The drawings by maestro Arnaldo Pomodoro, outlining silhouettes and details of the Lampada-Stele, a series of sculptural lighting fixtures, had been lying in drawers since 2002. The extreme constructive complexity prevented their realization, until Venini decided to make available to the maestro its centuries-old artisan know-how, masterfully interpreting his artistic language in collaboration with the Arnaldo Pomodoro Foundation.
The debut of the first of the three luminous steles – Stele I – at the recent Milano Design Week 25, showcased the floor versions (180 cm) and the table version (60 cm), produced in a limited edition of one hundred pieces each. In both, the rigor of sculpted bronze, the sculptor’s stylistic signature, is combined with the ethereal luminosity of sandblasted glass that houses the LED light source, in a dialogue between solidity and lightness.
A result made possible by the mix of the extraordinary skill of the brand’s best master glassmakers and an innovative glass technique. Inspired by columns of ancient civilizations, Lampada-Stele stands as a contemporary totem with a metallic base and terminal and an extremely faceted and finely worked intermediate glass body. A three-dimensional work with surfaces decorated in bas-relief, characterized by different toothed and graphic designs.
Delicate and bold, the collection fully embraces the thought of Arnaldo Pomodoro, who invites us to experience art through a global and collective involvement. Silvia Damiani, President of Venini, recounts: «This collaboration was born from a meeting with Teresa Pomodoro and Carlotta Montebello on the occasion of an art exhibition by Arnaldo.
While we were talking, the memory of a project conceived by Arnaldo Pomodoro for VENINI, which had remained unrealized for over twenty years, resurfaced: the Lampade-Stele, objects that visionarily combined function and sculpture in a perfect balance. At the time, technical limitations made it impossible to create them. We at Venini chose to accept this challenge with passion and, this time, we managed to give shape to what the artist had imagined. It is an honor to be able to create a work that embodies Pomodoro’s powerful vision and reflects our constant commitment to innovation through artisanal excellence».
