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For Silvia Franchini, creativity “is like an avalanche: all it takes is a little pressure, and then everything starts running.” So when she first encountered Foscarini’s lamps, and at first glance an imaginary world of moons, eclipses, and solar systems lit up in her mind, the narrative for her illustrations for What’s in a Lamp? began to take shape.

Discover the full project “What’s in a lamp?”

Silvia’s illustrations are small, inhabited worlds: stories in which, like pieces of music, backgrounds, textures, touches of color, even words overlap — and where it is the whole that conveys rhythm and meaning.

For Foscarini, Silvia interpreted six lamps as celestial bodies: luminous presences that, as the sun sets, become small domestic suns. Under their light, and thanks to it, stories are born, passions ignite, and those moments of magical suspension arise that you feel when you truly enjoy doing something: drawing, reading, playing music, playing games, or simply eating with friends.

The moments when light stops being decor and becomes Home.

You interpreted Foscarini’s lamps as celestial bodies. How did this idea come to you?
From observing the lamps. Because many of them, at first glance, brought to mind a celestial imagery: moons, eclipses, solar systems. All ideas that, in fact, eventually made their way into the project. Hoba, for example, immediately reminded me of a moon or a meteorite, Anoor a total eclipse with sunlight peeking out from behind a full moon. Just reading the names of many of the lamps and studying the catalog already suggested a direction — Nuee, Satellight, Solar, Sun – Light of Love, Supernova, Asteria: they evoked a cosmic root and a nocturnal, starry imagery.

What story do the illustrations you created for What’s in a Lamp? tell?
The concept is based on the idea of interpreting the lamps as celestial bodies, luminous presences that, as the sun sets, take on the role of small domestic suns. I liked the idea of artificial light becoming a generative element: one that illuminates the space, but above all creates worlds, alters proportions, opens up imaginary scenarios within everyday life. I also wanted to tell a story that unites home and passions, with the lamp as a narrative amplifier. The idea of passion as an engine capable of carrying you toward a new dimension fit well with the idea of lamps as celestial bodies. The result tries to recall that moment of total absorption you feel when you enjoy doing something: drawing, playing an instrument, playing games, or eating with friends. The world around you shifts, changes, becomes hospitable and suspended. Time stretches, space transforms. To put it in the words of a song, I tried to portray a bit of “skies in a room.”

How does a story come to life starting from an object, a space, a situation?
By finding a foothold for creativity: in my case, it was precisely this resemblance to celestial bodies. For me, creativity is a bit like an avalanche: all it takes is a little pressure, and then everything starts running — sometimes very fast — and things find their place. That’s how projects are born for me, especially when they’re free and creative; they sweep me away.

Is evoking rather than explaining always the right starting point for telling a story?
There’s no simple answer to this question. For me, evoking is a fundamental component, especially as a starting point, because I believe whoever looks at an illustration needs to recognize themselves in something, and when telling a story, recalling a feeling — evoking it, precisely — is essential. That said, explaining the narrative clearly is also important: evocation, without clear foundations, doesn’t fulfil its role properly. In my creative journey, I’ve often struggled with not being able to clearly convey what’s happening in an illustration, and I’ve worked hard to make my way of illustrating more legible. So I’d say they’re two feet walking in the same direction, and there must always be balance between the two.

In general, how do the concepts for your projects come about?
First of all, by looking around a lot, seeking inspiration from other forms of expression: illustrations, paintings, poems, and often listening to music. And then by making mental space and jotting down some texts — which are almost never coherent texts. They’re more like suggestions, clusters of words, prompts, or lists that I later rearrange within a project, trying to bring clarity to them.

And how do they then turn into illustrations?
The actual illustrations always start from those words: I begin by writing a few key phrases and a vague description. For example, the illustration for Sun – Light of Love was born from: “SUN – LIGHT OF LOVE = INTIMATE MOMENT NIGHT CIGARETTE WINDOW BREATHE.” Then I start sketching, trying to stay true to my original intention (sometimes I need a few minutes to decipher it better myself). And that’s how I proceed.

When do you feel that an illustration really works?
When, looking at it again after a few hours, I wouldn’t want to change anything (it’s very rare, but it does happen sometimes).

How would you describe your work to someone who can’t see it?
The way I build images in my mind often has roots very similar to those of music, so I’ll venture an analogy. In a song, many sounds and instruments coexist simultaneously: something similar happens in my illustrations. There are backgrounds and textures that function like a bassline or an ambient backdrop; then there are touches of color, repeated marks, and graphic elements that recur in different parts of the image, creating a rhythm. The subjects — often dressed colorfully, sometimes a bit bizarrely — inhabit the scene and build the narrative, as if it were a melody. And often phrases appear too: ultimately, just as in songs, in my images text can also become part of the composition. Lastly, I’d say color is a fundamental component of my work: my illustrations are intense, layered, and maximalist.

You use both traditional and digital techniques. What are they, and what role does digital play in your creative process?
Actually, I create about 90% of my illustrations digitally. The only traditional component of my work consists of papers and textured materials that I occasionally allow myself to make using various techniques: acrylics, collage, doodles, but above all monotypes. I then digitize those same textures and reuse them, reworked to change their color or structure, in a great many projects. Digital was a real revolution for me: even though mistakes can often become a source of creativity, for me they used to be a huge limitation. Drawing digitally, I can make a thousand mistakes and go back, change colors, spaces, dimensions. This way, the making of my illustrations is colored by constant experimentation.

Your images seem to be built on overlapping layers: is that an aesthetic or a narrative choice?
There isn’t a particularly rational line of thinking behind some of my stylistic or compositional decisions. There’s something that moves me from within, almost unconsciously, in structuring my images — it’s a very instinctive process. This constant layering, which is very dear to me, I think reflects a bit of how I think. Sometimes it’s a purely stylistic quirk; other times it becomes a narrative device, especially when I need to describe something complex through my images. In the end, I think it represents my very layered way of seeing things: I’m a reflective, introspective person — some would call it an “overthinker” — and my illustrations carry this overthinking of mine and translate it visually, in a layered way, of course when the theme, the subject, and the readability of the image allow for it.

How did you become an illustrator? What was your path?
I attended art high school in Modena, after which I moved between the academies of Venice and Bologna, and after earning a diploma in printmaking, I began studying illustration at the academy in Florence. Studying in Florence was deeply formative for me — that’s where I truly understood I wanted to do this for a living, even though you wouldn’t guess it, since I left my studies to go work in a printmaking workshop just before graduating. Still, passions eventually find their way, and it was precisely while working there that I started my first projects as an illustrator. My experience as a printmaker enriched me enormously, though — both because it taught me manual skill, technique, and discipline, and because it was there that I realized creating images mattered more to me than reproducing and printing other people’s work.

What does creativity mean to you?
It’s finding a way to always open the same door, but each time with a different key.

Discover the collaboration with Silvia Franchini and the full series on the Instagram channel @foscarinilamps, and explore all interpretations of the What’s in a Lamp? project, where international artists are invited to freely interpret light and Foscarini collections.

Visit @foscarinilamps on Instagram

Pastel colors, clean lines, and surreal worlds where dreams and reality meet. For What’s in a Lamp?, Frelly builds a series of images in which each Foscarini lamp becomes a hat to be worn, turning design objects into living presences that reshape the space around the people who wear them.

Discover the full project “What’s in a lamp?”

Enrico Focarelli Barone, known as Frelly, creates images that spring from a sensation. “I start with a detail — a figure, a light — and let everything else emerge, poised between reality and imagination,” he says. An illustrator specializing in editorial design and conceptual illustration, Frelly has created a visual language characterized by limited color palettes, large swaths of color, and figures suspended in a balance between reality and imagination.

In the series he created for What’s in a Lamp?, Foscarini lamps become hats worn by women from around the world. Not decorative objects, but presences that alter the silhouette and the perception of space. In each illustration, a suspended moment is thus created, where form speaks before the story.

How would you describe your work to someone who can’t see it?
I draw images that grow from a feeling. I start with a detail — a figure, a light — and let everything else emerge, in a balance between reality and imagination. Color plays a central role: a few tones, broad expanses of flat color, to build atmosphere and emotion.

How does a story become an illustration?
I usually start without a clear story in mind. I begin drawing and let myself be guided — at a certain point, the image itself starts to speak.

You interpreted Foscarini’s lamps as hats. Where did that idea come from?
They depict frozen moments. In this case, I also drew inspiration from real-life poses and references, letting the shapes—of the body, the clothes, and the lamps—guide me.

What stories do the illustrations tell?
Raccontano momenti sospesi. In questo caso sono partito anche da pose e riferimenti reali, lasciando che fossero le forme — del corpo, degli abiti e delle lampade — a guidarmi.

The women wearing the lamp-hats come from all over the world. How do you avoid falling into stereotypes when working on something like that?
By working through subtraction. I avoid details that are too explicit and look for something more essential — leaving room for interpretation.

How do you build a story starting from an object, a space, a situation?
I start drawing and putting elements into relationship with one another. Sometimes all it takes is a small shift, and the image begins to suggest a story on its own.
 
How do your project concepts come together?
From drawing. I follow an initial intuition and let it develop as I go, until it becomes a clear idea.
 
And how do they turn into finished illustrations?
Through simplification and a focus on balance. Few elements, large areas of flat color, and a tight palette — usually four or five colors — to give the image strength and coherence.
 
How do you know when an illustration is finished and working?
When there’s nothing left to take away and everything is in balance: shapes, space, and color.
 
What story would you most love to illustrate, and why?
I couldn’t give you a definitive answer — there are so many stories waiting to be told. I just hope it’s a good one.
 
What does creativity mean to you?
For me, creativity means starting from an intuition and letting it grow by following your emotions, drawing inspiration from everything around you. It’s the ability to turn what lives in your mind into something real.

Discover the collaboration with Enrico Focarelli and the full series on the Instagram channel @foscarinilamps, and explore all interpretations of the What’s in a Lamp? project, where international artists are invited to freely interpret light and Foscarini collections.

Visit @foscarinilamps on Instagram

Silent images, domestic settings, a light that sparks unexpected possibilities. For What’s in a Lamp?, Marianna Tomaselli creates a series of illustrations in which Foscarini lamps become the starting point of a visual narrative, where light generates relationships, atmospheres, and subtle shifts in meaning.

Discover the full project “What’s in a lamp?”

An illustrator and creative director, Marianna Tomaselli creates images that seem to freeze a moment of transition: instants in which something is about to happen or has just occurred. Her visual language – where aesthetics are always accompanied by a narrative layer – grows out of her experience in illustration, animation, and directing. The result is imagery that suggests rather than explains, built as fragments of a broader story, with particular attention to light as an element capable of shaping space and guiding the viewer’s gaze.

This is precisely what happens in her series for What’s in a Lamp?. Bahia, Twiggy, Uto, Hoba, Plena, and Le Soleil become true narrative triggers: the central elements from which illustrations take shape, giving rise to essential, warm, lived-in domestic environments in which, within the light, something happens – a detail is activated, a gesture takes form, the atmosphere shifts.

Each illustration is conceived as a self-contained scene, but also as part of an ideal sequence, where light plays a central role: not as a decorative feature, but as a presence that defines and constructs space, activating quiet relationships between objects, settings, and everyday gestures. The lamp never imposes a story; it suggests one, leaving it to the viewer to complete.

“I’m interested in telling emotions and moments of life, but without describing them explicitly. I prefer to suggest, to leave space, to create images that feel like part of a larger story. In this series, I wanted to shift the focus from the lamp as a simple object to light as an active element. A light that doesn’t decorate, but tells a story.”

Marianna Tomaselli
/ Artist

The chromatic choices support this vision through a reduced, clean, contemporary palette that engages in direct dialogue with the design of Foscarini lamps. Color never distracts, but reinforces the light: red, the brand’s iconic hue, appears as a measured accent, while shades of blue build depth and atmosphere, allowing warm light to emerge.

Accompanying the lamps, Tomaselli introduces a recurring presence: a cat. A universal symbol of home, warmth, and everyday life, it becomes the silent companion that moves through the series, a living presence that observes the light, seeks it out, and approaches it, helping to make the environments feel authentic, intimate, and recognizable.

Your work often originates from images that seem to freeze a suspended moment, as if something has just happened or is about to happen. How did this way of looking at the world and images take shape in your artistic journey?

I think it comes first and foremost from a personal trait: I’ve always been fascinated by moments of transition, when something is about to change or has just changed. I’m a big fan of thrillers, and perhaps this has influenced the way I tell stories through images. In thrillers, tension often lies in the moment before the revelation rather than in the event itself. It’s a suspension that I find very powerful visually as well. Working on book covers in this genre also taught me how to suggest a story without showing it completely.

 

You have a background spanning illustration, animation, and creative direction. How do these fields interact in your work today, and how do they influence the way you build an image?

I began my career working in fashion, taking part in trade fairs and runway shows, an experience that deeply shaped my sense of aesthetics, attention to detail, and understanding of luxury—particularly Made in Italy.
Later, I spent several years in the creative department of a production company, working on both live-action commercials and animation. This taught me to think about images in a structured, project-driven way, not just aesthetically. Every frame must have an intention, a rhythm, a narrative function. Even when I work on a single illustration, I build it as if it were part of a sequence: I ask myself what happened before and what might happen next. For me, even a single image is always part of an ideal sequence. Today, my work emerges from the intersection of aesthetics, storytelling, and a project-oriented vision.

 

If you had to describe your visual language in just a few words, what would they be?

I would say: suspended, emotional, and narrative images. I’m interested in telling emotions and moments of life without describing them explicitly. I prefer to suggest, to leave space, to create images that feel like part of a larger story.

 

How does your creative process unfold?

It depends very much on the project.
When there is creative freedom, as in this case, I always start from the subject: I ask myself what emotions it evokes, in what context I imagine it, and what personal interpretation I can bring to make it authentic, not just visually appealing.
My goal is not to decorate, but to offer a point of view. When there are multiple subjects, I focus strongly on the relationships between images, seeking a harmony that makes each one strong individually, but even more meaningful as part of a whole. I’m interested in building a recognizable visual line, where each image stands on its own yet gains strength through dialogue with the others.

 

In your series for What’s in a Lamp?, you imagined Foscarini lamps as objects that don’t simply turn on a light, but alter the behavior of space and things. The lamp always remains central, yet the surrounding scene seems to respond to its presence. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind this concept?

In this series, I wanted to shift the focus from the lamp as a simple object to light as an active element.
I was interested in showing how light can change the perception of space: defining geometries, creating voids and solids, transforming surfaces and objects into scenographic elements.
The lamp remains central, but it is its light that generates the scene.
I was also inspired by American modern realism, particularly Edward Hopper, where light plays a fundamental narrative role. His luminous cuts construct space and suggest emotions without the need for explanation.
I tried to bring that same idea into my illustrations: a light that doesn’t decorate, but tells a story.

The cat is a recurring element throughout the series. What role does this presence play for you?

I chose the cat as the connecting thread of the series because it introduces a living presence without defining a story too precisely.
In a way, it acts as a substitute for the human figure, which would have been more characterizing and made the scenes overly narrative. The cat, instead, keeps the images open and universal.
It is also a powerful symbol of home and everyday life: it brings warmth and intimacy, transforming geometric, designed spaces into lived-in places.
Its presence makes the atmosphere more domestic and cozy in a natural, never decorative way. Moreover, the cat has a spontaneous relationship with light: it seeks it, observes it, moves closer to it. It was therefore the ideal subject to convey a light that is not only functional, but welcoming.

 

You chose a very reduced, clean, contemporary palette. What is your relationship with color, and what role does it play in these illustrations?

I chose a reduced, contemporary palette that dialogues with the design of Foscarini lamps, which are very clean and essential objects.
I wanted color not to distract, but to support the light, leaving it the leading role.
Red, the brand’s iconic color, appears as a recurring accent: a note that activates the scene and creates visual continuity throughout the series.
Blue tones, on the other hand, help build atmosphere, adding depth and allowing the warm light to emerge.
I deliberately chose a hand-drawn mark and textured brushes, because I wanted the style itself to reflect the idea of craftsmanship and uniqueness that characterizes Foscarini. I didn’t want images that felt too digital or perfect, but rather living surfaces, where the gesture and a more human dimension are perceptible.

 

The compositions in your series clearly follow a very precise visual grammar. How did you establish these formal rules at the beginning of the project? Were they rigid guidelines, or did they evolve intuitively?

My approach is very intuitive, especially in the early stages.
I don’t start from rigid rules, but from an idea of atmosphere and visual rhythm. The first images help me understand the direction the language is taking.
Then I begin to observe the relationships between images: what returns, what works, what creates coherence.
In this project, the visual grammar developed progressively. Once all six illustrations were completed, I refined certain elements to make the language more uniform and recognizable. It’s a balance between intuition and structure: intuition guides the beginning, structure arrives to give coherence to the series.

 

Is there an image or lamp in the series that you feel is particularly meaningful for you? Why?

I’m very drawn to outdoor lamps, because they have the ability to create atmosphere even in open, less defined spaces.
The Uto lamp, with its very clear cone of light, creates a sort of luminous room within the outdoor space. I like it because it makes the boundary of light visible and clearly conveys the transformation between what is inside and what is outside.

 

What does creativity mean to you?

For me, creativity is the ability to look beyond the established framework of reality. It’s about interpreting what we see every day and giving it a different reading, sometimes overturning its meaning. It doesn’t mean inventing something completely new, but discovering unexpected possibilities in what already exists.

Discover the collaboration with Marianna Tomaselli and the full series on the Instagram channel @foscarinilamps, and explore all interpretations of the What’s in a Lamp? project, where international artists are invited to freely interpret light and Foscarini collections.

Visit @foscarinilamps on Instagram

Illustrator, animator and storyteller Brian Rea enters the world of What’s in a lamp?, transforming Foscarini lamps into living, intimate and quiet presences. A project where light and characters engage in a dialogue shaped by delicacy, surprise and imagination.

Discover the full project “What’s in a lamp?”

An illustrator and animator, Brian Rea has long built his work around intimate, everyday stories, told through an essential visual language that nonetheless carries strong emotional resonance. His visual approach moves naturally between illustration, animation and storytelling, maintaining a careful balance between formal simplicity and narrative depth. He lives in Sweden, a place where light – and its absence, especially during the long winter months – takes on a powerful cultural and emotional significance.

It is precisely from here that his contribution to What’s in a lamp? takes shape: Foscarini’s editorial project that invites international artists to creatively reinterpret the brand’s lamps through their own perspective. Brian Rea begins with a question that is as simple as it is powerful: what if the characters that inhabit the dark were curious about the light? What would they look like? How would they react when faced with a lamp that suddenly turns on? And what kind of relationship would emerge between them?

From these questions comes a series of short animated stories, dedicated to six Foscarini lamps – Binic, Madre, Sunlight of Love, Spokes, Fleur and Eolie – and populated by shy, curious, playful characters. The lamps become companions and interlocutors: presences that observe, welcome, listen and spark the imagination. There is no spectacle, no noise: everything unfolds in the details, in suspended moments, in subtle movements.

“I was always terrified of the dark as a child. Turning on a light was a huge relief: it made the monsters disappear and calmed my imagination. I think those fears later influenced the way I tell stories today.”

Brian Rea
/ Artist

In a world that often shouts to capture attention, Brian Rea chooses the opposite path: one of delicacy, in perfect harmony with the character of Foscarini lamps. A light that does not overwhelm, but accompanies. An invitation to slow down and observe what happens, inside and around us, when a room begins to glow.

You move between illustration, animation, and storytelling with unusual naturalness. How would you describe your signature style in just a few words?
Restrained, but hopefully emotional, often highlighting the quiet moments.

 

Your characters are fragile, funny, emotional, profoundly human. What originally drew you to this kind of intimacy rather than to grand narratives or heroic protagonists?
I’ve always been a pretty emotional person (I love a good cry from a movie) but it took me a long time to discover these are the types of images I like to create too. I’ve been illustrating the Modern Love column for now 15 years, so by reading the column each week (a column about life and love and relationships in all the forms it can take) I suppose I developed a better understanding of how to present “feelings” in the work and elicit an emotional response from the viewer.

 

Which cultural or artistic references were most influential during your education and career?
There were so many at different stages of my career, but lifelong inspiration has always come from Ben Shahn and Saul Steinberg. Film makers such as Roy Anderson and Jaques Tati have also been a big influence on me too, particularly on pacing and the joy, pain and humor of quietness or the human condition.

 

Can you walk us through your creative process, from the first idea to the finished illustration or video?
It always begins with writing before sketching—I tend to make lots of lists. These lists then lead to sketches. I draw everything by hand but at times I’ll use Photoshop to refine color or make simple adjustments. In this collaboration, I selected six lamps that seemed to have unusual or playful visual characteristics in some way. Then I created a mini story for each one, with a central character to highlight something about each lamp. I worked with a wonderful animator named Bruno Persico, who then brought these stories to life.

 

You often blend tenderness with a subtle, quiet humor. How did this tone become your way of looking at the world?
I grew up in a big, loud family of wonderful storytellers. But I was too shy to tell stories with words, so I just listened. Eventually, I figured out I could share my little moments much better with pictures instead—usually one panel at a time or in short animated stories. And that became my way of connecting to the world.

 

You’ve said that some stories “arrive” almost fully formed, while others resist and unfold slowly. How do you understand when a narrative is finally complete?
When I can’t see any of the struggle or when the drawing (or animation in this case) feels effortless and fluid, and the timing is right on the animation, then it’s probably complete. Maybe I get a smile after looking at it—that’s another sign.

 

In this series for Foscarini, the lamps feel like living presences: they accompany, listen, console, spark imagination. How did you build this relationship between light and character?
I spent some time thinking about my complicated relationship with light. I was tremendously afraid of the dark as a child, and turning a light on was a big relief for me—it made the darkness and all the monsters I imagined that were in it go away. I now live in Sweden, which can be dark for long stretches of the winter, and I hear my children expressing worry about the same “monsters” I did as a child. But imagine if those characters in the dark were curious about light too—what would these characters look like? How would they respond to these lamps? This series hopefully expresses some of that surprise and joy and that connection that many of us share when the warmth of a lamp is turned on.

 

Was there a specific lamp or video in the series that surprised you the most or revealed a personality you didn’t expect?
The Binic lamp was certainly the most direct to personal experience—in it I see my children playfully sitting and staring, like a mirror to my kids. But I love sunlight (especially during the winters here), so the Sunlight of Love lamp was one that was really fun to work on. My two young children loved the Eolie lamp animation, probably because the character is doing something he shouldn’t do.

 

One of the beautiful aspects of this series is that nothing is loud or spectacular. The emotion lives in tiny gestures, pauses, glances. What did you discover by working at such an intimate scale?
I’m a big fan of the quiet power of little moments and trying to capture that in an image. The world can be a loud and intense experience—everything shouting at you for your attention. But these lamps don’t do that, and that’s what makes them stand out. It was important that the animations reflected that same tone as the lamps.

Did any of the stories take an unexpected turn during the process?
I don’t believe so. We sketched things out pretty clearly and I had a wonderful collaboration with Bruno Persico on the animation side of things. Valeria and her team at Foscarini were great, and I’m grateful for the creative room and the trust they gave us to tell our stories about their wonderful lamps.

 

Which video from the series is your favorite, and why?
As I mentioned, the Sunlight of Love lamp was probably my favorite. The name alone makes me smile, but so does the lovely animation that Bruno created for it. Hopefully it does for others too.

 

Finally: what does creativity mean to you?
Finding something you love more than anything else in the world and make it your life’s work every day without compromise.

 

Discover the full series on the @foscarinilamps Instagram channel, and explore all the works from the What’s in a Lamp? project, where international artists are invited to interpret light and Foscarini lamps.

Visit @foscarinilamps on Instagram

In the new series for the editorial project What’s in a Lamp?, British illustrator Jim Stoten reimagines Foscarini lamps in a series of hypnotic, infinite-zooming animations that feel like gateways—inviting viewers to explore universes within universes and pulling them into vibrant worlds of color, form, and imagination.

Discover more about “What’s in a lamp?”

Living and working between Hastings, UK, and Venice, Italy, Jim Stoten channels his boundless imagination into illustrations, animations, and even music. His bold, kaleidoscopic style is instantly recognizable: playful yet intricate, intuitive yet deeply considered. He thrives on spontaneity, allowing ideas to flow organically to create artworks that invite viewers to visualize the vast and intriguing worlds within his mind. “I try not to overthink,” he says. “I want my work to feel intuitive, playful—like an endless discovery in progress.”

For Foscarini’s What’s in a Lamp? series, Stoten reimagined six of the brand’s iconic lamps, transforming them into infinite zoom animations that serve as portals to otherworldly dimensions. Each loop draws inspiration from the lamp’s unique aesthetic, design story, or the worlds sparked in Stoten’s imagination.

Scopri Orbital
Scopri Orbital

Hoba, with its organic, meteor-like shape, becomes a cosmic odyssey through the stars, leading to a surprising encounter with an astronaut. Chapeaux, with its interchangeable diffusers, opens a whimsical parade of hats, each with its own distinct personality. Nuée’s soft, cloud-like folds, evolve into a snowy landscape, where a skier gracefully glides through. And then there’s Lumiere, Kurage, and Orbital—each animation invites you deeper into Stoten’s vivid vision, urging you to lose yourself in the intricate details and layered narratives. It’s like a psychedelic deep dive into light and design.

“I wanted the animations to reflect both the aesthetic and the stories behind the designs while keeping things loose and playful, creating a world for each piece that felt cohesive yet full of surprises.”

JIM STOTEN
/ Artist

We had the opportunity to dive deeper into Jim Stoten’s unique perspective and artistic inspiration in this exclusive interview, which we’re sharing below. Experience how natural it feels to immerse yourself in Foscarini’s iconic designs through Jim’s vibrant, endlessly zooming journeys by exploring the entire What’s in a Lamp? series on our Instagram channel.

Tell us a bit about yourself and your journey as an artist. How did you get into illustration?

When I was a child I drew all the time as a form of entertainment for myself. When I applied and was accepted to study Illustration at the University of Brighton, all I knew about the course was that it encouraged all sorts of experimentation which I was really interested in. While studying I made lots of music, animations, drawings, prints and paintings and gradually after studying, I built up to where I am now.

 

How do the two sides of Jim Stoten—the illustrator and the musician—coexist and influence each other creatively?

I still really enjoy experimentation within creativity. Sometimes with both imagery and music, I feel I hit a wall – a place where I have worked so hard to get to, that I need a break. So then I turn to whichever way of working I haven’t done for a while, until I hit another wall and can turn back again. Basically, whenever I feel tired of drawing, I make music and when I’m tired of making music, I go back to drawing.

 

Your artistic aesthetic is incredibly unique. How would you personally describe your distinctive style?

I really have no idea. I know how other people describe it and I don’t always see what others see. I think my aesthetic is deeply rooted with how I think and what I am interested in conveying.

 

We’re curious about how your expressive style evolved over time. Did it develop naturally or was it the result of intentional research and experimentation?

It’s developed and changed over time. The work I’m doing now is very different to the work I was doing 10 years – in my opinion at least. It’s not intentional change, things just change as I find new things that attract my attention and hold my interest. Experimentation is exciting to me. I really like adding new things and taking away other things that I don’t feel are working anymore.

What’s your creative process like when working on your artworks? Do you have specific rituals or habits that you follow when you’re drawing?

Yes. If I’m in my studio, I make a pot of coffee and I have something on in the background, usually a film that I’ve seen before or an old TV chat show interview – something that I can listen to and occasionally stop to watch. If I’m not in my studio, maybe on a train or a plane or in a pub, I have music on my headphones and that’s it.

 

Your illustrations strike an intriguing balance between simplicity and complexity, where colorful minimal illustrations evolve into immersive video stories. How do you come up with your concepts?

The ideas behind the work are usually very immediate. I try not to think about that part too much. For me, overthinking ideas and approaches leads to uncertainty about the strength of an idea or concept. I like work to feel intuitive while I’m making it, which means that what is communicated varies depending on what I’m enjoying in making the work.

 

What inspired you to collaborate with Foscarini for this project?

I was excited by the freedom to move with this project. It felt like a nice opportunity to experiment and communicate simultaneously which is something that interests me greatly. It’s great to receive briefs like this where I am trusted to be free in terms of what I do.

 

Can you share the concept or inspiration behind the “What’s in a Lamp?” series?

For this project I allowed myself to mix my appreciation of the product’s aesthetic with my own loose interpretation of the background story behind the design. I wanted to be playful with both, in order to give myself the freedom to build an atmosphere that worked across all 6 animations.

 

Among the artworks in your “What’s in a Lamp?” series, do you have a personal favorite? If so, what makes it stand out for you?

I don’t have a favourite, I am happy with them as a set. The whole set is my favourite.

 

And, more in general, do you have a favorite subject to draw?

Horses.

 

Your work appears to offer a unique and original perspective on reality. How do you nurture this creative and alternative viewpoint?

I think my sketchbook is an important part of this process. I keep it with me at all times, and draw in it whenever I have time. I collect ideas in there that don’t have a place anywhere else for the time being, and mix it all up with the process of recording things I see, hear, remember, feel or just things I like. This means that any one page of my sketchbook is a big mix of everything that is happening inside of me and outside of me. My sketchbook always provides a good start point for how to approach projects.

 

What does creativity mean to you?

Creativity is a gift. It allows a person to process and digest any part of life that they wish to focus on, at the same time as bringing something that previously did not exist, into the light.

Discover more about the collaboration with Jim Stoten and the full series on the Instagram channel @foscarinilamps. Explore all the works from the “What’s in a Lamp?” project, where international artists are invited to interpret light and Foscarini’s lamps.

Explore @foscarinilamps on Instagram

Giona Maiarelli’s latest series for What’s in a Lamp? blends Italian and American cultures, using collages to reinterpret the iconic Foscarini lamps by combining imagery from old magazines, books, and photographs, all reworked through the lens of memory and imagination.

Discover more about “What’s in a lamp?”

Artist, graphic designer, and curator Giona Maiarelli, born in Italy and living in the United States for more than twenty-five years, stands as a bridge between two cultures. His work focuses on collage, a medium shaped by randomness and serendipity, blending intuition and tactile elements with an aesthetic sensibility that honors the ability of art to create unexpected and meaningful connections.

“For What’s in a Lamp?, Maiarelli has assembled a series of collages that weave Italian culture into a deep dive into the American collective imagination. Foscarini’s iconic lamps, including Aplomb, Binic, Caboche, Chouchin, Nuée, and Spokes, are at the core of these works, combined with imagery from vintage magazines, books, and photographs, creating unique visual compositions that highlight the distinctive aesthetics of each lamp, while placing them within the context of the American myth with accents that are sometimes ironic, sometimes romantic.

“My goal was to explore the tension between the refined Italian aesthetics of Foscarini lamps and the pragmatic ruggedness of the American landscape,” says Maiarelli. In his artistic interpretation, Caboche becomes a circular jewel paired with American water towers, while Spokes, with its rays, evokes the chaotic tangle of electricity lines where birds rest. Chouchin, on the other hand, transforms into a flying object, referencing the American fascination with extraterrestrial phenomena. Each lamp thus becomes the protagonist of a visual narrative that blends design with storytelling, aesthetics with imagination.

Discover more about this collaboration and the full series by Giona Maiarelli on Foscarini’s Instagram channel @foscarinilamps. Explore all the works in the What’s in a Lamp? project, where international artists are invited to interpret light and Foscarini lamps.

Hi Giona, can you tell us about your artistic journey? How did you come to embrace the art of collage, and what does this form of expression represent for you?

At the beginning of my career as a graphic designer, I loved recycling paper scraps and cardboards used in presentations into a collage. I saw expressive possibilities in the waste of my work. Then came a long break dedicated to my profession, though I was always drawn to Dadaism and collage, particularly the works of artist and poet Jiří Kolář. Finally, in 2016, I decided to return to my passion.
“Rediscovering” collage years later meant rediscovering the pleasure of creating with my hands, which, as intermediaries between the mind and the paper, become active parts in the creation process. Paper cutouts move on the cardboard, intuition turns into action, until the composition reveals itself. But the cycle is not complete until the collage is seen by an audience. It is only when I see the collage through someone else’s eyes that the cycle is finished.

 

Your approach to collage is immediately recognizable and unique. How would you describe your style? What are the distinctive elements that define it?

Serendipity plays a fundamental role in my compositions: even when I intend to communicate a specific idea, the collage refuses to be accommodating and reveals expressive and compositional possibilities I hadn’t considered.
Then there’s the pleasure of surprise: finding a book from which to cut out images in a second-hand bookstore, discovering potential in images I initially discarded, and finally, the surprise of a composition that happens by chance on the page. Each series of collages starts with a theme, but instinct plays an essential part.

 

Where does your inspiration come from?

Inspiration arises alongside the work. When I start a collage series, I don’t have an idea in mind, only the material I’ve decided to work with, chosen based on an intuition. After a few hours, or sometimes a few days, ideas emerge on their own through the work itself.

 

What attracts you most in the reality around you, and how do you translate these suggestions into your work?

Most of the collage series I’ve produced are explorations of my personal American imagination: the landscapes of the American West, the modernist architecture of post-war skyscrapers in New York, and the California Case Study houses, the old Hollywood, the pages of the New York Times. Perhaps unconsciously, I’m processing my decision to move to the United States, reclaiming images that were already present in my subconscious.

 

For the “What’s in a Lamp?” project with Foscarini, you created compositions that associate lamps with evocative images, sometimes ironic, sometimes poetic. Can you reveal the inspiration and creative process behind this work?

For What’s in a Lamp?, I wanted to place Foscarini lamps in an American context. It seemed like the most obvious choice, given that I live in the United States, and the American visual heritage is part of my artistic vocabulary.

 

In this series, the dialogue between the two cultures, Italian and American, is very clear. How do these two realities meet and blend in your compositions?

My goal was to explore the tension between the refined Italian aesthetics of Foscarini lamps and the pragmatic roughness of the American landscape, playing with the size and contrast between the color images of the products and the black-and-white images of the landscapes. In the end, these two worlds, so seemingly distant, melted into an embrace, sometimes ironic, sometimes poetic.

What specific elements of the American collective imagination did you bring into the collages you created for “What’s in a Lamp?”

The form and material of the lamps suggested certain paths. Caboche appeared as a precious circular jewel to pair with an austere element of the American landscape, like water tanks. Aplomb fit into the face of the “ideal” American man, created by combining the portraits of five American presidents, replacing his open, glowing light with a telegenic smile. Spokes, with its delicate rays, refers to the chaotic electricity wires that tangle in the American skies, from which birds watch us, reminding us of its vocation as an elegant aviary. Binic reminded me of a bright full moon and led me towards images related to America’s exploration of our satellite. I knew from the start that at least one of the lamps would become a flying object, a typically American phenomenon and source of naïve conspiracy theories. This fate befell Chouchin, shiny and technically perfect, like I imagine a flying object from a more evolved civilization might be, catching passersby by surprise. Nuée is a light, airy cloud that intercepts our daring diver and takes her on a magical journey.

 

Which artists or influences have most contributed to the formation of your artistic vision? Who do you consider your masters?

The Czech artist and poet Jiří Kolář, whom I mentioned earlier, has had a great influence on my work. And also the carefree attitude of the Dada and Futurist movements.

 

Do you have a ritual or follow habits when working on your collages?

Music, always.

 

What is creativity to you?

My mentor, Milton Glaser, used to say that creativity doesn’t exist; only imagination does. Creativity is nothing but the ability to imagine, and then create, worlds that don’t yet exist.

 

Learn more about the collaboration with Giona Maiarelli and explore the complete series on the Instagram channel @foscarinilamps. Dive into all the works from the “What’s in a Lamp?” project, where international artists reinterpret light and Foscarini lamps in unique and inspiring ways.

Visit @foscarinilamps on Instagram

Bennet Pimpinella brings his cinematic art to the What’s in a Lamp? project. Through his signature technique of scratching directly onto film, he transforms Foscarini lamps into symbols of emotions and memories, crafting intimate scenes infused with a surreal, grunge atmosphere.

Discover more about “What’s in a lamp?”

Exploration and experimentation define Bennet Pimpinella’s artistic journey. Born in 1977 and trained in film at L’Aquila Academy, Pimpinella has spent his career merging analog and digital, continuously redefining the relationship between light and image. His visual language is unmistakable: a blend of experimentation, craftsmanship, and an intimate connection to the medium of film itself.  His signature technique—scratching directly onto film—captures his creative process, reflecting its intensity and the emotions it conveys. This instinctive, immediate, raw mark on the celluloid stands as a testament to the intensity of the moment. His works possess a grunge, raw aesthetic, charged with emotion, drawing the viewer into a world where the artist’s personal feelings are palpable.

In his contribution to Foscarini’s What’s in a Lamp? series, Pimpinella transforms light into the main protagonist of his cinematic narratives through his distinctive technique.

“Each of the six films created for Foscarini is unique, but they all share an intimate and emotional mood. Foscarini lamps become symbols of feelings and memories, part of a quiet but deep story. I wanted to combine the materiality of the rough, scratched film with something surreal, creating a dialogue between light and shadow that tells silent, powerful stories.”

Bennet Pimpinella
/ Artist and Director

The soundtrack—created by composer Carmine Calia —does more than accompany the images; it enhances and deepens their meaning. Together, the interplay of light, form, and music in Pimpinella’s work offers a new emotional dimension, forging an intense connection with the audience.

Explore the full collaboration with Bennet Pimpinella and discover the complete series on Instagram @foscarinilamps, where international artists are invited to interpret the theme of light through Foscarini’s lamps as part of the What’s in a Lamp? project.

Tell us a bit about yourself: did you always know you wanted to be an artist? How did your journey into the world of cinema and artistic experimentation begin?

I never imagined I could make a living as an artist, even though I grew up surrounded by art. My father was a painter and sculptor, and my mother was a portrait artist. They always encouraged my love for drawing and painting, but for me, it was something personal, a part of daily life, without ever thinking it could become my career.

After studying as a surveyor, which felt restrictive for my interests, I decided to enroll at the International Academy of Image Arts and Sciences. It was a radical change—suddenly, I was immersed in the world of cinema, discovering a new way to express myself that completely changed my view of art. It wasn’t static anymore, but alive and moving.

I was lucky enough to meet great mentors, like Vittorio Storaro, who played a key role in my development. After graduating, I had the honor of working on his team for ten years, a deeply formative experience. My role was as an assistant camera operator, responsible for loading and unloading 35mm film in the cameras. That’s where I learned to handle and take care of the film. It was during this time that I laid the foundation for my understanding of both the technical and aesthetic aspects of filmmaking. Those years taught me discipline, technique, and above all, a deep appreciation for the pursuit of beauty in images. I still carry those lessons with me today, and I’m grateful to the Maestro Storaro and the entire team for instilling a passion that continues to guide me every day.

 

What motivates you to create, and where does your inspiration come from? Is it driven by curiosity, a search for meaning, or pure visual expression?

Creating is my way of expressing myself, just as others might write, play music, or sing. For me, it’s something natural, almost instinctive—it’s something I need to do, a way to deal with my feelings. My technique and my work help me understand and express what I’m going through.
My approach is fundamentally experimental: I start with a gesture, with a mark, always seeking something new, yet at the same time, something recognizable. My inspiration doesn’t come from a single source; I draw from everything around me, everything that touches my senses. It could be the blue of the sea, a gray day, a news story, the loss of a loved one, or a melody that captivates me. Every experience, every emotion, transforms into a mark, a shape. I could go on endlessly because everything that moves me has the potential to become part of my creative process.

 

Your cinema is surprising and unique. How would you describe your style, and how did you develop this distinctive aesthetic?

While I was at the Academy, I explored various forms of cinematic storytelling until I created my first stop-motion animation. That project sparked something in me and led me to dive deeply into the world of animation. I bought books, studied techniques, and experimented with innovative methods—from Alexandre Alexeïeff’s pin screen to backlit glass, Oskar Fischinger’s motion painting, and Jan Švankmajer’s stop motion. Each new discovery fueled my curiosity.

The turning point came when I discovered the direct cinema of Stan Brakhage, which didn’t use a camera. From that moment, I started experimenting with Super 8 film, scratching, coloring, and directly working on the film itself. The most magical part for me was the projection: using a home projector, hearing the mechanical sound of the motor pulling the film, smelling the belts, and watching the dust dance in the light of the lamp… It was an experience that captivated my soul. I still remember the first time I projected one of my works; I immediately knew that this technique would become my language.

Now, after 25 years, I still feel that same excitement and wonder every time the light turns on and the image comes to life. My style is rooted in this blend of experimentation, craftsmanship, and a deep connection to the physical medium of cinema, which remains the foundation of everything I create.

You’ve found a balance between analog and digital, but your work always begins with film. What process do you follow to create your videos? We’re very curious about your techniques, the tools you use, and your working method.

Every project starts with a fundamental choice: the medium. I decide whether to shoot new footage, and once developed, I create a positive to scratch and manipulate, or if I will work with found footage, using existing films to alter.

Choosing the film is crucial and depends on the type of work I’m doing. There are many variables to consider: the format, the perforations, whether the film is already exposed or still unexposed. The brand and age of the emulsion are also important, as they affect the type of scratch I will achieve—in terms of color, depth, and line. Every detail matters in creating the final result.

Once the film is selected, the real work begins, requiring immense patience and dedication. It’s a process that forces you to isolate yourself, as if time stands still. For just one minute of animation, it can take weeks of work. Meticulousness is essential.

In my works, I use a wide range of techniques, and each mark has its specific tool. For scratching the film, for example, I use awls, needles, dental kits, electric grinders, and Dremel tools. But it’s not just about scratching; I cut, paste, and color using every type of material available. The colors range from glass pigments to water-based inks and permanent colors. My goal is always to make the most of what the market offers while keeping creativity at the heart of the process.

A key element of my work is the extensive collection of transfers I’ve gathered over the past twenty years.  I have every type and brand, which allows me to explore endless creative possibilities when working with film. Every detail of my work comes from a combination of technique, experimentation, and the desire to constantly challenge the limits of the medium.

 

How did your collaboration with Foscarini come about, and what motivated you in this work?

When Foscarini approached me to collaborate, I didn’t hesitate for a moment. I vividly remember the excitement I felt as I immediately said yes. Being chosen by a brand I admire while having complete creative freedom was a significant motivator for me. It felt like an opportunity to explore new ideas and create something that resonated with their world but also carried my personal touch.

Whenever I am granted the freedom to express myself, I feel compelled to push my limits, experiment, and seek visual solutions that are surprising and capable of conveying emotions.  My aim was to create an atmosphere that reflected the essence of Foscarini while also adding a unique and unexpected element that would resonate with both me and the audience.  The challenge of blending my vision with theirs became the key motivation for this project.

 

In the “What’s in a Lamp?” project by Foscarini, you transformed film fragments by scratching the surface, adding colors, and integrating Foscarini lamps into surreal, grunge-inspired scenes. Could you share the inspiration and meaning that guided you in creating this series?

For the “What’s in a Lamp?” project, I aimed to create a deep connection between light and life. I began the process with a simple yet symbolic act: I turned off all the lights in my home. Then, one by one, I switched them on, searching for the perfect atmosphere to inspire my creativity. Light became my guide, leading to the development of six minifilms.

Each film is unique, characterized by its distinct color and technique, yet they all share an intimate and emotional ambiance. My goal was to tell a universal story where light transcends its physical form and becomes the main character, reflecting our lives. The Foscarini lamps became integral to this narrative, symbolizing emotions, memories, and moments from our experiences. I sought to blend the tangible quality of scratched and colored film with surreal elements, creating a dialogue between light and shadow that conveys silent yet powerful stories.

 

Is there a particular film from the series that you prefer or hold dear for some reason?

I don’t have an absolute favorite film, but there is one scene that I cherish: the opening shot of Spokes. In that moment, all the intimacy and warmth conveyed by an embrace comes to life. The soft orange glow from the Spokes lamp gently fills the room, enveloping the characters in a glow that transcends mere illumination; it becomes a source of emotion. It feels as this light is nurturing them, protecting them from the surrounding darkness. This scene speaks of connection and protection, embodying that human warmth that goes beyond words, which is what makes it so special to me.

 

The scratches on the film express all the passion and intensity with which you experience your art. How does your individuality reflect in your works? Do you have a ritual when creating your pieces?

The scratches on the film are my signature—an imprint that captures the entire creative process, with its intensity, imperfections, and that vigorous, instinctive touch that comes from direct contact with celluloid. Each scratch and mark reflects a specific moment in my life and my emotional state at that time. It feels as if the film holds a piece of me and my experiences.
I don’t follow a strict ritual when creating, but I rely heavily on instinct and the flow of the moment. I do have some small habits that help me get into the right mindset. I seek solitude, listen to inspiring music, and immerse myself in a particular kind of light that sets the ideal atmosphere for the journey I’m about to embark on. Each creation is an inner journey, and these habits help me connect with the emotions I want to express in my work.

 

What is the role of light in your art?

Light is the beating heart of my work; without it, everything would remain invisible. It is the light that brings life to the marks etched on the film, revealing shapes, colors, movements, and emotions.
Light reveals what lies hidden within the material, transforming it into images and, finally, narratives. It is an essential element, a bridge between my creative expression and the viewer’s interpretation. It is the light that brings the artwork to life, revealing what would otherwise remain concealed within the film.

 

What role does music play in your video art, especially in the “What’s in a lamp?” series?

In the “What’s in a lamp?” series, I invited composer Carmine Calia to join me on this creative journey. He created an unforgettable soundtrack that becomes a character in its own right within the narrative.  His music doesn’t simply accompany the visuals; it deeply influences them, shaping the rhythm of the story and adding layers of symbolic meaning. This interplay allows the light and shapes on screen to take on a deeper emotional resonance. Music thus becomes an integral component, capable of forging a powerful connection with the viewer and enhancing the feelings and themes I wish to express.

 

Do you have any reference artists, masters, or significant influences that have shaped your artistic vision?

I believe my greatest influence comes from my father. From a young age, I grew up watching him paint, and every time he spoke about his art, his eyes would light up. This filled me with joy and instilled in me a deep love for creativity. As an adult, I had the fortune of working with the master of Italian cinema, Vittorio Storaro. Witnessing him at work was one of the most extraordinary experiences of my life. From him, I learned the importance of seeking beauty in the image, a lesson that has profoundly shaped my artistic journey.

 

How do you nurture your creativity?

I nurture my creativity through a continuous journey of experimentation, often living as a hermit in my home, as if it were my den. Continuously adding to or subtracting from my technique drives me to seek something different while still aiming to maintain a distinctive and unmistakable mark. This desire for evolution and ongoing exploration is the driving force that motivates me to nurture my work.

 

How would you define creativity? What does it mean for you to be creative?

For me, creativity is freedom. It is a continuous flow that allows me to see the world from different perspectives and express myself in unique ways, always striving to push beyond my limits.

Explore the full collaboration with Bennet Pimpinella and discover the complete series on Instagram @foscarinilamps, where international artists are invited to interpret the theme of light through Foscarini’s lamps as part of the What’s in a Lamp? project.

Discover @foscarinilamps on Instagram

Join us at Bloomingdale’s for an immersive celebration of Italian design and craftsmanship, curated by Ferruccio Laviani. The event highlights iconic pieces, including Foscarini’s renowned Orbital lamp, showcasing the best of Italian design.

Discover Orbital lamp

From September 5 to 29, 2024, Bloomingdale’s in New York City will host a special exhibition dedicated to Italian design, in collaboration with Salone del Mobile.Milano, the world-renowned design fair, bringing a unique celebration of Italian creativity and craftsmanship to the heart of the Big Apple. The centerpiece of this event is an immersive exhibition titled “Italian Design: from Classic to Contemporary,” curated by the architect Ferruccio Laviani.

Inspired by the metaphysical squares of Giorgio de Chirico, the Italian painter known for his enigmatic, dream-like cityscapes characterized by eerie shadows and classical architecture, the exhibition creates a fantastical setting where classic design meets contemporary innovation. Laviani’s design for the space masterfully blends elements of art installation and pop-up experience, using light and unexpected object placements to create a surprising and evocative atmosphere.

“I added a contemporary and radical touch to the graphic language of the set. By merging influences from the 1960s radical design movement with the metaphysical elements of De Chirico, we’ve crafted a space that is both distinctive and modern. I selected the design objects to be displayed, such as the Orbital lamp, from the catalogs of the most representative Made in Italy brands – pieces which have become icons of everyday life, are therefore worthy of being displayed as works of art.”

FERRUCCIO LAVIANI
/ Designer

In addition to the installation, the event will offer a series of engaging talks and activities featuring prominent figures from the international design scene. These events provide a wonderful opportunity for the New York design community and enthusiasts to explore the rich heritage and innovative spirit of Italian design.

5 – 29 September 2024
H. 10AM – 8PM
Bloomingdale’s 59th Street
1000 Third Ave, New York, NY
6th Floor – Home/Furnishing department

“Some think it’s just about shedding light. Foscarini 1983/2023” is the monograph published by Corraini Edizioni that celebrates the first 40 years of Foscarini, presented in preview at Milan Design Week 2024.

Design as we see it, and as it is viewed by those who work with us, means giving meaning to things through confrontation and constant learning. To make not another lamp, but that particular light: which speaks to people, makes them feel at home. Every enterprise has its own way of being in the world. Ours urges us to work on complexity in projects, because doing business means making design culture and producing lamps that are laden with meaning, with the objective of adding a chapter, a paragraph or simply a sentence to the long history of design. The book “Some think it’s just about shedding light. Foscarini 1983/2023” is a journey through forty years of lighting design innovation, as told through our stories, ideas, and products.

A monograph, edited by Alberto Bassi and Ali Filippini and published by Corraini, with six thematic itineraries, each including critical analysis and a selection of lamps, with a recap of the entire product range.

The 320-page volume is enriched by the authoritative contributions of Aurelio Magistà, journalist, author, and university lecturer; Gian Paolo Lazzer, sociologist and university lecturer; Beppe Mirisola, writer; Veronica Tabaglio, researcher; Stefano Micelli, economist and university lecturer; Massimo Curzi, architect; and Beppe Finessi, architect, researcher, critic, and director of the bookzine Inventario.

Testimonies and memories to share and describe the core values and distinctiveness of Foscarini; data and images to highlight the journey taken, delving into its influence on the Italian design landscape, always in a forward-looking perspective, in line with the company’s philosophy.

“Forty years have passed, but when we turn on a new lamp it is always a novel experience. Because there is something magical about that instant in which an idea, having become an object that spreads its glow, demonstrates its light. It is the ancestral fascination with the birth of light – an immaterial material that shapes our world – which makes us still say, after 40 years, that the most important lamp will always be the next one. This drives us to cultivate human short circuits with designers, artists, artisans, without whom not one of our projects could take form.”

Carlo Urbinati
/ Founder and President of Foscarini

Foscarini 1983 / 2023

Some think it’s just about shedding light.

Join us on a journey through forty years of lighting design innovation, as told through our stories, ideas, and products.
A monograph, edited by Alberto Bassi and Ali Filippini and published by Corraini.

Download the book

Do you want to buy the book?
Find out on corraini.com

In the ever-evolving landscape of design, some creations stand the test of time, becoming iconic symbols of innovation and creativity. Havana by Jozeph Forakis is one such masterpiece celebrating its 30th anniversary.

Discover Havana

An iconic designer lamp, that brightened homes and etched its presence into the collective imagination, emerging as a timeless archetype in the world of lighting. Born in 1993, Havana established itself as a new luminous object: a medium-height lamp, almost a new typology, with a strikingly visible diffuser that gracefully spread light from its core. A familiar figure, a “character” with whom to establish a personal relationship, easy to insert in any setting, bringing it character with its warm light.

The development process was meticulous, starting with prototypes in glass and fiberglass. The team faced challenges in finding the right balance between cost, weight, and lighting efficiency. In a groundbreaking move, the decision was made to shift from glass to plastic, marking a pivotal moment for Foscarini as it contributed to define the company’s commitment to keeping design at the heart of everything – without setting limits and without compromises, to fully nurture the spirit of each design project. Jozeph Forakis recalls:

“Havana was the first Foscarini lamp made in plastic material. It was a risk, but Foscarini proved to be very courageous, and decided to wager on this absolute novelty.”

JOZEPH FORAKIS
/ Designer

Havana’s success didn’t come without challenges. Initially met with skepticism by some dealers, it soon became a design archetype. The lamp’s inclusion in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) New York’s collection in 1995 elevated its status, cementing its place in design history.

Over the years, Havana has evolved, introducing variations and expansions, including outdoor models, while retaining its unmistakable form and the ability to evoke emotional resonance with its warm and familiar presence.

E-BOOK

30 Years of Havana
— Foscarini Design stories
Creativity & Freedom

“Download the exclusive e-book dedicated to the 30th anniversary of Havana, featuring an in-depth interview with Jozeph Forakis, and learn more about the lamp’s development, the courage behind material choices, and its lasting impact on the design world.

“

Download the book

Do you want to take a peek?

Chiaroscura takes center stage in the site-specific installation “Luce Scalare” on the grand staircase of Triennale Milano, leading to the exhibition ‘Alberto Meda: Tension and Lightness’ that explores some of the compositional and methodological characteristics of the Italian maestro.

Discover Chiaroscura

For the exhibition “Alberto Meda: Tension and Lightness”, held at Triennale Milano as a tribute to the great Italian engineer and designer, on view from October 6, 2023 to March 24, 2024, Foscarini has produced – based on a project by Meda himself – a site-specific installation for the grand staircase of the Triennale, featuring 34 CHIAROSCURA lamps – 17 on each side of the steps – all made to measure, from the largest with a height of over five metres (552 cm), to the smallest with a height of just 57 centimetres. A luminous set with differentiated dimming to create a choreography.

“When the curator Marco Sammicheli asked me to think about an on-site installation for the Scalone d’Onore of Triennale Milano, as part of my solo exhibition, I made a quick visit to the location and discovered that the lateral walls of the staircase are not continuous, but are made with marble columns having a triangular section, separated at a distance of 10 cm. The spaces between one column and the next have different heights, from a level of about 5 metres at the start of the staircase, and of about 50 cm at the last step, before reaching the mezzanine. I liked the idea of an intervention that would respect the architecture, inserted in a discreet way to enhance it, so I thought light might be the solution. Hiding the luminous parts in the gaps between the columns seemed like a plausible idea. So I thought about Chiaroscura, the luminator with a triangular section, like the columns, which I designed for Foscarini with my son Francesco, and about its characteristic construction, made by using extrusions of aluminium and methacrylate, thus permitting different lengths, even to a maximum of 6 metres. The technology of extrusion and its intrinsic freedom of sizing suggested the idea of making a ‘scalar’ set that emits light from its three faces, on the staircase but also on the two steps that lead down to the theatre. It seemed interesting to give the set another dimension as well, a dynamic luminous dimension, so with Foscarini we have formulated an electronic solution to achieve this effect”.

ALBERTO MEDA
/ engineer, designer and planner

An example of Foscarini’s ability to respond to the specific needs of architects and interior designers, CHIAROSCURA embodies the innovative character of the brand. A light that stems from the contemporary world, with a distinctive personality relying on the particular luminous effect, and the original rapport between form and function.

Designed by Alberto with his son Francesco, CHIAROSCURA is the contemporary reinterpretation of the classic luminator. Striking in its simple presence and capable of emitting light at 360°, CHIAROSCURA is the result of a design challenge: to explore the possibility of boosting the functionality of the classic luminator, which emits only upward indirect light. The elegant and light body, totally lit and no longer simply producing light, was the goal that guided the definition of the form, the choice of the materials and the production technologies.

Together with Foscarini, the Medas have expanded the lamp’s functioning, creating a triangular structure in extruded aluminium, equipped with LEDs: a “cage” inside which an extrusion in opaline plastic has been placed to spread the light. Unlike classic luminators, CHIAROSCURA thus offers ambient lighting at the sides and an indirect glow on the ceiling.
The slender and visually light body of CHIAROSCURA and its warm, welcoming light make the lamp versatile, ready to bring its own discreet personality, enhancing different settings, from residences to contract projects and offices.

For special design needs and upon request, Chiaroscura is a lamp which can be realised at different heights compared to the standard version available in the catalogue.

During the Festivaletteratura event in Mantua, Italy, the designer and inventor Marc Sadler captivated the audience with intriguing career anecdotes and his talent for innovation in a talk with Beppe Finessi, sponsored by Foscarini.

On Saturday, September 9, 2023, during the event Festivaletteratura, a captivating talk took place at the stunning Teatro Bibiena in Mantua. Marc Sadler was interviewed by Beppe Finessi, leaving the large audience spellbound. Sadler shared intriguing anecdotes about his lengthy career and his knack for creating innovative solutions across various industries.

One such example was his groundbreaking work in the 1970s, where he revolutionized ski boots. While bedridden in the hospital after a snow accident, Sadler envisioned using plastic as a safer alternative to the traditional leather ski boots of that era. This led to the creation of the first thermoplastic ski boot. His ingenuity didn’t stop there. Collaborating with Dainese, Sadler designed a motorcycling suit that provided exceptional protection for athletes, introducing features like the now widely-used back protector worn by numerous champions.

Being a true advocate of innovation, Sadler has been the recipient of four Compasso d’Oro Awards, including one for the Mite and Tite lamps he designed for Foscarini in 2000.

“I got to know Foscarini during a period when I was living in Venice, and Mite was the first project we developed together. For me, Foscarini was a small company that worked with glass, a focus that was quite different from what I was doing. One day, I met one of the partners by chance, on a vaporetto. Conversing about our work, he told me about a theme that was on his mind at the time. He asked me to think about a project that would capture the sense of uncertainty of glass – that handmade aspect that is impossible to control and grants every object its own personality – but could also be industrially produced, in a coordinated vision. We parted with a promise to think about the idea.”

MARC SADLER
/ Designer

Sadler’s creative contributions extended to Foscarini’s iconic Twiggy lamp, “which has become a staple in the world of floor lamps, following the renowned Arco lamp by Castiglioni,” stated Beppe Finessi, who also recalled how Twiggy is, for example, often featured in numerous advertising campaigns for various companies outside of Foscarini.

Throughout his illustrious career, Sadler has skillfully transferred his knowledge and expertise across sectors.

“I have embraced versatility throughout my career, designing a wide range of products, from shoes to lamps, ice cream counters to hot tubs. By attentively listening to my clients’ needs, I have strived to create objects that not only fulfill their requirements but also cater to the needs and desires of the public. This is what I enjoy doing”

MARC SADLER
/  Designer

Making room for creativity: in Foscarini’s new Social Strategy Instagram becomes a stage where energy, creative freedom and research are the protagonists. What’s in a lamp? project is storytelling through images, animations, and videos, taking form in a contemporary art space, tracking the narrative thread of the Foscarini brand, with its essence, inspirations and collections.

Constantly seeking original and distinguishing solutions – not just in terms of products, but also in narrative approaches – Foscarini has decided to rethink the industry’s typical conventions of social media communication and evolves its storytelling in an unprecedented and distinctive way.

The Instagram @foscarinilamps feed is transformed into a virtual place that offers room for well-known and emerging exponents in the world of visual arts, with the objective of developing amazement, beauty and fun. A kaleidoscopic project where international artists and content creators with different backgrounds – from digital art to photography, illustration to motion art – have been invited to “play” with Foscarini collection and get inspired by a catalogue of lamps composed by different styles, materials, and designers.

“Foscarini is a company fueled by ideas, curiosity, a desire to experiment with ourselves and with new concepts. We were seeking a more distinctive, more personal way to present ourselves on social channels – a fresh solution that, grappling with the limits and characteristics of the medium, allows us to give space to creativity, gather stimuli, relate them, exchange knowledge, and combine experiences. This new digital project will feature original content that, through visual inspirations where our light takes center stage, will uncover the power of ideas.”

CARLO URBINATI
/ PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER OF FOSCARINI

Discover more about the participating Artists in the interviews

03/2026 SILVIA FRANCHINI
02/26 FRELLY
01/26 MARIANNA TOMASELLI
07/25 BRIAN REA
06/25 JORGE AREVALO
05/25 BEPPE CONTI
04/25 PETER GRUNDY
03/25 HELEN MUSSELWHITE
02/25 ERY BURNS
01/25 JIM STOTEN
07/24 GIONA MAIARELLI
06/24 BENNET PIMPINELLA
05/24 MATTIA RIAMI
04/24 ANTJE DAMM
03/24 LEE WAGSTAFF
02/24 FRANCESCA GASTONE
01/24 FAUSTO GILBERTI
09/23 STEFANO COLFERAI
08/23 LUCCICO
07/23 ALESSANDRA BRUNI
06/23 KEVIN LUCBERT
05/23 MAJA WRONSKA
04/23 FEDERICO BABINA
03/23 OSCAR PETTERSSON
02/23 NOMA BAR
01/23 LUCA FONT

The first contribution comes from Luca Font – a versatile Italian artist – with an original series of illustrations inspired by modernism, with lively geometric effects. He is followed by the well-known Israeli illustrator Noma Bar – the master of negative space. And then: Federico Babina, Oscar Pettersson, Maja Wronska, Kevin Lucbert, Alessandra Bruni, Luccico and many others. Unique voices, styles and interpretations, narrating thoughts, sensations and emotions triggered by Foscarini lamps, to emphasize their forms, the ideas behind their concepts, or the effects they produce in a space. An intense calendar of unusual ideas and visions on the theme of light; a creative pathway that expresses reflections on the role played by Foscarini lamps in the transformation and definition of a personal interpretation of the home environment.

Follow the project on the official Instagram channel @foscarinilamps, immerse yourself in the magic and inspiration of the various creative interpretations.

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Directed by Gianluca Vassallo and produced by Foscarini, the film tells the story of the icon of radical architecture, and founder of the SITE group, James Wines. The movie investigates the close relationship between the artist and the individual, between the architect and his humanity.

Different points of view and stories about the man and the artist are presented to the protagonist itself. After having spent his life imagining a world in which everything is deconstructed, ironic, overturned, daring and cultured, Wines is faced with how “the world” sees him, in a collective story about the artist-architect, that becomes also a film about the impact of lateral thinking in the community, in individuals, in the processes of change that cross the world.

The story of the collaboration between Foscarini and James Wines unfolds across a span of nearly 30 years. Its roots date back to 1991, with Table Light / Wall Light, the first piece made by Foscarini with Wines’ SITE group. Some years later, the paths of Foscarini and SITE crossed again, thanks to an extensive profile published in Inventario (the book-zine launched by Foscarini in 2010 as an original and independent forma to investigate the world of creativity and design culture).
This led to Foscarini’s idea of reviving the first project, transforming it into a collection of editions of lamps and objects: The Light Bulb Series – a signature collection based on reflection on the light bulb as archetype, with its typical rounded form, poetically interpreted in a series of surprising disruptions.

Today Foscarini, with its free spirit, completely leaves the scene to Vassallo and Wines, master of contemporary architecture and breaking.

“In my view, cinema serves to investigate human depth; and this is even more pertinent in the case of documentary works. It would have been easy to dig into the excellent archival materials, to add an interview and offer the audience yet another tribute to an artist and his work. But in the production of meaning – in cinema or in photography – the task of someone like me who brings his own restless doubts, his own curiosities, a worldview that wants to be clarified, in relation to a personality like Wines, can only be to seek the complexity of the man that nourishes the originality of his genius. My work cannot help but investigate the depth, the idiosyncrasies, the fears, the chaos of James, rather than the glory of Wines.”

Gianluca Vassallo
/ director of the film.

Shot in New York City, Watertown MN, Washington DC, Miami, Stone Ridge NY and Rome from October 2021 to February 2022, the film has been selected by the curators of Milano Design Film Festival 2022, the annual event that for ten years now has utilized cinema to engage a wider audience in relation to the most contemporary concepts of design and architecture, seen from unconventional vantage points.

The sculpture-lamp Orbital became the first step in the relationship between Foscarini and Ferruccio Laviani, but it represented also a statement: with Orbital we got away from Murano blown glass for the first time, exploring a way of thinking that has now led to the use of over 20 different technologies.

Were you to narrate your relationship with Foscarini with an adjective, which one would you choose?

I’d choose two: it is a profitable and free collaboration. The first term sounds rather financial, but that is not its only meaning. The fact that almost all the lamps I have designed for Foscarini are still in production is obviously good news for my studio and for the company. But I call it profitable above all because having designed objects people still find appealing after 30 years is an enormous gain for a designer: it confirms that what you are doing has meaning. Then comes the theme of creative freedom. Foscarini has allowed me to move with extreme independence of expression from the product to spaces, without ever setting any limitations. That is truly something rare and precious.

 

In your view, how was it that you arrived at the expressive and creative freedom?

I think it is part of the way of being of the people involved. If a designer wins the company’s trust, Foscarini responds by leaving him total freedom of expression. They know that this is the way to get the best from the cooperation, for both parties. Obviously in the awareness that the work of instinct is then followed by the work of the mind. In my case, Orbital was the initial wager: would a lamp with such a particular aesthetic be a success? Would it stand up to the test of time? The response of the public was affirmative, and from that moment on our partnership has always been based on maximum freedom.

What does this liberty mean for a designer?

It gives you the possibility of probing different facets of the possible. For a person like me, who has never identified with one style or a particular type of taste, but periodically falls in love with avours, atmospheres and decorative aspects that are always different, this freedom is fundamental because it allows me to express myself. I do not have artistic pretences and I am well aware of the fact that what I do is for production: serial objects that have to have a clear function and perform it well. Alongside these rational considerations, however, what excites me in the creative act is desire. The almost irrepressible desire to bring about an object that did not exist: something I would like to have, as a part of my life.

What are these objects you desire, and therefore design, going to be like?

I don’t have an answer in terms of style: I always make different things because I always feel different, and I fill my physical and mental spaces with presences that vary in time and reect these personal landscapes. I am fascinated, however, by everything that creates a bond with people or between people. I always give a character to the things I design: the one that in my view best reects my way of interpreting the spirit of the time. Sometimes of the instant. This is much more true for a lamp, as opposed to a piece of furniture, because a decorative lamp is chosen for an affinity, for what it says to us and about us. It is the start of an ideal dialogue between designer and consumer. If the lamp continues to speak to people over time, even 30 years later, it means the conversation is relevant, and the lamp is still able to say something meaningful.

The event for the thirtieth anniversary of Orbital was also an opportunity to present the new creative project NOTTURNO LAVIANI with an exhibition at Foscarini Spazio Monforte. A photographic series in which Gianluca Vassallo interprets the lamps Laviani has designed for Foscarini in a storytelling that unfolds in fourteen episodes in which the lamps inhabit alien spaces.

Discover more about Notturno Laviani

What do you feel when you see the interpretation Gianluca Vassallo has made of your lamps?

The sensation is that of a circle coming to a close. Because Gianluca narrates his idea of light by using the objects I have designed as subtle but significant presences. Which is the same thing that happens when a person decides to put one of my lamps into their home. Looking at Notturno, then, I feel the same great emotion I feel when someone takes possession of one of my projects, or makes it a part of their existence: the sensation is that beautiful feeling of having done something that has meaning and relevance for others.

 

Which photo represents you best?

Definitely the one of Orbital outside: the yover with the torn circus poster. Because that’s what I’m like: everything and its opposite.

E-Book

30 Years of Orbital
— Foscarini Design stories
Creativity & Freedom

Download the exclusive e-book Foscarini Design stories — 30 years of Orbital and learn more about the collaboration between Foscarini and Laviani.
A fertile interchange, based on elective affinities, extending across three decades as a pathway of mutual growth.

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In a captivating talk led by Beppe Finessi as part of Festivaletteratura 2022, Ferruccio Laviani shared his passion and unique approach to object and experience design.

On September 10, 2022, at the evocative Teatro Bibiena, the talk “Enthralled by Objects” took place, featuring designer Ferruccio Laviani interviewed by Beppe Finessi. Laviani took the audience on a fascinating journey through his experience in the world of design. Starting from his roots in the school of lutherie and transitioning through furniture design, he shared his reflections on creating objects that go beyond mere functionality, aiming to evoke emotions and personal connections.

“The world is full of windows filled with chairs, lamps, and tables, so why should anyone choose a new one designed by me? The answer is simple: to make people see my products with the same eyes as when they fall in love with someone.”

FERRUCCIO LAVIANI
/ Designer

With humility and sincerity, the designer recounted anecdotes from his career, offering an intimate look at his most iconic works and the challenges faced along the creative journey. Stimulated by Beppe Finessi’s questions, Laviani shared his philosophy behind creating objects that blend different styles and influences, giving life to creations that defy time and conventional styles, opening new perspectives on creativity and contemporary aesthetics.

To relive the experience of the talk and immerse yourself in the universe of Ferruccio Laviani, you can watch the video of the speech following the link below.

Watch the video

Battiti is a project of pure experimentation on light, undertaken by Foscarini in collaboration with Andrea Anastasio and Davide Servadei of Ceramica Gatti 1928. It is an unconstrained experience that breaks away from conventional approaches, to open up new interpretations of light. In this context, light transforms into a material, engaging in a dialogue with ceramics.

In the project Battiti, presented in an exhibition at Fuori Salone 2022, light is used not to illuminate but to construct. As if it were a material: it generates effects, underlines forms and invents shadows. Because this is what Andrea Anastasio does when he gets his hands on the archives of the Gatti workshop, taking things apart and putting them back together, following the primordial instinct of someone who creates by desire, passion and necessity. He overturns traditional logic and reaches a new logic, interpreting history to give it a different direction and a different meaning. In this action of creation and discovery at the same time, Anastasio uses light, which also becomes a tool of dialogue with the observer. The openings of light, active and “live” elements in the bas reliefs and sculptures by Anastasio, are thus the beginning of a new relationship between the objects that contain them and those who observe them.

“Battiti began with reflections on the age-old relationship between light and ceramics, a voyage that extends from oil lamps to religious shrines, and accompanies the form of vision in its many manifestations. Then another observation made its way into awareness, and I began to dissect ceramic panels from the castings of the Gatti archives in Faenza, breaking them down in a systematic way. Bringing light into this series of works was a slow process that came after an immediate intuition, as often happens when we want to convey the impact of a vision that has captured us yet eludes us at the same time, precisely because it is impalpable. So, once again, the dialogue between ornament and light becomes an opportunity for awareness of the role light plays in our everyday progress, and its ability to remind us of the illusive character of continuity, the futility of the search for completeness.”

ANDREA ANASTASIO
/ Designer

Research that is the result of the freedom that has always been an earmark of Foscarini, a company without a factory that thrives on ideas and imagination. This freedom makes it possible – and even necessary – to investigate the most suitable materials and production methods for the optimal development of every new idea. An approach that sets the company apart, combining industrial intuitions with an innate spirit of craftsmanship. An operation far from any commercial strategies, typical of the identity of Foscarini, a company that has always believed in innovation and the constant pursuit of meaning.

“Because it is only by getting off the beaten track that one can gain the courage to imagine new ideas. It is only by listening and sharing visions with people who belong to other worlds that one can understand where it makes sense to go. It is only by sharing the true passion of creators that we can grasp the meaning of the word design, in its purest, most authentic significance”

CARLO URBINATI
/ President and founder of Foscarini

E-BOOK

BATTITI —
Foscarini Artbook series #1
Research & Developement

Download the exclusive e-book about this research project, inspired by the sole desire to explore new expressive languages, meanings, and ways of experiencing light. Texts by Carlo Urbinati, Andrea Anastasio, and Franco La Cecla. Photographs by Massimo Gardone.

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After selection for the ADI Design Index 2021, making the project eligible to compete for the Compasso d’Oro Award, an important new chapter begins in the spring of 2022 for VITE (LIVES), the multimedia production by Foscarini, with distribution by Corraini in the world’s finest bookstores starting in May 2022.

Corraini and Foscarini have once again joined forces to distribute VITE (LIVES), a story told in images, videos and words to explore different interpretations of the home, the relationship with light, the link between life in the home and the space outside. The publisher and the decorative lighting brand share in an attitude of experimentation and constant research, as seen in the creation of the book-zine Inventario. Corraini will now also distribute the VITE project by Foscarini in the outstanding bookstores of its network around the world.

VITE is a fascinating publishing initiative with which Foscarini talks about light, starting not with the company’s lamps – the people who design, develop and produce them – but with the individuals who live in the spaces brightened by those lamps.

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Presented in 2020 and selected for the ADI Design Index 2021, VITE (LIVES) is a voyage that takes us to cities in the North, South, East and West, inside real lives of real people – guided by artist, photographer and videomaker Gianluca Vassallo and writer Flavio Soriga. In the photo and video series, people are at the centre of the visuals and the narration, allowing viewers the freedom to roam vicariously inside personal spaces, real spaces that are approachable and imperfect. This time, Foscarini no longer looks at carefully controlled environments, “aspirational” images of photographic sets, but rather at homes that are lived in on an everyday basis, and close-ups of the people who dwell in them.

Discover more about VITE and
get your fee digital copy

Go to the VITE section

Mite is the lamp that marked the beginning of what has become a long-term collaboration between Foscarini and Marc Sadler: a project that disrupts the usual schemes, indulging in what the designer defines as “unreasonable urges”, an attitude that permits exploration of all the potentialities of a material and a technology.

In 2001 Mite won the Compasso d’Oro ADI – the most authoritative global design prize – together with the suspension version, Tite. Twenty years have passed since then, and we think this event, like the iconic and timeless character of Mite, deserves appropriate celebration. The result is Mite Anniversario, an evolution of the original Mite concept based on ulterior experimentation and variation. In this important occasion, we have interviewed Marc Sadler and had an interesting chat about Mite, Tite, and lighting design.

 

HOW DID THE COLLABORATION WITH FOSCARINI FOR THE MITE LAMP BEGIN?

MS — “I got to know Foscarini in a period when I was living in Venice, and Mite was the first project we developed together. For me, Foscarini was a small company that made glass, a focus that was quite different from what I was doing. One day I met one of the partners by chance, on a vaporetto. Conversing about our work, he told me about a theme that was on his mind at the time. He asked me to think about a project that would have the sense of uncertainty of glass – that handmade aspect that is impossible to control and grants every object its own personality – but could also be industrially produced, in a coordinated vision. We parted with a promise to think about the idea.”

 

WHAT WAS THE MAIN CONCEPT BEHIND THE PROJECT?

MS — “I was going to Taiwan for a project of tennis rackets and golf clubs, for a company that works with fibreglass and carbon fibre. That’s a world in which products are made in large numbers, not just a few specimens. When it is produced, when it comes out of the moulds, the racket is gorgeous; then the workers start to clean it, to finish it, to paint it, covering it with graphic elements, and it gradually loses part of the appeal of the production phase. In the end, you have an object covered with signs that conceal its true structure, and the final product – in my view – is always less interesting than it was in the initial phase. In my work as a designer, I prefer the product in its raw state, prior to the finishing, when it is still a “mythical”, beautiful thing, because the material vibrates. Looking at these pieces against the light, you can see the fibres, and I noticed the way the light passed through the material. I took some samples and brought them to Venice. As soon as I got back I called Foscarini, and told them I was thinking about a way to use this material. Although the fibreglass, made of patches of material, has limits in the uncertainties of its workmanship, I was thinking about an object for industrial production. Proposing it to them was rather risky, because large production quantities would be necessary to justify its use, and the material is not very versatile and adaptable. Nevertheless, if we were able to keep it in that fascinating material state, it would be a great opportunity for application to a lighting project.”

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WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PHASE?

MS — “We rang a lot of doorbells of suppliers who used the same materials and techniques to produce wine vats or sporting goods, but unfortunately they were not willing to collaborate on this experimental research. But we were not discouraged, and we continued to search until we found an entrepreneur who also worked with this material for his own, personal pursuits (he had built a motorized hang-glider). He was enthusiastic about the project and immediately wanted to cooperate on it. He had a company that produces extraordinary, very special fishing rods, but he decided to take the leap with us into the world of lighting. He sent us trial samples, which he made on his own, asking our opinion on new resins and new threads. Design is made by people who act and interact, together. This is a totally Italian kind of magic. In the rest of the world, companies often wait for the designer to arrive, like a superhero, ready to deliver something that is already done, ready for implementation. But that is not how it works: to make truly innovative projects, there has to be on-going dialogue, a process where problems arise and are solved together. I prefer that way of working.”

 

DID YOU MAKE MODELS AND PROTOTYPES FOR STUDY?

MS — “The first model was made with a traditional closed mould, but then it occurred to us that we could try another technique – “rowing” – based on the wrapping of threads around a full volume. Observing the threads that could be used, I found some bundles that were considered defective, where the thread was not perfectly linear, but seemed a little vibrated. This type of thread became the resource for the final production. The fibres are not all uniform: we wanted to utilize this “defect” which makes each lamp have a unique quality. We wanted to get away from the technical aspect, to bring the value of craftsmanship and a warm sense of material back into play, which is something people know how to do in Italy.” In an initial prototype, I had cut off the top at a 45° angle, inserting a car headlight. If I look at that first prototype again today it bothers me a little, but that’s absolutely normal because it represents the beginning of a long search path. To reach a simple product, a lot of work is required. At first, my sign was too strong, almost violent. Foscarini was very good at mediating it, and that’s just right, that’s what design is all about. It means striking the right balance between the parties on the field to work together on a common endeavour. Only by working with Foscarini, who knows how to treat light, who knows how to add taste to transparencies and warmth to texture, were we successful in making sure the product achieved its proper proportion and authenticity. We managed to get a much cleaner, clear-cut object, so the important thing is the light it produces, the transparency of the body and the vibration that can be seen in its design. Not an object that screams out loud, but rather a gentle element that glides into homes.”

 

WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC CHALLENGES IN A PROJECT INVOLVING LIGHT?

MS — “After this lamp and after this approach to composite materials, I got back to some extent to the label of the designer who makes lamps with novel materials. This doesn’t bother me, and in fact it is what we love doing, together with Foscarini. So today, if in my research I find something interesting, or something that has not yet been utilized in the world of lighting, Foscarini is the company with which I can have the best chance of developing something original and innovative.”

 

WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF THE LIGHTING TECHNOLOGY USED IN THIS PROJECT?

MS — “Over the last 20 years, lighting technology has evolved a great deal, and now we use LEDs. With respect to the technology of the past, it is a bit like the difference between electronic injection and a carburettor. You could achieve excellent results with a carburettor, but it took a genius who knew how to listen to motors, and how to tune them by hand. For Mite something similar happened. In the first version we inserted a rather long light bulb, positioned at a certain height. To close the trunk, we shaped a circular chrome-finished metal plate, experimenting with ifferent angles, to reflect the direct light upward but also to make the light go down in the body of the lamp, letting it run over the material, with a back-lighting effect. Obviously that technology created limits of freedom of action, while today with LEDs we can take the luminous effect wherever we want it.”

 

HOW HAS THE WORK OF DESIGNERS CHANGED DURING THESE FIRST TWO DECADES OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM?

MS — “I am happy with my work today because its seems like a return to the 1970s, when the entrepreneur had an important role and expressed clear intentions made of objectives, a schedule, the right budget, and knowing that he had worked well up to that point, wanted to go further, somewhere he had never gone before. Perhaps it is this very arduous moment of the pandemic, perhaps it is because I am starting to get tired of working with large multinational and oriental corporations, but I think the time has come to get back to direct, personal work with entrepreneurs.”

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HOW IMPORTANT IS “TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER” IN DESIGN RESEARCH?

MS — “It’s fundamental. My work could be seen in terms of the principle of communicating vessels. I take something from one place, and I ‘pull’ it into another place, to see what happens. I have always done this, for my whole life. In my studio we have a workshop where with my hands I can build or repair anything, and this helps me a lot. It is not the concept of the ‘sky’s the limit’, but I think a lot before saying no to something, because often there are already solutions that exist elsewhere, so it is enough to know how to transfer them.”

 

THIS LAMP IS MADE OF A SELF-SUPPORTING (TECHNOLOGICAL) “WEAVE”: WHAT IDEA IS SHARED BY TEXTILES WITH THE DESIGN OF LIGHTING?

MS — “In Mite the importance of the fabric comes from the advantage of being able to have a weave that vibrates the light when it passes through the body of the lamp, so it was no simple task to find the right fabric. But with the fabric, in its infinite variables, you can always do marvellous things with light, and in fact with Foscarini we are continuing to experiment and to develop new projects.”

 

WHAT DOES THE NAME MITE MEAN, AND ITS SUSPENSION VARIANT, TITE?

MS — “The name comes from a word game in French, which my mother taught me when I was a boy, to help me remember the differencebetween mineral formations in caves, divided into those that grow from the bottom up, the stalagmites, and those that descend from above, the stalactites. Hence the idea for the name. While initially I was thinking about the logic of a form that tapers as it gets further away from the floor or ceiling – so the names of the two lamps had to be reversed – this logic works well for its typological affinities too: the (stalag)MITE rests on thefloor, and the (stalac)TITE hangs from the ceiling.”

It was in 1990 that Foscarini fi rst introduced its blown glass lamp, combined with an aluminium tripod, the result of a collaboration with designer Rodolfo Dordoni who reinterpreted the classic lamp shade in a new light. Its name? Lumiere.

Discover Lumiere

When and how did the Lumiere project begin (the spark, the people involved at the start)?

It began many years ago, so recalling all the people involved calls for an effort of memory that isn’t easy at my age, perhaps. I can tell you about the context, though. It was a period in which I had started working with Foscarini on a sort of corporate overhaul. They had called me in to coordinate things, which could mean a sort of art direction of the new collection, because they wanted to change the company’s approach.
Foscarini was a pseudo-Muranese business, in the sense that its home was Murano, but its mentality was not exclusively rooted there. We began to work on this concept: to conserve the company’s identity (that of its origins, therefore Murano and glass) while differentiating it from the attitudes of the other Murano-based fi rms (i.e. furnaces, blown glass), trying to add technological details to the product to give it character, making Foscarini into a “lighting” company, more than a producer of blown glass. This was the guiding concept for the Foscarini of the future, at the time.

 

Where was Lumiere invented? What led to its form-function (design constraints, the materials: blown glass and aluminium)?

Based on the guideline I have just described, we began to imagine and design products during our meetings. At one of those meetings – I think we were still in the old Murano headquarters – I made a sketch on a piece of paper, a very small drawing, it must have been about 2 x 4 cm: this glass hat with a tripod, just to convey the idea of combining glass and casting, because the casting of aluminium was a very contemporary, new idea at the time. So this little tripod with the casting and the glass wasn’t so much the design of a lamp as a drawing of a more general concept: “how to put together two elements that would represent the characteristics of the company’s future products”. In practice, that was the intuition.

 

One moment you remember more than others in the story of Lumiere (a conversation with the client, testing in the company, the first prototype)?

Well, definetely the moment when Alessandro Vecchiato and Carlo Urbinati showed interest in my sketch, in that intuition. I remember that Sandro took a look at the drawing and said: “That’s nice, we should make it”. The product was immediately glimpsed in that sketch. And I too thought the drawing could become a real product. So Lumiere was born.

 

We live in a society of rapid obsolescence. How does it feel to have designed a success that has continued for 25 years?

Those were truly diff erent times. When you designed something, the considerations of companies were also made in terms of investment, of its amortisation over time. So the things you designed were more extensively thought out. What has changed today is not the companies but the market, the attitude of the consumer, who has become more “mercurial”. Today’s consumer has been infl uenced by other merchandise sectors (i.e. fashion and technology) not to desire “lasting” things. So the expectations companies have regarding products are also defi nitely more short-term. When a product (like Lumiere) has such a long life in terms of sales, it means it is self-suffi cient, a product that wasn’t necessarily paying attention to trends, at the moment. That is precisely what makes it appealing, somehow. It brings pleasure, to the person who buys it and the person who designed it. Personally, I am pleased that Lumiere is a “sign” that is still recognizable, still has appeal: 25 years are a long time!

 

How has this context “made its mark” – if indeed it has – on the skin and mind of Rodolfo Dordoni, man and architect?

I think about two important moments that infl uenced my work. The fi rst is the encounter with Giulio Cappellini, who was my classmate at the university. After graduation, he asked me to work in his company. Thanks to this encounter I was able to learn about the world of design “from the inside”. I worked for 10 years, getting to know about all the aspects of the furniture sector. So my background is that of someone who knows, “in practice”, about the entire chain of design production. This led directly to the second of my important moments. Thanks to this practical experience, this work in the fi eld, when companies turn to me they know that they are not just asking for a product, but also for a line of reasoning. And often this reasoning leads to the construction of relationships with companies that become long discussions, long conversations, which help you to know the company. Knowing the company is a fundamental factor to analyse a project. I like to work – I’m a bit spoiled, in this sense – with people with whom I share similar intentions, similar goals to achieve. Then you have the possibility of growing together.

 

The Nineties:a Google search brings up the Spice Girls, Take That, Jovanotti with “È qui la festa?”, but also “Nevermind” by Nirvana and the track by Underworld in the soundtrack of the fi lm Trainspotting, “Born Slippy”. What comes to mind if you think about your experience of the Nineties?

For me the Nineties were the start of a progressive technological misunderstanding. Meaning that I started to no longer understand everything that happened from the vinyl LP onward, in music, technologically speaking. I often think back on how I criticized my father, when I was a kid, for being technologically backward. Compared to the way I am nowadays, his backwardness was nothing, if I think about my “technological inadequacy” as opposed to my nephews, for example. We might say that the Nineties were the start of my “technological isolation”!

 

What has remained constant for Rodolfo Dordoni the designer?

Drawing. The sketch. The line.

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