immersed in ecological resin and hand-polished, giving them a shiny, almost lifelike surface. Michele Vester’s works are more than just artworks; they are narratives that convey stories of journeys, encounters, and cultural influences. Each piece is unique, signed, and with a personal touch that reflects his deep connection to the themes and materials.