Gaetano Pesce grabs our attention like never before at New York's Allouche Gallery
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

At the ripe old age of 75, Italian architect and designer Gaetano Pesce shows no sign whatsoever of slowing down. Now on his plate is a stunning exhibition devoted to his latest work as well as his design, drawings, signature maquettes and drawings harking back to the 1960s at the SoHo Allouche Gallery. 'Gaetano Pesce: One of a Kind Iconic Works 1967-2015' pays homage to his distinctive artistry.
'Gaetano's always been a living legend when it comes to art, architecture, design and sculpture,' says dealer Eric Allouche. 'But this new show will further cement his artistry on the global axis,' he says.
Talk about ahead of the curve oeuvre. Pesce blazed a trail in his use of foam, resin and urethane early on. What else has been the driving force for Pesce, whose work crosses the figurative and abstraction? 'I've always believed that my art must frequently address critical issues of today,' says Pesce. Take his politically charged 1968 UP 5 + 6 Chair, which resembles a huge seated female figure chained to a ball. 'I wanted to demonstrate that women are political prisoners of men,' says Pesce. While the maquette is in foam, the full scale version in wood is also on view.
For him, nothing is cookie cutter. 'Repetition to me is boring and repressive so each example is unique,' he says.
Saturated color is another hallmark of Pesce and a sense of playfulness can be the norm. His 2006 Fish Table evidences that to perfection with the top in the shape of fish drenched in brilliant blue. Then his Fuoco Vase in searing orange and yellow resin approximates a candle dripping wax. 'Color is essential as it's so expressive of emotion,' says Pesce.
Even his lighting is revolutionary. Take his 2013 Kid Lamp with the shade alike a tangle of hair in resin.
Aside from his work in the hallowed halls of such noted museums as the Louvre, London's V & A Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, A-list collectors who have plucked up his work include mega dealers Jeffrey Deitch and Adam Lindemann as well as fashion designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabanna.
With the gallery opening set for this evening, Allouche expects a huge crowd. 'The exhibit will rein in entire new batches of collectors far beyond those who covet design,' he says.
Many of Pesce's have a distinctly poiltics flavour, such as 1968 UP 5 + 6 Chair, which resembles a huge seated female figure chained to a ball, pictured here as a maquette.
Saturated color is a hallmark of Gaetano Pesce's novel approach to design. His tonality runs from sea blues and emerald greens to flaming reds, as in his fiery Fuoco Vase. Courtesy of Gaetano Pesce's Office;
Also on show at the Allouche Gallery is the UP 5 + 6 full-scale chair in wood.
Zoomorphic shapes like his Fish Table, which stretches thirteen feet across, are also part of his quixotic vocabulary.
The 2013 Kid Lamp, with its hair-like tangle of resin as a shade. Courtesy of Gaetano Pesce's Office;
Dealer Eric Allouche has paired Pesce's design with his works on paper like the 1977 'Church of Solitude' with its cloud-like forms, one of which is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
ADDRESS
115 Spring Street
New York, NY 10012
VIEW GOOGLE MAPS (opens in new tab)
-
Design, air filtration and sustainability meet in the ‘Air’ lamp
‘Air as design inspiration’: the ‘Air’ lamp by Adam D Tihany and Contardi puts ecological issues at the forefront
By Hannah Silver • Published
-
Bizzarrini Giotto is a future-statement supercar from a reborn brand
Representing the apex of Italian automotive design, the proposed Bizzarrini Giotto blends heritage with dramatic style
By Jonathan Bell • Published
-
Tokyo Toilet project gets Marc Newson addition
The Tokyo Toilet project has a new addition, a Marc Newson-designed facility in the heart of the city’s Shibuya district
By Jens H Jensen • Published
-
Buckhorn Sculpture Park: inside the art paradise dreamt up by collectors Sherry and Joel Mallin
As legendary art collectors Sherry and Joel Mallin prepare to sell their upstate New York home – and the star-studded collection occupying Buckhorn, its onsite sculpture park – we go behind the scenes of this art treasure trove, and the extraordinary life, work and spirit of the Mallins
By MZ Adnan • Published
-
Theaster Gates’ New Museum exhibition meditates on mourning, materials and community
Theaster Gates talks about his first US museum show, ‘Young Lords and Their Traces’ at The New Museum (until 5 February 2023), a moving homage to the creative forces who came before
By Pei-Ru Keh • Published
-
New York art exhibitions: what to see this winter
Stay up-to-date with our ongoing guide to the best new and upcoming New York art exhibitions and events for your diary
By Tilly Macalister-Smith • Published
-
New York photography show sees cultural icons – from David Hockney to Maya Angelou – in unguarded moments
‘Face to Face’ at New York’s International Center of Photography (27 January – 1 May 2023) sees cultural icons shot by Tacita Dean, Brigitte Lacombe and Catherine Opie
By Martha Elliott • Published
-
Inez & Vinoodh on 35 years of radical photography, being ‘two brains, one person', and judging our Design Awards
Dutch photography duo and Wallpaper* Design Awards 2023 judges Inez & Vinoodh discuss image manipulation, design aspirations, and capturing the legendary Julianne Moore
By Harriet Lloyd-Smith • Published
-
Es Devlin’s illuminated choral sculpture in New York celebrates human connection
Es Devlin’s ‘Your Voices’ at Lincoln Center, commissioned by Moët & Chandon, is an ode to the 700 languages spoken in New York City
By TF Chan • Published
-
Hav & Mar restaurant is a new temple for Black arts and culture in New York
Hav & Mar, a new art-focused seafood restaurant in New York, is the brainchild of chef Marcus Samuelsson and artist Derrick Adams
By Pei-Ru Keh • Published
-
‘Eyes on Iran’ art activation in New York directs urgent attention to the United Nations
Including work by JR and Shirin Neshat, ‘Eyes on Iran’ is a group public art activation in New York timed to the UN initiative, 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence
By Martha Elliott • Published