The world bids farewell to Gaetano Pesce, the Italian architect and designer famed for his inventive, brilliantly colored furniture pieces, who passed away at 84, as stated by an official statement shared on his Instagram account on Thursday.
Despite grappling with health challenges, particularly in the past year, the New York-based designer maintained an optimistic, inquisitive spirit, as highlighted in the statement.
The statement evoked a sense of sorrow as it relayed the news of the visionary Gaetano Pesce’s passing. It highlighted his remarkable contributions to art, design, and architecture over six decades, with the intersections between these fields. Furthermore, it stressed his unmatched creativity and fearlessness.
“It is with a heavy heart we announce the passing of visionary creator Gaetano Pesce. Over the course of six decades Gaetano revolutionised the worlds of art, design, architecture and the liminal spaces between these categories. His originality and nerve are matched by none.”
Pesce’s iconic “Up” chairs, renowned for their pliable and anthropomorphic qualities, embodied in foam and stretch fabric, stand as a testament to his creative vision.
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The centerpiece of these chairs was a depiction of a voluptuous woman, attached to a spherical footstool, intended to convey the theme of women’s subordination to men.
Remembered fondly by his children, family, and countless admirers, Pesce’s indelible mark on the world endures through his art, as stated, with his singular perspective, inventive spirit, and profound message transcending time.
A native of La Spezia born in 1939, Pesce honed his craft through architectural studies in Venice, followed by an illustrious tenure as a teacher spanning 28 years in Strasbourg, France, along with engagements in Pittsburgh, Milan, Hong Kong, Sao Paulo, and New York.
In 1980, Pesce relocated to New York City, where he made his home, while his artistic legacy extends globally, with his works gracing the permanent collections of esteemed institutions such as MoMA, London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Pompidou Centre in Paris.