Today, we commemorate the legacy and life of Gaetano Pesce, who passed away yesterday at the age of 84. Over six decades, the creator revolutionized the worlds of art, design, and architecture with his originality and innovative ideas. A proponent of experimentation and crossing various disciplines in his work, Gaetano explored the boundaries between industry and craftsmanship, engaging in constant research in the field of materials and the message of his creations. This is particularly evident in one of his most recognizable creations, the UP5-6 armchair and ottoman by B&B Italia.
In 1968, the inspiration for this piece came to him while he was in the shower: "I had a sponge in my hand. When I squeezed it, it shrank, and when I released it, it returned to its original volume. An idea occurred to me at that moment. Could a chair behave in the same way?"
After this moment of inspiration, he began experimenting in his studio with vacuum packaging techniques and with the material of the moment, polyurethane. This experiment would give rise to the UP5-6 model, initially sold flattened in a vacuum-sealed envelope, which, once opened, would rise to assume its iconic silhouette. More important than the technical innovation, the armchair conveys a message. "It's the image of a prisoner. Women suffer because of men's prejudices; the armchair addresses this problem."
Through his creations, Gaetano Pesce leaves a unique conceptual heritage that serves (and has served) as inspiration for several generations of artists, designers, and architects. His journey was marked by an infinite curiosity and a desire to explore the limits of creativity, something unique in a world tending towards visual standardization. Thank you, Gaetano!
