Matisse cut-outs inspire this lighting collection by Formafantasma
At Milan Design Week 2022, Maison Matisse celebrates the French artist’s paper cut-outs through contemporary design collections
Founded by the fourth generation of the Matisse family, Maison Matisse celebrates the French artist’s heritage through new design collaborations with contemporary creatives. At Fuorisalone 2022, the brand presents a series of new lighting pieces by Formafantasma through an installation at 5 Vie (Via Santa Marta 21).
Henri Matisse began working on paper cut-outs in 1941, and continued until his death in 1954, creating compositions using gouache painted paper, cut with scissors and pinned to studio walls to create the artworks, which featured anthropomorphic figures, foliage, and abstract signs. ‘The Fold’ collection by Formafantasma references these cut-outs, through the use of metal and paper shapes cut and assembled in the same way.
‘In the spirit of Henri Matisse, Maison Matisse celebrates joie de vivre; a heritage of optimism combines with those of perseverance, audacity, simplicity and family to envision heirloom-worthy objects,’ says Jean-Matthieu Matisse, the painter’s great-grandson and founder of the brand. ‘These are pieces that harness artisanal craftsmanship to gather value, history and design to bring joy to both present and future generations to come.’
‘The Fold’ collection interprets this modern art heritage and marks Maison Matisse’s first foray into lighting design. Designers Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin were inspired by the artist’s process, and like Matisse, they used a ruler and blade to shape the silhouettes of chandeliers, table lamps, candleholders and pendant lights.
With simple geometric shapes, the designers have created a series of abstract compositions that subtly reference the artist’s creative style, while maintaining Formafantasma’s unique, sophisticated approach. Made of machine-cut and bent steel, spray-painted to a smooth finish in shades from moss green to deep red, pink and blue (each piece is available in the four colours), the lamps feature contrasting white paper shades.
Says Jean-Matthieu Matisse, ‘Ours is a family that counts the finest designers and craftsmen to create forever pieces that make a house a home and inspire optimism: the Maison Matisse state of mind.’
INFORMATION
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
maison-matisse.com
formafantasma.com
ADDRESS
Via Santa Marta, 21
Milan
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.
-
Own an early John Lautner, perched in LA’s Echo Park hillsThe restored and updated Jules Salkin Residence by John Lautner is a unique piece of Californian design heritage, an early private house by the Frank Lloyd Wright acolyte that points to his future iconic status
-
20 things that positively delighted us in and around Design Miami this yearFrom covetable 20th-century masterpieces to a tower made from ceramic pickles, these were the works that stood out amid the blur of Art Week
-
Montcalm Mayfair opens a new chapter for a once-overlooked London hotelA thoughtful reinvention brings craftsmanship, character and an unexpected sense of warmth to a London hotel that was never previously on the radar
-
‘Locally anchored and globally conversant’: Salone del Mobile debuts in Saudi ArabiaSalone del Mobile lands in Riyadh (26-28 November 2025), bringing its creative and manufacturing know-how to one of the world’s fastest-growing markets and setting the stage for Italo-Saudi design relations
-
Alcova 2026 locations include a Rationalist gem and an abandoned churchAlcova returns for an 11th edition in 2026 (20-26 April), once again opening up two exclusive Milanese locations, the Baggio Military Hospital and Franco Albini's Villa Pestarini
-
Salone del Mobile 2026 will embrace collectible design with Salone RaritasSalone del Mobile has Salone Raritas, a new exhibition space at the fair (21-26 April 2026), curated by Annalisa Rosso and designed by Formafantasma
-
O Milano! Design's epic annual spectacle in photosCall us biased, but we believe that Milan Design Week is, at this moment in time, the greatest show on earth
-
How did the Shakers influence modern design? A new exhibition considers the progressive philosophy of the free church‘The Shakers: A World in the Making’ positions the 18th-century sect as a pioneer of simple, functional and democratic design – principles that still guide aesthetics today
-
‘Romantic brutalism’ rethinks Polish craftAn exhibition in Warsaw gives local makers their due, looking inside the burgeoning world of Polish design
-
Eight designers to know from Rossana Orlandi Gallery’s Milan Design Week 2025 exhibitionWallpaper’s highlights from the mega-exhibition at Rossana Orlandi Gallery include some of the most compelling names in design today
-
Bentley’s new home collections bring the ‘potency’ of its cars to Milan Design WeekNew furniture, accessories and picnic pieces from Bentley Home take cues from the bold lines and smooth curves of Bentley Motors