Sinerpica thumbnail 1
Not on display

Sinerpica

Lamp
1979 (designed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Michele de Lucchi is an architect and designer who was a principal member of both radical groups, Alchymia and Memphis. The Sinerpica lamp was produced for Alchymia in 1979, and is one of a series of products by de Lucchi which counter-acted the hi-tech and hard edged appearance of most modern product design. As a lamp it has limited useful function (i.e. it is not positionable) and is deliberately low tech, with a pastel colour palette not usually used for lighting at the time.

De Lucchi has described his career as having two sides to it - the first an experimental practice which had its roots in the radical architecture of the 1970s (de Lucchi founded the group Cavart in 1973, and was a member of the group Global Tools, both of which explored design and environment in a conceptual, rather than a consumerist and pragmatic way). The other part of his career has been devoted to industry - both as a long term designer for Olivetti (since 1979) and as a designer-manufacturer himself, principally of lighting. De Lucchi was a close associate of Ettore Sottsass, and his work displays a similar interest in colour, surface decoration and in creating objects that provoke emotional responses.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleSinerpica (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Painted metal and wood
Brief description
Lamp, 'Sinerpica' designed by Michele de Lucchi for Studio Alchimia, painted metal, 1979
Physical description
A pink round plinth holds a blue pole around which a green pole is wound holding a small yellow tube for an exposed bulb; none of the elements are flexible hence the light cannot be directed.
Dimensions
  • Height: 73cm
  • Diameter: 21cm
Taken during first visit of object
Style
Object history
The Sinerpica lamp was produced for Alchymia in 1979, De Lucchi also produced a series of prototypes for domestic products in a similar manner (a toaster, kettle, iron and others) but these objects were never manufactured.
Subject depicted
Summary
Michele de Lucchi is an architect and designer who was a principal member of both radical groups, Alchymia and Memphis. The Sinerpica lamp was produced for Alchymia in 1979, and is one of a series of products by de Lucchi which counter-acted the hi-tech and hard edged appearance of most modern product design. As a lamp it has limited useful function (i.e. it is not positionable) and is deliberately low tech, with a pastel colour palette not usually used for lighting at the time.

De Lucchi has described his career as having two sides to it - the first an experimental practice which had its roots in the radical architecture of the 1970s (de Lucchi founded the group Cavart in 1973, and was a member of the group Global Tools, both of which explored design and environment in a conceptual, rather than a consumerist and pragmatic way). The other part of his career has been devoted to industry - both as a long term designer for Olivetti (since 1979) and as a designer-manufacturer himself, principally of lighting. De Lucchi was a close associate of Ettore Sottsass, and his work displays a similar interest in colour, surface decoration and in creating objects that provoke emotional responses.
Collection
Accession number
W.7-2010

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Record createdSeptember 6, 2010
Record URL
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