Gaetano Pesce grabs our attention like never before at New York's Allouche Gallery

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
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
-
ALT Paris is a chic and fast-growing jewellery brand to know
The brand, which has just opened its second Paris boutique, has mastered the art of luxurious minimalism
-
Rediscover a classic midcentury hotel in Sydney
Fender Katsalidis leads a major renovation of the landmark Sofitel Sydney Wentworth hotel, pairing 1960s modernism with an elevated, Australian-minded reset
-
Haute Couture Week A/W 2025: what to expect
Five moments to look out for at Haute Couture Week A/W 2025 in Paris (starting Monday 7 July), from Glenn Martens’ debut for Maison Margiela to Demna’s Balenciaga swansong. Plus, ‘new beginnings’ from JW Anderson
-
‘Her pictures looked like pictures everybody knew were the truth’: Diane Arbus at the Armory
Matthieu Humery curates more than 400 of Arbus’ photographs at New York’s Park Avenue Armory – every picture she was known to have printed
-
Mystic, feminine and erotic: the power of Penny Slinger’s bodies as landscape
Artist Penny Slinger continues her exploration of the sacred, surreal feminine in a Santa Monica exhibition, ‘Meeting at the Horizon’
-
Out of office: the Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the week
It was a jam-packed week for the Wallpaper* staff, entailing furniture, tech and music launches and lots of good food – from afternoon tea to omakase
-
Out of office: what the Wallpaper* editors have been up to this week
This week saw the Wallpaper* team jet-setting to Jordan and New York; those of us left in London had to make do with being transported via the power of music at rooftop bars, live sets and hologram performances
-
Photographer Geordie Wood takes a leap of faith with first film, Divers
Geordie Wood delved into the world of professional diving in Fort Lauderdale for his first film
-
New book celebrates 100 years of New York City landmarks where LGBTQ+ history took place
Marc Zinaman’s ‘Queer Happened Here: 100 Years of NYC’s Landmark LGBTQ+ Places’ is a vital tribute to queer culture
-
A major Takashi Murakami exhibition sees the world in kaleidoscopic colour
The Cleveland Art Museum presents 'Takashi Murakami 'Stepping on the Tail of a Rainbow', exploring outrage and escapist fantasy
-
Ai Weiwei’s new public installation is coming soon to Four Freedoms State Park
‘Camouflage’ by Ai Weiwei will launch the inaugural Art X Freedom project in September 2025, a new programme to investigate social justice and freedom