Gaetano Pesce, Italian industrial designer and architect, known for his imaginative use of shape and color, has died at the age of 84.
Pesce was among the most varied and prolific of artists. His career, that spanned four decades, ranged over architecture, urban planning, interior, exhibition and industrial design. As an architect and designer, he had conceived public and private projects in the United States, Europe, Latin America and Asia.
The news of his death was confirmed in a statement released by his studio on Instagram this morning, which read:
“It is with a heavy heart we announce the passing of visionary creator Gaetano Pesce. Over the course of six decades, Gaetano revolutionized the worlds of art, design, architecture, and the liminal spaces between these categories. His originality and nerve are matched by none.
Despite dealing with health-related setbacks, especially in the last year, Gaetano remained positive, playful, and ever-curious. He is survived by his children, family, and all who adored him. His uniqueness, creativity, and special message live on through his art.”
Pesce’s work is characterized by its individuality and the designer’s belief in Modernism as an interpretive method more so than a strict style. About Modern architecture, Pesce has said, “I’d like to see more human feelings, less abstraction, less being neutral. I would like to see the human touch, not abstract geometry, and more personal stories in design, architecture and objects… I think that’s very important.” His style has been called “unapologetically playful” and attributed to his “eternally youthful outlook.”
The designer’s works, most popularly the Gaetano Pesce Chair and Up Chair, express his interest in eroding the boundaries between art, design, and industry.
Born in 1939 in La Spezia, Italy, Pesce received his formal training at the University of Venice under Carlo Scarpa and Ernesto Rogers. His models and drawings are in the collections of The Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and the Centre Pompidou in Paris, among others. Pesce lives and works in New York.
In recent years, his work has garnered a great deal of attention across a much wider audience, despite some of his most famous pieces being made decades earlier. 2022 was a particularly good year for the designer – from new collaborations with Cassina to creating the set and furniture for Bottega Veneta’s Spring/Summer 2023 show.
“My career is not monolithic but is fragmentary,” Pesce said of his multidisciplinary nature, in an interview with Hypebeast last year.
Pesce was expected to launch two major projects at this year’s Milan Design Week, taking place from April 15: an exhibition titled “Nice to See You” at the Biblioteca Ambrosiana, and an installation in collaboration with the City of Milan at the Piazza San Pio XI.
Both will continue as planned, and the event will be an occasion to celebrate the artist at one of the most important cities and events in the world of design.
