Gaetano Pesce dead at 84: Designer ‘who broke the rules’ has passed away

Gaetano Pesce, designer ‘who broke the rules’ has passed away at the age of 84. According to his daughter, Milena Pesce, Gaetano Pesce passed away from a stroke. The New York Times reported that “Mr. Pesce, who was born in Italy but spent much of his life in New York City, may be best known for his translucent, brilliantly coloured objects, including bowls, vases and trays, which he made by pouring resin into moulds, then adding dyes that he chose on the spot. Other pieces, including tables, chairs and lamps, were made of hard plastic, also with vibrant pigments added extemporaneously.”

Gaetano Pesce was born in La Spezia in Italy in 1939 and studied architecture at the University of Venice. He went on to teach architecture at the Institut d’Architecture et d’Etudes Urbaines in Strasbourg, France, as well as at the Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh, the Domus Academy in Milan, the Architectural School of Sao Paulo, the Cooper Union in New York and the Polytechnic of Hong Kong. 

Gaetano Pesce lived in Venice, Paris, London and Helsinki, but then made New York his home when he moved there in 1980. According to his own website, “In all his work, he expresses his guiding principle that modernism is less a style than a method for interpreting the present and hinting at the future in which individuality is preserved and celebrated.”

Gaetano Pesce’s studio announced his death in an Instagram post which said that “It is with a heavy heart we announce the passing of visionary creator Gaetano Pesce.

“Over the course of six decades, Gaetano revolutionised the worlds of art, design, architecture and the liminal spaces between these categories. His originality and nerve are matched by none. “Despite dealing with health related set backs, especially in the last year, Gaetano remained positive, playful and ever curious. He is survived by his children, family and all who adored him. His uniqueness, creativity and special message live on through his art.

“Ciao Gaetano!”

Over 1000 people have commented on the post, one fan said that “I worked on a project with him in Sao Paulo in 1987. A great creator,” whilst the photographer David Brandon Geeting wrote “omg, followed by a crying face emoji. “I can’t believe it. I’m so grateful I got to meet you Gaetano, and forever inspired by your boundless mind.”

Gaetano Pesce created the Organic Building in Osaka, Japan, in 1993 which has since been named a civic landmark in the city. The exterior is covered with concrete panels that are steel-encased and finished with a red glaze, and feature extruding pockets. There are more than 80 types of indigenous plants and trees which were selected in collaboration with Osaka horticulturists for the fibreglass planters that are fitted inside the containers.