Gaetano Pesce: Nobody’s Perfect, an art exhibition inspired by the Italian designer seen by many as the world’s “most interesting” art creator, kicked off at Beijing’s Today Art Museum on Sunday.
Following the artist’s proposed idea of “imperfection” as a real representation of human nature, the exhibition will present nearly 100 of Pesce’s of iconic works spanning more than half a century in a wide range of mediums and styles such as furniture, architectural models, resin painting, installations, and more than 30 manuscripts.
Such works aim to bring visitors to the whimsical world that Pesce constructed with intense colors, innovative materials and the designer’s perpetual focus on humanity.
Born in 1939, the renowned Italian designer made human nature and individuality in society important threads in his art creations.
The exhibition poster of the Gaetano Pesce: Nobody’s Perfect Photo: Courtesy of the Today Art Museum
“He was a very warm and loving designer during his time, when abstractionism and minimalism emerged as the new fashion trend. His loving nature cannot only be seen in his iconic use of vivid colors, but also details, the curves on his chair and lamps, delivering a very light-hearted childish sense,” Qiu Qiu, an industrial designer, told the Global Times.
“His different works are like a tunnel, bringing adults back to an imaginative and fun world. And this might be why people find him interesting,” noted Qiu.
Besides being an interesting artist, Pesce was also a social observer who focused on real issues. He claimed that art is a form of commentary on reality. Through his designs, he tried to draw people’s attention to certain social phenomena in need of improvement, giving his design a strong humanistic touch.
Sketch-for-Rebuilding-WTC was one of his blueprint projects for rebuilding the World Trade Center. In this manuscript, a red heart-shaped long corridor links the two towers together.
Raised by his mother and sister, Pesce is an artist who speaks for women and implants his appreciation of women in many of his works. His manuscript Sketch for Up Chair 5&6 shows his concern for women. The chair was also known as “one of the most famous chairs in the 20th century.”
The exhibition was co-organized by the Today Art Museum and Gaetano Pesce Studios, Design Society. It was also supported by the Italian Embassy in China, and is scheduled to end on June 30.
Italian designer Gaetano Pesce’s Chair 5&6 Photo: Courtesy of the Today Art Museum
