Architect, painter, designer, sculptor… the Italian designer, who died on 4 April 2024, wore many hats. Here we take a look back at the iconic pieces of his long career, driven by militant values and the promotion of art for all.
His mark on the creative landscape is indelible. Born in November 1938 in Italy, Gaetano Pesce was immersed in the world of art from an early age, thanks in particular to his pianist mother. At the end of the 1950s, he studied architecture at the University of Venice and did a spell at the experimental school of the Institute of Industrial Design. In 1962, he founded his own design agency. His first exhibition was a success, and his reputation continued to grow in the years that followed.
Bold, curious and inspired by his travels around the world, Gaetano Pesce left his mark on his era with colourful, whimsical pieces that provoked thought and emotion. All using synthetic materials such as resin, which were ahead of their time in the sector. A committed artist, notably in favour of women’s liberation, he is exhibited in dozens of museums and galleries around the world.
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But just a few days before the 2024 Milan International Furniture Fair, the world of design and art received some very sad news. Gaetano Pesce died on 4 April in New York, where he had lived since the early 1980s, leaving behind him four decades of creative work. We take a look back at his legendary works.
The Up armchair series
This collection of armchairs has become a design icon. Designed in 1969, the Up line is characterised by round lines, generous volumes and anthropomorphic shapes. The armchair is attached to a spherical footstool by a chain, like a ball and chain. Also known as La Mamma, the series denounces the condition of enslaved women in society and the family. Much more than simple seating, this collection bears witness to Gaetano Pesce’s militancy in the feminist cause. Proof of its success, the Up chair also appeared in the James Bond film “Diamonds are Forever” released in 1971 and, much more recently, in the film “Daaaaaali!
The Sessantuna table
Created in 1980 in collaboration with Cassina, the Sessantuna table features a top with rough edges and four straight legs of different sizes. The colours, applied in a non-linear fashion, are reminiscent of the Italian flag, ranging from red to green to white. It is made of polychrome polyester resin and moulded by casting. Production stopped in 1988. A year earlier, Gaetano Pece designed the Sansone Due table, similar to the previous version but with a thinner top and other shades of colour. And in 2011, the artist and Maison Cassina collaborated once again to reinterpret this table, to mark the 150th anniversary of Italian reunification.
The Feltri armchair
Made from thick woollen felt and reinforced with thermo-hardening resin, this armchair has a highly recognisable design. Its upholstered back opens out like a fan-shaped collar. It’s malleable, so the user can find themselves in a real cocoon. The Feltri armchair was created in 1986, and launched in production by Cassina the following year. It’s a beautiful combination of a work of art and everyday furniture.
Come stai? chairs
For its spring-summer 2023 fashion show, Bottega Veneta called on Gaetano Pesce to seat its guests. The 400 “Come Stai? chairs”, made of multicoloured resins and monolithic in shape, created for the occasion, are all unique and playful. The aim is to celebrate diversity through the prism of playfulness. To promote the sale of these chairs, supermodel Kate Moss posed nude on the seats, underlining the sensual, no-holds-barred nature of the pieces.
The Organic Building
In 1993, Osaka welcomed a large-scale infrastructure. Gaetano Pesce designed the exterior façade of a nine-storey building using concrete panels clad in red steel and decorated with amphorae containing more than 80 varieties of plant. An innovative design that highlights the theme of plants in architecture.
The Tramonto sofa in New York
Having moved to New York in the early 80s, the designer drew on the city’s richness to convey its aura in a living room. The result is a three-seater sofa depicting the skyline of the Big Apple, the city’s nickname. The armchairs are adorned with a pattern that evokes the facades of the buildings and their countless windows. A bright red sun sits in the centre of the room, between the buildings.
Resin vases
As well as furniture and architecture, Gaetano Pesce has created a large number of jewellery pieces and vases in resin, such as the Fish Design line, with its organic shapes. The material seems to flow, surrounding the piece in the form of spaghetti-like filaments, adorning the vase like precious stones… The creative possibilities seem endless. What’s more, these objects come in a range of colours, each more intense than the last, with an interesting interplay of opacity and transparency.
Read also > DRIES VAN NOTEN, THE EPIC OF A CULT DESIGNER
Featured photo : © Cassina – Gaetano Pesce
