The Mysterious Art Museum
Chapter 12 (2) - The Mysterious Art Museum

Meanwhile, at MG Electronics' meeting room.

Employees from the marketing department working overtime were printing the entries from the competition and placing them on the empty desks in the meeting room.

"Hurry up, the new lead designer is known for being meticulous, so don't mess up and make the team leader get scolded."

"But, sir. I heard the lead designer came from Italy. Is that true?"

"Yes, they brought in someone from the fashion industry for home appliance design. I heard she was the lead designer at a famous Italian luxury brand. She's preparing her own brand now, and we snatched her up in the meantime."

"Wow, I wonder how much they're paying her?"

"Don't know, but it must be at least several billion won."

"I'm jealous, my salary is just a few thousand."

"Most people don't even earn that much. If you're not satisfied, you can leave. There's plenty of people to replace you."

"···············"

Then, people from the design department entered.

As they were colleagues, the marketing department staff bowed their heads to them and took their seats.

After a while, the marketing team leader came in, checked the preparations, and said,

"Mr. Lee from the design department, please take a seat there. Call the lead designer."

After all the preparations were completed, a design team member sent a message. The team members sat in silence for a few minutes.

Then, the sound of high heels was heard from afar.

As the sound approached, all the employees straightened up and looked tense.

A shadow appeared from beyond the meeting room.

Finally, the shadow entered the meeting room.

A beautiful foreigner with brown, voluminous hair, wearing an elegant and sophisticated two-piece suit, walked in.

With her blue eyes shining, she stood in the center instead of taking a seat and greeted everyone with a strong Italian accent in English.

"Hello, I'm Monica Rossellini."

The meeting was conducted in English, and although no employee at the large corporation MG Electronics was behind in English meetings, some sentences had to be thought over again due to her strong Italian accent. However, there were generally no major issues.

Monica unfolded a thick steel folder and began speaking.

"Design team, please review all materials and each of you select ten entries that you like. The marketing team should research the background information of the contestants corresponding to the entries selected by the design team. Let's look at their portfolios based on that."

Her reason for giving these instructions was not just to choose designs they liked, but to examine the contestants' careers and see if they could be used as marketing points.

This meant she was planning to primarily use paintings by fairly famous artists.

After briefly scanning the competition entries, Monica, with her file tucked under her arm, stands up.

"Once you're done, just put in one of any duplicates and send the sorted list to my office."

Monica says this briefly and leaves her seat. A marketing team member, who is familiar with a design team member, whispers.

"She's got charisma."

The design team member, checking their own file, responds.

"She was the lead designer at the Italian luxury brand Alessandro Cucinelli until recently."

"What? Really? The brand I'm thinking of?"

"Yes, there's been buzz in the industry since a lead designer from Italy came to Korea. It's an opportunity for us. Getting to work with someone like her."

Italy is a global fashion leader, comparable to France.

With brands like Prada, Armani, Versace, and others, holding immense prestige, and the Milan Fashion Week attracts the attention of world-famous designers.

The weight of the title 'lead designer' from a top-ranking Italian brand was significant.

Moreover, rumors suggested she was only in her mid-thirties. Her ability was evidently extraordinary.

"She's really something."

"Let's hurry up, she doesn't like waiting."

"Okay! Let's do this quickly."

Meanwhile, in Monica's room.

Sipping coffee alone, Monica browses through the competition entries, clicking her tongue and shaking her head.

"Is this the level of art in this country? Tsk, what was I expecting? From a small Eastern nation."

Half of the drawings were of cats. Occasionally, some decent drawings caught her eye. Monica, intrigued by one of the cat drawings, says with a spark in her eye.

"This one's not bad, a cat in IKB color. It's fresh. But, of course, it's a cliché cat."

If there were no better pieces, she might consider it for an award, but it still didn't satisfy her. Monica sets aside a few of the better drawings, but then suddenly stops while flipping through her file.

"This one."

A vividly colorful painting that seemed unfit for a refrigerator design.

Other contestants had submitted designs depicting a single creature or object, as overly ornate designs didn't suit appliance aesthetics. But one contestant had submitted an excessively elaborate painting, filling a long rectangle canvas.

"A Mucha style?"

Monica, with her experience in the fashion industry, recognizes it instantly. But there's something unusual in her gaze.

Taking the painting out of the file to look at it properly, Monica murmurs.

"This isn't a mere imitation. It's almost as if..."

As if Alphonse Mucha himself had painted it.

Many had been influenced by his art in the modern era, but none had produced a work that looked like his while being different.

To a layman, they might look similar, but industry insiders like herself could discern the difference. This painting was unlike any she had seen before.

Monica looks intently at the painting for a long while before placing it down on the table with a smile.

"There are shining stars in this country too."

Looking at the painting on the table, Monica murmurs.

"Una mente felice è molto più importante di un buon acquisto (A happy mind is much more important than a good purchase)."