Bitossi’s fruit and veg-inspired lighting is bananas

Bitossi fruit furniture by Robert Stadler

(Image credit: Filippo Telaro)

published 26 April 2023

‘OMG-GMO’ is Bitossi's latest creative collaboration, a series by Robert Stadler curated by Carwan Gallery's Nicolas Bellavance-Lecompte featuring realistic fruit and vegetable shapes turned into furniture and lighting. Presented during Milan Design Week 2023, the collection is a whimsical interpretation of functional furniture demonstrating Bitossi's mastery of material, shape and colour.

‘OMG-GMO’ by Robert Stadler and Bitossi

Bitossi Ceramiche fruit chandelier — ‘Vita Mix’ chandelier

The premise of the collection is simple: in his most playful piece of work in a decade-long career, Stadler recreated realistic shapes of fruit and vegetables, which were combined into suggestive, functional furniture designs.

A pair of bananas become the hangers of a valet stand, while a photorealistic slice of watermelon is the seat on a stool. A trio of carrots joined at the top practically double as a table lamp, while some celery leans on the wall, projecting light onto the surface from its stalk. There are bent zucchini (supporting the wooden shelves of a bookcase), aubergines (the legs of a Gae Aulenti-inspired glass-topped coffee table), a sliced avocado (the base of a cucumber floor lamp) and walnuts (playfully dotted throughout the collection). An impressive chandelier, meanwhile, combines several of these motifs into a colourful, fruity extravaganza.

Water melon stool, part of Bitossi OMG GMO fruit furniture by Robert Stadler — ‘Juicy Josef’ stool

Today's shop-displayed vegetables look perfect and often have little resemblance to their species’ natural forms, something that Stadler has been observing and commenting on through his work: 'Engineering has become even more extreme, incorporating genetic modification and sophisticated cultivation techniques that give fruit and vegetables of almost artificial perfection and symmetry.'

Valet stand with banana shaped hangers, part of Bitossi OMG GMO fruit furniture by Robert Stadler — ‘Mute Mix’ valet stand

According to a note from the gallery, the collection 'offers a witty comment on the relationship between humans and their environment, as seen through the genetic manipulation of fruit and vegetables'. Stadler's fruit and vegetables are perfect and spotless, a way for the designer to comment on themes of agricultural domestication, selective breeding and bioengineering.

bitossiceramiche.it
robertstadler.net
carwangallery.com

Carrot light, part of Bitossi OMG GMO fruit furniture by Robert Stadler — ‘Tip Toe’ table lamp

Avocado-like base of cucumber-shaped lamp, part of Bitossi OMG GMO fruit furniture by Robert Stadler — The base of the ‘Size Matters’ floor lamp

Bitossi Ceramiche aubergine table by Robert stadler — ‘Gay Gae’ table

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Rosa Bertoli was born in Udine, Italy, and now lives in London. Since 2014, she has been the Design Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees design content for the print and online editions, as well as special editorial projects. Through her role at Wallpaper*, she has written extensively about all areas of design. Rosa has been speaker and moderator for various design talks and conferences including London Craft Week, Maison & Objet, The Italian Cultural Institute (London), Clippings, Zaha Hadid Design, Kartell and Frieze Art Fair. Rosa has been on judging panels for the Chart Architecture Award, the Dutch Design Awards and the DesignGuild Marks. She has written for numerous English and Italian language publications, and worked as a content and communication consultant for fashion and design brands.