Here, we ask designers to take a selfie and give us an inside look at their life.
Age: 43
Occupation: Artist and designer.
Instagram: @gupica
Hometown: Bologna.
Studio location: Bologna.
Describe what you make: I create and design projects using a multidisciplinary approach, involving decorative arts, interior and product design, contemporary experimentation, and craftsmanship. My studio collaborates with product designers, surface and wallcoverings companies, design galleries, and private clients. Our approach is based on cultural references drawing inspiration from nature, history, art, architecture, and design, having a particular aptitude for exploring an emotional dimension investigating more anthropological aspects of the project.
The most important thing you’ve designed to date: Thinking of my latest projects, in chronological order, the Flora lamp designed in 2019 for Nilufar Gallery and the Aracea collection of lamps designed for Visionnaire and presented in 2021 at Alcova during Milan Design Week. In the latter project, I designed not only the collection but also the exhibition’s scenography by creating a “forest” that grew in a room where these plant-shaped lamps emerged from the ceiling, the floor, the walls, as if they completely took over the space.
The Lucente collection of lamps, designed for Visionnaire in 2022 and presented this year at Salone del Mobile, is inspired by the way light splits and reflects on the faceted surfaces of precious stones, creating mesmerizing luminous effects. In this case, I was inspired by the world of jewelry by creating these “jewels” on a large scale, giving the light diffusers a “baguette” diamond shape. The light-diffusing bodies of the lamps, which imitate colored gemstones in sophisticated yet simple shapes, are made of a secondary raw material obtained through the recycling of PMMA—commonly known as Plexiglass—reborn with a completely new appearance.
Describe the problem your work solves: My work may be able to solve problems related to emotions and moods. For example, as designers, we can contribute to designing objects and spaces that are able to elevate people’s sensory: functional visual and emotional perceptions.
Describe the project you are working on now: I’m always seeking new proposals and consultancies with product design and coverings companies. Working on the research and development of my own productions focusing on the characteristics of their components and materials.
I’m also working on the Wall&Decò company brief, with whom I’ve been collaborating since 2015 for the creation of wallpapers. Designing wallpaper graphics is an important task—it greatly influences the perception of a space. In creating a wallpaper, I curate many aspects: the patterns, their rhythm and proportions, the combination of colors… My problem is that I always have so many ideas and find it hard to contain or to select them.
A new or forthcoming project we should know about: I’m afraid I can’t answer this question. I’m Italian and thus very superstitious so I must wait until completion in order not to bring bad luck to the project!!
What you absolutely must have in your studio: There must be excellent light, both natural and artificial, a large table on which to draw, paint, make prototypes… the design space never seems to be enough. Another thing that can’t be missing is a large bookcase where there must be all the books related to you and your inspirations. When I design, these books stay open on my desk for a long time, sometimes overlapping each other. This is why I’m committed to maintaining order in chaos!
What you do when you’re not working: I dedicate my free time to searching for new inspirations. Traveling, visiting exhibitions, and taking pictures of things that sometimes no one understands but make sense to me are some of my favorite activities. I happen to immortalize shapes, assemblages of materials, unusual color combinations. I dedicate a good part of my time to this kind of “free research” which I very often share with my six-year-old son, Arturo. We’re often like two explorers who let themselves be surprised by the charm of the things around us—we often draw or create some ideas together with simple objects or recycled materials. He himself is a great source of inspiration and creativity for me.
Sources of creative envy: I’m not sure creativity can arise from feelings related to envy. I’d rather speak of admiration or inspiration. In this sense, I’d certainly say my work is inspired by Gio Ponti, Carlo Mollino, and Alessandro Mendini for the use of decoration as a tool that responds to a need for imagination and fantasy in everyday life. I’m also fascinated by the avant-garde and courageous approach to experimentation of two modern women, Charlotte Perriand and Eileen Gray. For the creation of my wall paintings, I take inspiration from French painters such as Henri Matisse and Henri Rousseau, but also from classical masters such as Nicolas Poussin and Annibale Carracci for the composition of natural landscapes that I like to transpose into an interior space.
The distraction you want to eliminate: During work, my iPhone. In my life, perhaps procrastination, but sometimes that reveals the need to face things more calmly in a life that goes too fast.
Concrete or marble? To avoid waste and optimize the use of natural and precious stone, I would suggest using marble, especially the decorative one, for the creation of small and precious objects, while concrete for larger surfaces. But it all depends on what we have to do.
High-rise or townhouse? Townhouse with a garden and some fruit trees.
Remember or forget? Remember what’s needed to evolve and forget what’s not needed to progress.
Aliens or ghosts? Aliens are more inspirational to me.
Dark or light? A light in pure darkness or at twilight!
